A Fall Outing

Hello Friends,

What's my excuse for my extended absence? Maybe I got lazy. Maybe there is just so much happening around the world at breakneck speed, I couldn't choose a topic and get it researched before it was no longer relevant as "news".  At any rate, I'm back...at least for now.

We did take an afternoon "day-trip" to soak in some of nature's beauty and enjoy some peace from the wild world we are living in.

I know, pics or it didn't happen. It happened!

There we were, perched on a big rock overlooking the Dan River in Moratock Park. This is in beautiful Danbury, NC. It was warm with a gentle breeze and we sat and watched the water burbling around the rocks and the fallen leaves float gently down the river.

After we made our way up the hill to allow another family some time on the rock, we met a brother and sister who were just hanging out at the shelter enjoying the lovely fall day. We spent a few minutes chatting with them. It turned out they had lived around there all their lives, and told a few of those "back in the day" stories.

We then drove up to Hanging Rock park. but it was particularly crowded since it was Saturday. We started on one of the shorter trails, but turned back because it was getting too late in the day (having gotten a late start to begin with), and some of my muscles were complaining.

I hope y'all get a chance to get some fresh air and sunshine while the days are still nice, although today is 49° and raining.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Sweet Sixteen

Hello Friends,

This is a big milestone for my often-neglected, but now revived blog. Roses to Rainbows is celebrating it's 16th year in the blogosphere on September 20.

Where have the years gone? It seems like just yesterday I had hopes and dreams of sharing my thoughts and ideas all around the globe. Did I succeed?

Well, yes and no. I have had visitors from far and wide grace the virtual doors of my humble abode. I have shared my thoughts, tips & tricks, helpful hints, and pictures of my cats. I have written fiction and poetry, participated in many blogging challenges, and at times expressed my opinion on various topics.

Have I become an overnight sensation after 16 years? Nope! 

Is that okay? Yep! 

Why, you ask, would I keep plugging away, albeit randomly at times, for 16 years? That is a really good question, and when I look at people whose blogs have had a regular audience who interacts with them, sometimes on a daily basis, for longer that I've been "online", it does make me wonder why as well. 

I have often quoted Cyril Connolly, "Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self", and have come to consider that I am the epitome of that quote. Maybe another way of putting it is this line from Shakespeare's Hamlet, "To thine own self be true".

Having said all this, if I help or encourage one person, that is a bonus. If I entertain someone with my stories or brighten their day with my pictures, I'll take it. These moments are the real wins, so if it pleases you to leave me a comment, I'd love to hear from you. My door is always open, the coffee is hot, the wine is chilled and every so often, I even dust.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Gone Too Soon: RIP Charlie Kirk

 Hello Friends,

This one's for Charlie! 

It has been less than a week since the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk. Charlie was a Christian, a husband, a father, a patriot and a conservative. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.

Charlie championed free speech and open debate, regardless the topic or who wanted to have their voice heard. He listened and respectfully gave this thoughts, often in the form of a question. He was calm in the face of the hysterical. He countered illogical remarks with common sense and reason. He brought knowledge and wisdom to all who would listen. He unapologetically spoke about his faith, and family values. Many of his appearances were on college campuses, which sadly is where his life was taken.

He was also politically active in trying to reach America's youth. He campaigned for Donald Trump going back to 2016, and his organization, Turning Point USA is said to have been instrumental in the election of President Trump in 2024. 

The internet is awash in news clips, interviews, people opining on details and minutia, and articles, pictures and prayers offered in memorial. Also, many have been left wondering WHY? Why did this happen?

We are all sharing the same shock and grief. I had paused here at the computer for a moment Wednesday, saw this post and barely left until dinner needed to be prepared.

Charlie Kirk has been SHOT at an event at Utah Valley University.

His condition is unknown. Please stop what you're doing and PRAY for him

Oh No!! Immediately I switched to X to try and get more information. I prayed, as did millions of others around the country and perhaps around the world. Prayers continue for his family as they face the darkest time in their lives. This was indeed a dark day for our country as well. 

Why was Charlie assassinated? Everyone has an opinion, but if you want to know what I think, then reread the first two paragraphs. Charlie Kirk was murdered because of who he was as a human being. He was good, and evil can't stand good.

