It’s summer! Know how I know? Because it’s crazy hot! This weekend, we were well over 100 degrees both days. And I had the kind of fun that only happens in summer. I went to a free concert in the park, got turned back about a mile into a hike because of severe fire danger, filled the kiddie pool with water (for Lexi, though she has never gone into it of her own volition), grilled and ate dinner outside.
I don’t write poetry, but even if I did, I know I couldn’t have written about the opening days of summer more beautifully than Darren King on his blog, Maps from a Good Kingdom. I love his poem, Sunday, which I read on Sunday, dog lying across my feet, Chad at the grill, baby pigeons (having left the nest but not the area) perched on a nearby tree.
I don’t write poetry, but if pictures are worth a thousand words, here’s a few thousand for you! I’m sharing pictures of the garden because I’m sort of proud of it. A pride that surprises me, given my gardening misgivings and cluelessness.
Notice the cool bamboo shoots!
Strawberries in a wine barrel - Sounds like a song title
Peppers! I'm growing real edible stuff!
Everything looks healthy. It will soon be time to release the lady bugs, which I plan to make way too big a deal of. There will be speeches, Shakespearean toasts with goblets, hors d’œuvres and party music and such. The ladybugs will dance until the wee hours, carrying on in that way that plainer beetles can only aspire to.
After pulling weeds and watering and adding fashionable bamboo stakes – all in 103 degrees – we called it a day. I hit the showers, found the coolest article of clothing I have (and by cool, I don’t mean high fashion), sat down in the shade, put my feet up, and did two of my favorite things… one in each hand.
Yep. It's summer.
18 responses so far ↓
johnpruitt // June 29, 2009 at 11:19 am |
Tis a far far better garden you go to than you have ever known.
Tis a far far better bug you eat than you have ever eaten.
Dang it to heck! You said Shakspearan and I go off on Dickens! dohh!
Carey Jones // June 29, 2009 at 11:19 am |
You should post that short story of yours about the hot spell — remember that one?? Silly, I doubt you would forget your own story! Anyway, just wanted to mention . . . not sure if Lexi suffers like my beloved Chesapeake Ginger used to (in the heat), but I would buy her bags of ice from the market and she would sit next to them or on them sometimes. It’s gotta’ be rough (ruff!) wearing a fur coat in 100+ degrees!!
Love that pic of you, but I’m jealous!!! Although, I have to say that right now in Portland, Oregon, it is absolute Heaven for me. Sooooo green and so many flowers because of the rain ++ today it’s about 75 I think, just perfect for yard work. I’m supposed to be working on the computer though so I’d best get my tushy in gear!
peggi // June 29, 2009 at 11:21 am |
j – the garden looks fabulous, good for you. And with regard to your coolest article of clothing i think it qualifies both in fashion and weather appropriateness (if that’s even a word – but you get the idea!)
judy // June 29, 2009 at 11:31 am |
John, Extra points for literary shenanigans!
Carey, I am working on a “J Writes” page for the blog that will link to some of my published stories. I’ll make sure I include that one. And the ice bag – what a GREAT idea! I think Lexi would like that! (Of course, I thought she’d like the pool, too…)
Peggi, Thank you! Truth be told, when I’m standing the dress looks kind of like a mini moo moo. Bonus funny. I just looked up moo moo to make sure that’s how you spell it, and the urban dictionary entry is: A rectangular cloth with crude stitching worn by morbidly obese persons. Sweet! ;-)
Linda // June 29, 2009 at 12:19 pm |
Congrats on the garden. I only grow flowers now, but they’re sadly neglected due to my writing obsession. It was 106 here yesterday and supposed to be hotter today … it’s inhuman!
Loved your description of the ladybug debutante ball. :-)
teresazm // June 29, 2009 at 2:43 pm |
The Hawaiian way to spell it muʻumuʻu… I think that’s where it originated. But I must say from my experience Judy, I didn’t see enough fabric to say it really qualifies as a Muumuu…. (Although it doesn’t say anything in the following description about volumes of fabric, but it’s kind of implied in the last sentence.) ;-)
The muumuu or muʻumuʻu (English pronunciation: /ˈmuːmuː/) is a loose dress of Hawaiian origin[1] that hangs from the shoulder. Like the Aloha shirt, muumuu exports are often brilliantly colored with floral patterns of generic Polynesian motifs. Muumuu for local Hawaiian residents are more subdued in tone. Muumuu are not as widely worn at work as the aloha shirt, but may be worn as a uniform by women working in the hotel industry. Muumuu are also popular as maternity gowns and with obese people because they do not restrict the waist.
