Hey Cameron,
Wow that wasp sting sounds painful. Glad you didn't have an adverse reaction. I found a nest inside one of my decorative solar lanterns and got rid of it as soon as I could. It was right next to the sidewalk we use to the deck.

Hotter than blue blazes here also. We did get a trace of rain today but more thunder and lighting than anything else. I think the subdivision next to mine got more rain than I did. It was one of those kind of showers.

I'll hafta go check out the HGTV Blog place. I need to organize my pictures that I have on the computer but its such a big job I dread starting it. During these "stay in the house" days I'm flipping around the internet, looking here in the Cottage Garden forum or playing scrabble on line. I'm really hooked on Yahoo's Literati (scrabble). Almost 3 years ago I met to sweet ladies playing scrabble on line and we have been playing each other ever since. Later this month we are meeting in Williamsburg for a two day visit. One gal is a nurse in Raleigh and the other is a teacher in Philadelphia. We're really looking forward to our visit. Sure hope it cools down a bit by then. If any of my garden buddies plays or would like to play scrabble on line send me an e-mail.
Vikki

Spending a lot of time here on GW. Playing games online. Refiled all of my seeds. Packaging my harvest seeds. Anything but what I should be doing - getting ready to go back to school. I didn't even start on any of the lessons I was going to create this summer. Just didn't have the heart for it. And this hot weather only makes me not want to go back more. This weather makes everybody cranky. Not a good wait to start off the school year.

Yep! It is disgustingly hot out. I've spent much time watching my climbing aster fade away, I hope it and the butterfly bush beside it don't die.

I have been reading: Kingsolvers Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Carolyn Jabs Heirloom Gardener...also a book I'd been looking for for several years, written in 1969 which is about unusual plants - still many unusual varieties of plants listed in the book. Good reading.

I have however had to spend time gardening. I work in a garden center, so I must spend time outside and a good deal of it. Our thermometer out there is registering well over 100 degrees most days because of inner city reflective heat. Some days up to 110!! Then at Holy Comforter we still must garden in our church garden for our food. At home I have been running in and out, watering from my rain barrels (just enough water for my food, although we can water that freely anyway...) and snatching seed.

Today we had no gardening at church (someone stole all the catalytic converters out of our vehicles which we transport our congregation in!!) so I went to the Southern Nurseryman's (woman's!) Association Forum. Loaded up on tons of juicy plant catalogs, saw interesting things...

So I have plenty more reading to do while the weather is screamingly ugh!

Stay cool y'all!

girlgroupgirl

"What are YOU doing when you can't garden?"

Working in an office 8 stories high in the middle of the city in the August heat! Yuck, talk about disgusting!

Up until august our weather hadn't been too bad - I mean, not too hot. Still, as soon as August started it seems like temps went up right away. We have already had an heat wave which lasted 3 days and now have been steadily above 30C every day. I hate this weather. It's a battle to keep the garden watered, because the dry hot winds dessicate everything. During the heat wave even my star jasmine had entire branches turning dry, they look like dry paper at the moment! I'm so ready for the milder temps that September will hopefully bring!

Wasps are crazy around the garden too. They use the birdbath all the time. Somehow they seem to need more water than bees. They sit carefully on the edge of the birdbath to have a sip and sometimes even jump to the water and let themselves drift, as if they are having a bath. The other day I had to remove a dead one from the water, it seems it drowned itself while bathing. I have already had two wasp stings since I started the garden and they hurt!

Eduarda

I've been working like crazy in my garden because the garden club is coming on Monday and I want to pretend that I always have my hoses put away, my wheelbarrows hidden, my beds weeded and the grass mowed.

This post reminds me of winter when there is a foot of snow on the ground. Then I spend an hour a day on garden web, read magazines, go through my garden photos, etc. while all you southerners are admiring your winter beauties.

So right now, I'm still playing in the garden. It's been hot (85) but compared to what you guys are dealing with I guess I won't complain.

I is so hot here and we have had no rain in two weeks and didn't get a lot then. I think it's hot all over the south!

I still get out and prune or pull a few weeds early or late in the day. I have been taking a lot of pictures and have posted some here.

I enjoy reading the postings here.....

Dee

It must be rough everywhere!

What kind of person steals from a church?

I thought Portugal would be a bit cooler due to the coast? Guess not, sorry. My DH has been there and we keep talking about going there and spending some time on Madeira. It has nothing to do with the wine (Port or Madeira), really it doesn't. :-)

I guess western NY didn't get all that rain that was in the eastern part? Hosting a garden club -- wow! I would feel more pressure from that than having something INSIDE my house! LOL

I've been playing computer Scrabble and Sudoku a lot at night while watching TV.