To the shooter, know that Charlie's work will continue. His army will multiply. To those who were celebrating this tragedy, you are disgusting human beings who lack compassion and human decency.

May God bless Charlie's family and God bless America!

Fabulous Fungi

Hello Friends,

We were walking in the park one day...and much to our surprise we spotted an old, but still very much alive, oak tree. Surrounding the base of the tree were the most brilliant orange mushrooms I'd ever seen. 

Can you guess what they might be called? If you guessed Jack-O-Lantern mushroom, you would be correct. They were quite the sight popping out from around the tree, in various stages of fungus life. You can read more about Jack-O-Lantern mushrooms here. 

Do take their advice, and if you forage for mushrooms, please leave these alone. In spite of their beauty, they will, apparently, make you quite sick.

Nature certainly is lovely, isn't it?

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Just Paid To Be There

Hello Friends,

So where do you think all the "protesters" come from?

I'm so glad you asked. What's interesting is that the companies that provide crowds for events have seen a spike in requests since this has taken place. 

Yes, you read that right. You've heard of Rent-a-John? Well this is, in essence, rent-a-crowd. They are hired and deployed to be agitators for various "mostly peaceful" demonstrations around the country.

There is this from Fox News, DC paid protester requests surge 400% amid Trump’s federal takeover of city police: crowd company CEO says vast majority of political event attendees in Washington are paid in some way.

So now you know that these protest crowds are not organic. Many are just paid to be there, and have no real interest in anything other than a paycheck.

You can go here to see one of these suppliers of people for yourself. My advice is to stay away from crowds and keep your head on a swivel.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Winding down

Hello Friends,

Summer is still going strong here, but fall is just around the corner. Garden 2025 is feeling it's age and many plants have been pulled up and discarded into the yard box. In our area we those that want them, have yard boxes which are basically the same thing as garbage and recycle bins, that we roll out to the curb for pickup.

Anyway, the cukes and the squash are done...not that they ever got started. The tomatoes (shown above) look like they are on their last leg and will soon be gone. There is a lone banana pepper that still has one pepper on it. The few that I got were good.

Here are highlights (or lowlights) and lessons learned.

• Six squash plants produced a total of one squash. It was good!

• Two hills of cukes did okay in the production department, but were mostly bitter. Note to self, do not buy Straight Eights again.

• The Better Boy and Celebrity tomatoes produced modestly, and the tomatoes were small. 

• The Husky Cherry tomato did okay, but not as good as last year.

• The Spicy Slice jalapeno was a complete bust. It was not spicy, but the horn worms loved it.

• The sweet banana pepper was good and produced maybe a half dozen peppers. Would plant again.

• Nine okra plants are awesome, and will likely be producing through September, at least.

Take care y'all, and until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Good Ads Sell Products.

Hello Friends,

Welcome to another Bud Light moment. Let's take a look at this November 2024 ad video from Jaguar, shall we. It's only 30 seconds...I'll wait.

Okay, now you've seen. Sorry you had to go through that, but that's how the insanity is revealed, shared and dismantled. I understand the CEO of Jaguar has stepped down following this disasterous controversial ad filled with what looks like creepy humanesque robots (I'm going to hazard a guess that they are humans). This doesn't seem to be the best way to represent a luxury car company...even if they wish to update their brand. The ad was released in November 2024, and sales in Europe have dropped more than 97% year-over-year in April 2025.

I guess there really is truth to that saying "Go Woke...Go Broke".

Contrast this with my earlier post showing a pretty young lady American Eagle jeans. American Eagle even has a digital ad in Time Square. Stock is up. Sales are up. The right advertising sells products. 

Please leave your thoughts in the comments. Which product would you purchase?

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

It Was Never In YOUR Best Interest

Hello Friends,

Following up on a previous post, here is a quote that circulated around a lot during the Covid years after the "not a vaccine" was rolled out.

"If you have to be persuaded, and reminded,
and pressured, and lied to and incentivized,
and coerced, and bullied, and socially shamed,
and guilt-tripped, and threatened, and punished
and criminalized - if all of this is considered
necessary to gain your compliance - you
can be absolutely certain that what is being
promoted is not in your best interest"

- Ian Watson

Mr. Watson, you absolutely said a mouthful there, and it is the absolute truth. We lived this nightmare for several years, and that was an abomination in the history of our country.