Tina // June 29, 2009 at 3:07 pm |
I bow before you! I could never do ANYTHING in that kind of heat! (I have never even experienced that kind of heat–we think the high 80’s is too hot here)
The garden does look healthy and you ARE a gardener, afer all.
I’ll have to go and check out the link to the “Sunday” poem next.
I write poems in my head all summer long becasue it evokes such strong feelings in me, from the things I taste, smell and see in that season(it also reminds me of past summers and experiences).
terrepruitt // June 29, 2009 at 4:17 pm |
Great pictures. I am always amazed by people who grow things and eat them. Don’t veggies and fruit come in bags and cartons?
Hubby had some stuff growin’ once. It was cool.
I think your garden looks spectacular and I am so certain that what comes out of such beauty will be so fresh and tasty!
judy // June 29, 2009 at 4:19 pm |
Linda, I would love to have such writing obsessions. My ADD tendencies are hard to curb.
Teresa, You are a wealth of information. The key, I’m thinking, maybe the complete lack of a waist. This dress has that. It’s perfect for when it’s really hot. (I will never remember the Hawaiian spelling!)
Tina, I hope you did read the Sunday poem. I just loved it! Working well in hot weather… another of my superpowers!
Terre, I’ll make you a salad! Stay tuned.
jb // June 29, 2009 at 4:28 pm |
you’re amazing! it was “only” 99 here this weekend and i was not productive at all; i hid in the pool one day and at the beach the other. i have an operating range of 60-80 degrees (i checked my manual). if i get above 80 degrees, my brain melts, my body becomes boneless and i completely malfunction. as a precaution, i made 32 lime jello popsicles last saturday – now, i’m prepared for summer. can’t wait to hear about your ladybug jubilee – enjoy!
karen from mentor // June 29, 2009 at 4:39 pm |
brain…overloading…with…ideas….strawberries in a wine barrel as a song…. where’s my pencil…..release the ladybugs..I have a story about that…and about a rescued monarch …..mumus in general……how cute your teeny tiny feet are……danger will robinson…smoke coming from brain…too many…t h i n g s to be funny about……I’ll get back to you… happy monday…. I love summer….save me one of those peppers.
janebretl // June 29, 2009 at 5:43 pm |
Howdy! I am amazed at what you accomplished in this heat — and your garden looks great! It’s 101 in Yosemite, but I’m happy too. It’s a DRY heat, I keep telling myself… Happy summer!
Jane
(Happy to be back online — so much to read and catch up!)
judy // June 29, 2009 at 7:57 pm |
jb, I love your operating range. I definitely have a low end. Might be less than 80 degrees… ;-)
karen, email stories, please!
jane, I know. I always laugh at the dry heat thing, but it’s actually true. It does make a difference. Plus in Yosemite, you can be distracted by all that spectacularness! (Kind of beats my garden, but we work with what we have!)
Darren King // June 30, 2009 at 5:37 am |
Strawberries in a wine barrel…love it…a poem maybe? hmmm…thanks for sharing my poem with your readers…the garden is lovely…best, Darren
Estrella Azul // July 2, 2009 at 5:02 am |
I’m very jealous… Your garden looks amazing!
Oh how I’d love to have a garden… we only have a very small concrete “thing”. I’d love to have the money to turn it into something beautiful to be proud of :)
(my Sweetheart and I have a plan for it, but probably only happen next year)
judy // July 2, 2009 at 10:34 am |
Darren, My birthday is in December. Feel free to compose a birthday poem or 12-string solo titled “Strawberries in a wine barrel!” :-)
Estrella, THANK YOU! It is kind of fun. Don’t be too jealous. When you’re as old as I am, you’ll probably have a much more impressive garden than I do. I’m a late bloomer. (Get it?)
Estrella Azul // July 2, 2009 at 2:36 pm |
Got it :P
The Halo 3 of Gardens « Zebra Sounds // August 6, 2009 at 12:07 am |
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