HGTV got rid of my coneflower photos -- they are patented, so I used the full legal names and they probably thought it was advertising for Saul nurseries who developed those colors. Oh well, I couldn't say what they were without using the real names -- orange, yellow and purple is what we call ambiguous descriptions in my old marketing job at a software company. I also have a tendency to put in trademark symbols because of writing for our software company -- our lawyers would crawl all over us if we didn't properly use brands, trademarks, copyright symbols, etc.

How are all the folks down in Alabama?

Sitting under the ceiling fan (yes, that's why we have those)....Cameron

Its been in the 100's all this week. I go out around 6 am with my coffee to watch the hummingbirds feed & look at all the weeding, pruning, removing of plants that needs done. But its too hot. I have placed a couple of orders for fall shipping. Got my Spring bulbs orders in. I also did some seeds in the baggies with coffee filters but nothing happening with them yet.

This weekend were going to the beach to celebrate our 1 yr anniversary. Soon its back to school, we have alot of family coming for a visit in 2 weeks too. I'm trying to enjoy the peace now because I know soon this heat will break. Once it does we have atleast 2 new beds to make, 5 trees to get in the ground, 3 roses, 100 bulbs, 3 beds need widened etc...etc... This heat is forcing me to do nothing - not even cook. Its kind of nice actually.

I was moved to compose. Here is my ode to Veronica:

Ahem,

How I love my Sunny Blue!

It's strong and lush and never flops
The neighbors love those true blue tops
My bumblebees buzz with delight
And simply stay there overnight
No pruning, cutting back or shearing
It thumbs its nose at the sun's searing
It blooms and blooms for weeks on end
End even looks nice once it's spent
And when you think its time is due
It starts anew :)

{{gwi:262561}}

Hello from the sunny south.

It is supposed to break all records today when it hits 105 degrees. I have really come to hate summer down here. This is the third summer that we have had drought and high temps. It makes gardening so hard.

My plans to complete 3 new beds have been put on hold until it cools off. Not safe to be out in this weather very long.

I am giving up on trying to keep my hanging baskets and container plants alive. It's just a waste of water and time.

Cameron, I know what you mean when you say your impatients are fading away. Mine have given up the ghost and died. So have the Jacob's Ladders. They probably want come back next year.

I have to say that the Fan Flower is a little trooper. The heat does not seem to bother it one bit. It is blooming it's head off.

I may have to take out a loan to pay my electric bill when it arrives.

Stay cool and pray for an early fall!

faye

Right now it is 89 but with the heat index feels like it is 105. Humidity is at 65%. There is a slight breeze. It is HOT and it is August. Down here in s.e. sub-tropical FL we still have hot September to get through, then 'maybe' it will start to cool down a tad in October. At least that's what we hope, and hopefully no hurricanes will surprise us either, like Wilma did a couple of years ago.

I was out this morning hand watering potted plants. Yesterday morning I gave them a dose of 'stinky-poo' alfalfa tea. That stuff is gross, makes me gag, but roses and other plants love it.

Grass needs mowing, things need trimming, but I've been working since Tues. this week and don't feel like working up a sweat before going to work. When you sit in the air-conditioning for awhile you get the idea to go out and work just because it feels so great inside. You would need snorkeling gear though if you want to go outside.

It doesn't feel too bad when we first go out early, but by the time the sun comes up over the trees, forget it.

Loved your poem Chris.

GGG ~ sorry to hear about the theft of the converters from your church's vehicles.

Eduarda ~ Working inside is no fun, when you'd rather be outside playing in your gardens.

Cameron ~ hope your wasp sting area is getting better.

Vikki ~ have fun meeting your two scrabble playing friends.

Proudgm ~ The heat definitely makes one cranky. It zaps DH and I every summer of our energy and makes us feel sick.

Gottagarden ~ Enjoy the Garden Club's visit Monday. That would make me a wreck. Are you taking any pictures?

Dee ~ I'll have to find the post of your pictures. Seeing what other's are growing or doing in their gardens is always inspiring.

Deborah ~ Happy Anniversary and enjoy your weekend at the beach. Also enjoy planting you new beds and working in your older ones.

Faye ~ In this kind of miserable weather all we can do is sit inside and dream and think about all that needs doing or that we want to do outside. It is dangerous working out in this kind of weather like you said. If we are crazy enough to go out and work in our gardens, we need to take breaks and drink plenty of water.

Hang in there everyone ~ cooler weather will be here before long, we hope.

FlowerLady

I've been dealing with a nasty case of poison ivy. I got it while working on restoring the prayer garden at church. Apparently I missed a spot when I washed up before going home and then managed to transfer the oils all over myself. Poison ivy rash and heat is not a fun combination. I temporarily stopped caring about conserving water and showered several times a day. Ugh! Just thinking about it is making me itchy!