Indeed, it was never in our best interest. The truth is coming out and we all hope to see justice served.

Until next time stay safe and stay sane.

The Power of Good Advertising!

Hello Friends,

Look what is making a splash around the internet and setting liberal teeth on edge. You'll hear more yelling and gnashing of teeth as this circles the globe at light speed.

What a refreshing change from the ads of recent years. You can visit American Eagle to see Ms. Sweeney in her jeans.

Now check out and share this viral sensation.

Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans - Outrage AI Parody Song

You can read about this anywhere and everywhere because everybody and his brother is talking about...even the President.

Here's what he had to say about it: "The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Visit Truth Social or your favorite social media for the entire post.

NOW, if we can just convince #American Eagle to bring production back to the U.S.A. We want American-made jeans! Oh, BTW, I heard their stock was up, too!

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Just A Conspiracy Theory, Eh?

Hello Friends,

This here is a see-it-for-yourself moment. Let's go back in time to 2021 and the rollout of the Covid-19 "vaccine" program. You remember the big push to get everyone vaxxed? They bribed people and when that didn't work, they forced people to get the jabs or lose their jobs. 

They declared you were "killing grandma" if you didn't submit to the untested gene therapy.

Now the rest of the world gets to see what was behind that campaign, and it was NOT patient welfare, but money.

Yep, it was all about the money and the narrative. They couldn't let go of it even in the face of "actual science" or the reality that it was neither safe nor effective. 

They lied and people died because of it.

Many of us knew all of that way back then, but were called crazy conspiracy theorists because, you know, the science was settled and the experts knew better. If you tried to speak up or speak out against the vax, you were censored for misinformation.

As you can see from the COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Incentive Program, providers got money for every person vaxxed. You read that right. According to this document from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid, depending on the percentage of members vaccinated, the provider could receive up to $250 per vaccinated member. Yeah, it was never about the patient. Now you know!

The takeaway is always question the "experts", do your own research and think for yourselves.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

When It Rains

Hello Friends,

Have you had any rain lately? We finally got a good rain this afternoon (August 1), along with lots of thunder and lightning. It seems my dinner plans may have changed to cooking the burgers indoors instead of grilling. We'll see.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, RAIN. Thus far, we have had 1.24" of rain in this storm. Nope, I did not go out to check the rain gauge. I used the raindrop.farm site. 

All you have to do is plug in your zip code and click in your location to see their approximation of how much rain you have had in the past 24 hours.

This is especially handy if you want to check rainfall at another location such as a vacation home, farm or perhaps your place of business should it be in a flash flood area.

Wherever you are, I hope you got rain if you need it, and not if you don't. 

One line garden update: I picked the first pod of okra today!

Update: I just checked back to see how much more rain we got, and it had dropped to 1.07". This is what they say about how it works.

"How do you know how much it rained?
We calculate rainfall by processing data from high-resolution radars, ground sensors, and satellite data. It aggregates inputs from 180 Doppler radars and more than 10,000 rain gauges, using scientific models to derive rainfall estimates. We then deliver rainfall amounts that are hyper-localized, ensuring you receive data tailored precisely to your chosen locations.

Final update: According to our rain gauge we actually got 2.1". It was more accurate the last time we had any measurable rain.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane (and dry).

A Truck From The Past

Hello Friends,

Car Lovers Rejoice! After 50 Miserable Years, CAFE Standards Are Dead

This could be good news for car and truck buyers and the auto industry as well. Let's bring these back, shall we?

CAFE stands for corporate average fuel economy, and here is an excerpt from the article linked above.

"From the beginning, these standards were a disaster, forcing automakers to radically downsize their fleet, which research showed cost thousands of lives because, all things being equal, smaller, lighter cars are less safe than larger ones.

In fact, a 2002 National Academy of Sciences found that these fuel economy standards not only boosted the cost of cars, but may have caused as many as 2,600 more traffic fatalities just in 1993."

You know, safety first, except when it's not.

This whole thing began in order to force car manufacturers to increase fuel economy across the board. They had to meet a corporate standard or face stiff penalties.

That meant smaller cars and larger pickups. Why pickups you ask? Well as I understand it, pickups are generally less fuel efficient anyway, so to meet these new standards they had to provide the required gas mileage per cubic foot of vehicle. Thus, the super-large pickups were able to state the required gas mileage.

