There has to be a word beyond extreme…Maybe grueling. There has been so much work outside unlike ever before. Day after day of 100+ heat index with enough rain to keep that grass growing and everything else non-stop growing, and then seriously growing. Most generally by the end of July the grass is parched and mowing is beginning to taper off. This year some farmers will be getting a 3rd cutting of hay!
I plan my next day every afternoon as I struggle thru my projects and intentions of projects…It’s all about keeping up. I’ll go outside starting about 6:30ish to water, pull weeds, trim growth, come in. Then around 8 I’ll make it outside till about 10:30, come in and sit in front of the fan for about 30 mins. to regroup. By then it’s already in the 90’s and anything on the south side of the house is unbearable, so it’s time to work the shady areas. I have rain barrels here and there so I carry 2 gallon water buckets everywhere unless EARLY of a morning I unroll the water hose and water with that, but in the heat, that becomes a project of it’s own and then 30 mins. in front of the fan.
Today is the FINAL WACK for the mums!
I learned something new. I googled the question…why is it Aug 4th and my tomatoes will not turn red? OMG! OMG! My soil is so rich that my plants are mega tall and the plants are using everything to grow and grow….and millions more flowers and underneath all that mess are hundreds of green tomatoes. Google said to PRUNE the plants to stop the flower production and take the heavy laden top branches with tomatoes and hang them upside down to ripen. I WACKED the tops by 3 ft and trimmed away leaves and exposed the tomatoes underneath. Russ went out 2 hours later and freaked when he saw RED tomatoes. Another several hours later we picked 4 tomatoes and ran to the store to pick up a head of lettuce, fresh bread and 3 packages of bacon on sale at Price Chopper. BLT”S comin’ on. I’m almost afraid to go out there this morning….a pail and my camera for sure.
So a major workday today. Russ mowing for 3 hours and me working on EVERYTHING. My major goal since April has been to have all my flower plots done perfectly simultaneously ALL on the same day to take pictures to post, but it has not happened YET….oh! I have to dig potatoes today……..
Do not think for one moment, I do not love every minute of this. But I have new ideas for next year….