The grass needs to be mown badly but it rained last night and it's so humid that it's not drying. Around here thunder storms usually break the humidity. Not this time. But at least we had rain. I really hate to water.

What can I say in this thread?

Frost anyone?

Sierra

Sierra LOl only its not really funny.
We had some rain finally last night, but not enough, although it was actually pleasantly cool last night.
It has not been too too bad for us this summer, we have not used the airconditioners yet, we have been relying on fans. That's not to say its not hot here,its been in the high 90s and humid but we have acclimated to it and don't really mind it. It seems easier for me not to have to go in and out of such temp extremes. I have been looking at the photos of your guyses gardens and hope to have more cottageness in mine. I have been reading the forum at work,and I shouldnt but just have to peek. I am so bad.
I have been mostly watering, weeding, planning, and this week I have been gathering seeds. I had a blast sorting more seeds from the garden, and stayed up late doing it. It is rather addictive. It will be my first seed swap. Keep cool,everyone but except Sierra. Sue

Flowerlady, I can't believe it was only 89 there at 11:27! It was already 98 here at that time, and CLIMBING. We are going to meet our mark and much higher I'm afraid. By the time I get to work today, it will probably be about 110 in the shade with humidity. Oh, boy. I just hope the plants are suriviving somehow. They sit on pavement, I'll just keep hosing them down and hope for the best. At least I'm in for only a few hours. The full-time gal has to work all day. I can see the leaves on the gingers all rolled up. Poor things.

sierra, with the way things are going, you'll be 100 degrees in summer in no time. YIPES!

Sierra, I am so sorry that you are dealing with frost at this time of year. I just can not imagine such a short growing season. I hope things warm up and you have a nice long Indian summer!

Cameron, I hope the bee sting is improving. My DH has been stung several times in the last few days. The darn things fly inside his shirt and then move from spot to spot stinging him repeatedly. Cortisone cream has helped him a lot.

I have tried to catch up on housework this week while the temps have been so high. I'm good up to about 90 F. but anything over that makes me physically ill. We have two window air conditioners that do a decent job of keeping it bearable inside. DD2 and I were able to clean a large closet, sort out all of her clothes to make room for new school clothes, get the house in decent order and scrubbed a few walls and the floors. I'm terrible about letting the house go during summer so I can spend time outside. We still have her room upstairs to tackle when she gets home from her weekend with her dad. I have a good carload of goods to take to the community thrift shop next week and won't even feel bad about using the fuel to make two trips if it means we can get her room back under control by clearing out lots of excess STUFF! In the meantime the weeds I've been so diligent about keeping cut so they don't form seed are getting tall and setting seed anyway. Next time we mow we'll be forced to bag too. Sigh. We've had rain off and on for two days and it's been nice to not have the hot sun beating in the windows all the time.

11 days until DD2 starts High school. Lots to get done before then because I already know how crazy things will get around here then. Thankfully most of our harvest is done. Just one more cutting of hay to do. We still have to rebuild the calf lot fences but will wait until the weather breaks before we do that.

PS to Eduarda...we did our branding and tagging two weeks ago and the #44 cow survived the cut one more year. Her yearling grandaughter almost got shipped out but has been given a one year reprieve to settle down. How did it turn out that my heifers are all decendants of that crazy old #44?

Hang in there everyone!

MeMo

MeMo, I love your free spirited #44 cow! You still haven't posted a photo of her, did you? Would love to see it. I'm glad to hear her descents are as free spirited as herself. Born to be wild! :-)

Eduarda

It rained! It's 79 degrees right now at 11:30am! :-)

The sting is fading now -- thanks for the concern. I know folks who are fatally allergic to stings and carry epi pens and benadryl.

Hope the weather is improving for others.
Have a great weekend.

Here is a big pic of most of the beds-almost all of the beds except for the one by the arbor are new this yearand I made it alot bigger.The deck and pool are new this year.Ive been sporadically plucking weeds and watering at night because its so hottt.

Kim -- love your pool and deck! We just installed a similar pool (15x28 oval) and the deck is under construction right now by the landscaper who built our fence and water feature. We couldn't do in-ground due to the septic, tree line and height of our back foundation. I'm glad to see your wonderful above-ground pool! Your garden looks great, too!

Cameron

We've finally reached the upper nineties here in north Texas. Usual summer we've had with all the rain in April, May and June, then temperate temps through July. Usually we are in the nineties by May.

So what did we do to celebrate the high heat and high humidity? We bought shrubs at a nursery sale and have been digging and planting, replacing ones that drowned this spring. LOL! We get up early, work until noon and jump in the above ground pool.

Thank you, God for air conditioning, shade trees, iced tea, and homemade ice cream. (Dh is making homemade ice cream as we speak. We've got fresh peaches to go on top. Mmmmmmmmm. Feel cooler?)

Here is a link that might be useful: Creative Soul