Have you seen the size of modern trucks? You practically need a ladder to get in or out, and the bed is as high as my head. I hope that with the demise of the CAFE standards, we can return to reasonably sized trucks.

A shout out to The Abode of McThag for sharing this article.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

More About Herbs

Hello Friends,

Let's talk some more about herbs, shall we? My current read is The Herbal Apothecary by 

JJ Pursell. Although I am only part way through the book, I find it well written and easy to understand. It covers 100 medicinal herbs with helpful color photographs. She describes the attributes of each plant, including instructions on how to make teas, tinctures, salves, and syrups, plus dosing and recipes.

There are sections on the systems of the body: cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and endocrine. These give detailed information on how our bodies work, and how herbal medicine can play a part in keeping us healthy.

At this point, my herb garden contains mostly culinary herbs, and even that got away from me and bloomed before I decided to harvest. Yesterday I picked some German thyme and Italian oregano. I had previously trimmed a new rosemary plant that had gotten leggy.

I'll continue to build my herb garden to hopefully include more medicinal herbs and have enough culinary herbs to harvest at the proper time and still have fresh when I want them.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that when using herbs in your dishes, one tablespoon dried herbs = three tablespoons fresh herbs. Just remember to triple the amount of fresh herbs if your recipe calls for dried, and always use fresh in salads and salsas and as garnish in finishing off your dish. When putting fresh herbs into a cooked dish, add near the end of cooking to retain color and flavor. I'll update on the rest of the garden later.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

What's That On The Porch?

Hello friends,

Today we are getting back to nature in a weird way. I saw this strange thing on my porch. It that a leaf or some type of life form? I pick up a stick and poke it. It doesn't move. It looks a bit like a jellyfish in the first picture doesn't it? I can just imagine it floating lazily on the water going where the current takes it. 

Assuming that it is not a living creature, I flip it over to look at the underside. It looks like an image of a brain. I'd never seen anything like this, and wondered how it got on my porch.

So I did a bit of looking around, and found this site, Mushroom Appreciation. There is a lot of information here concerning a variety of similar mushrooms. What I gather is that they grow on dead or half dead trees (I assume dead branches in an otherwise live tree qualify as hosts). We have two large Pecan trees in the front yard which usually sport at least one or two dead branches. When those fall, we often find a slimy black fungus on them. Those are gross, but I think not the same. 

I believe this is the wood ear mushroom, also known as jelly ear, and possible jellyfish mushroom, which is an apt description.

This next picture was taken later that day when it had dried out a bit. It retained it's shape, but darkened somewhat. You can still see the "brain" lines. 

After a few days, it dried out to maybe 20% of its original size. You can still see some of the brain lines, but it is much darker and crispy like a chip.

I find different types of fungi very interesting. There is a fungus category on my side bar where you can see the rest of my unusual finds.

Maybe the occasional afternoon thundershowers will produce some lawn decorations to post about.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Patience My Friends

Hello Friends,

Hubby and I have been reading this lady's blog for several years, and it is time I highlight her here at Roses to Rainbows. Her name is Sarah, and her blog is According to Hoyt. She is originally from Portugal, and this is important because having been raised in a foreign country gives her a perspective that those of us born in the U.S. don't have.

Throughout the years, she has informed and enlightened us. She has encouraged and entertained us. She has forbidden us from swallowing the black pill on numerous occasions when things looked particularly gloomy, often reminding us to "Be not afraid, we win - they lose". Thank you Sarah!

Sarah is also a fantastic fiction writer, and you can find her books on Amazon. and you can also find her on my sidebar under Frequent Stops.

Now, please read her July 17th post entitled "A Decent Respect". This is for all my conservative friends who are a bit frustrated, or somewhat peeved, or just downright angry at the lack of progress made in bringing the perps to justice. 

From the Covid plandemic participants to the Epstein list debacle, we want answers that result in convictions. We've been through a lot over the past five years, and our patience wears thin. 

As humans, we tend to pivot from "it's been six months so what are they waiting for" (glass half empty) to "well, it's only been six months, give them time" (glass half full). Let's all be "glass half full" people. Things must be done right with all the i's dotted and t's crossed, allowing nothing to fall through the cracks. Sometimes the wheels of justice turn slowly. On the other hand, slow and steady wins the race.

In all honesty though, many changes for the good have already happened at amazing speeds.

Still we must stay vigilant because the liberal democrat socialists will continue to try and divide us and fracture MAGA. We the people need to remain united in the face of their lies and continue to share the truth.

So read, enjoy, be encouraged and share her post with friends, family, on social media, etc. 

Personally, I have my own list of offenders I would like to see in the above cartoon, although there would be many more inmates.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

A Symbol of Peace

Hello Friends,

What we have here is an olive branch, or at least an olive twig. Nope, no olive trees growing in my yard. This was plucked not from a tree, but from a can of sliced black olives. It was well preserved and flexible, almost as if it was just picked instead of having gone through the canning process.

I placed it along side hubby's salad, explaining that it was an olive branch that was in the can. Now oftentimes you find bits of stem from green beans or other canned produce, but this was definitely a first. He wondered if perhaps it had been put in there intentionally. My thought is no, but it is a nice idea as the olive branch has long been a symbol of peace.

In the Genesis, Noah sent forth a dove to see if the waters had dried up upon the land. The second time the dove went out, she came back with an olive leaf. She was released a third time a week later and did not return. The olive leaf represented the peace of God sent out from the heavens.

Also, from the book of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were often depicted in early Christian art with a dove and olive branch. These were the three men thrown into a fiery furnace, but they did not burn, saved by faith.

In relatively more modern times, the United States, after declaring independence in 1776, created the Great Seal. In addition to the bald eagle, stars and stripes, it shows the eagle clutching an olive branch in his left foot. On the branch there are 13 olives and 13 leaves.

U.S. Great Seal by By Andrew B. Graham

Other countries, including Cyprus, Israel, and Eritrea, as well as the United Nations, also have the olive branch on their flags or other national emblems.

Knowing some of the history of the olive branch makes finding that small twig in the olive can even more special. Peace to all of you.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

They Have To Lie

Hello friends,

There is always something going on isn't there. As my mom would say, if it's not one thing, it's another, and that pretty much sums up the country and the world on the whole.

What isn't lacking is the hate and lies that are constantly spewing forth like an overactive volcano. For example, certain party members and, of course, the media, are jumping on the tragedy in Texas and railing about budget cuts and staffing shortages. Why? Because if the President hadn't cut so much money from the weather service budget, then the tragedy never would have happened. If he hadn't fired all the weather forecasters, then this horrific event never would have happened. It is all his fault! Blah, blah, blah.

Wrong! That is all lies and nonsense. In the first place, any budget cuts have not even gone into effect. Secondly, there were more than enough forecasters on duty for the weather event. They generally run with two, and bump that up to five for significant weather events, calling in extras or requiring overtime. 

So, no, that did not effect the forecasters' ability, but they have to lie...it's who they are.

Then next up in the blame game is "climate change". Ah, but we know better. Climate change is a man-made, bureaucratic hoax to manipulate the minds of the masses into believing that we are somehow responsible for global warming, cooling, etc. Don't get me started on geoengineering, and what that could be doing to the weather...trying to fix something we did that we really didn't do in the first place. Oy!

At any rate there are several factors that led to this tragic event. One, it happened in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping. Likely no one even heard the warning since cell service is between spotty and non-existent in that area. Also, I doubt that anyone had a weather radio either. Sirens? Nope. 

To credit the forecasters, they put out watches and warnings and then an emergency flood warning to evacuate immediately which I think went out about 4 a.m. 

Since the camp was so close to the river, it would seem that an evacuation plan could have been in place in the event of an emergency. Perhaps someone could have been on watch monitoring the weather with a way to communicate quickly with other adults. This is just speculation on my part. Maybe it would have a difference, maybe not. I suspect plans and procedures will change now, though.

We all say that things like this shouldn't happen, but they do. That is the way nature works and given the wide shallow river, the amount of rain and the fact that it is in hill country, flooding can happen quickly. It has done this multiple times in the past. What made this more deadly is that it happened at night.

It is devastating for the families and the community, and our prayers are with them, as well as all the search and rescue personnel. They have seen things that they will never forget. 

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Eyes On The Garden, Folks!

Hello Friends,

Garden news: Each of my pepper plants are producing and the cherry tomato is loaded. The Better Boy probably has a baker's dozen and the Celebrity is bringing up the rear.

Sadly, the squash are not squashing yet. Had a few small ones on the zucchini, but they never developed. Also, the cukes are not as tasty as I'd hoped. Here is a picture of the one I picked today. I spotted it Friday and said it would be ready to pick in a couple of days. It is now Monday and it has tripled in size since then. This is the Straight Eight variety. 

I had eagerly awaited the first ripe tomato and remarked to hubby that it would be ready soon. Today was the day. I reached in and plucked out a small but otherwise ripe and ready tomato. 

Alas, I turned it over and this is what I saw.

The cardinal rule of gardening is that you must keep eyes on everything every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. It is however hard to see what is happening on the bottom of every tomato. In my defense, they grow in clumps in the center of the plant inside a four-foot tall cage. I must reach inside a 2" by 4" opening the welded wire fence to harvest or prune away dead leaves, the latter involving getting scissors in as well. I may need to rethink some things next year. 

I have some organic fertilizer to put out and that might help. I think I also have some calcium spray I can use. Blossom end rot results in two things, both involving calcium. Either there is not enough in the soil, or there is insufficient uptake.

The storm that came up through SC dumping copious amounts of rain in some areas only gave us 0.4" of rain, so back to watering this evening. Sigh!

I had planned to do a roundup of all the good news on the national and political fronts back before the holiday, but that, as they say, is old news now. Maybe I'll do a post with my take on some of the highlights...we'll see.

Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Speaking of Herbs

Hello Friends,

In the continuing saga of gardening 2025, here is a rundown of what's growing in my herb garden.

New this year

English Thyme
Lemon Thyme
German Thyme

Garden Sage (wide leaves)

Italian Oregano

Sweet Basil

Parsley

From previous years

Sage

Chives

Greek Oregano

Lemon Balm

Rosemary

There is also a small pot of dill waiting to be transplanted.

I have an interesting recipe for you. Now please stay with me on this because it will surprise you.  

La Tagliata (Italian grilled flank steak)

2 lbs. beef flank steak

Freshly ground black pepper

4 TB extra virgin olive oil

4 anchovy fillets

2 Tsp. finely chopped garlic

3 TB finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

Salt.

Put the olive oil and anchovies in a small skillet and place it over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook until the anchovies begin to dissolve. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the parsley, stir for another 30 seconds, and remove from the heat. **After making this for many years, I don't measure anything.**

Slice your cooked steak against the grain, and serve with the hot sauce. 

The sauce is the focus of the recipe here, so my comments on the steak is to cook it to medium rare and slice it on an angle against the grain. This will make it more tender.

You can also use flat iron steak or my favorite, skirt steak.

This recipe comes from Every Night Italian - Giuliano Hazan

Also, check out my post from a few years back: The Secret is in the Seasoning: Herbs and Spices.

Enjoy the recipe and until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

First Summer Garden Update

Hello friends,

I have a garden update for you today. The tomatoes (Better Boy and Celebrity) have nearly topped their cages and have little green maters on them. Everything is showing promise, even the zucchini, which up until a few days ago only had male flowers.

We had been getting regular thundershowers with enough rain to keep things going with out watering. Cue the arrival of a major heat wave with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the mid to upper 90s. I had to put shade cloth over the poor cukes yesterday, and 15 minutes later they were in the shade. Don't worry, it's not climate change, just summer.

I'm not a real morning person, so watering happens later than I'd like, but I do try to keep most of it off the foliage. My straw was not what I normally get and it molded, so some of my plants do not have mulch yet. Lesson learned...don't get that again. Only got it because it was all they had and I needed straw. Argh, still need more straw or something. Never use the colored mulch in the garden. I haven't looked for data on that, but the dye stains clothing, so I can't think it is good for plants.

I have been enjoying my expanded herb garden, and hubby has been getting some in his nightly salad. Maybe I need to do a post on just herbs and include a favorite recipe. You will be surprised.

At this moment in time, the temperature in our neck of the woods is 94° with a heat index of 109 reported from a nearby weather station.

Wherever you are, I hope you are staying cool and hydrated. Until next time, stay safe and stay sane.

Update, I noticed after putting this post together that I had gotten my finger in two of the pics. Too hot to do a retake!