Break in the heat

Per the local weatherman, yesterday marked the fourth day of 100+ degree heat in our area.  The last time that occurred was in 1988.  I remember that year well as the year that the corn was literally brown between the heat and lack of rain.  Many fields in our area are now irrigated as we sit on top of a large underground aquifer.
Today's forecasted high?  A cool 89 degrees...

Garden update

I had known prior to the growing season even starting that this was not going to be a big year for the garden.  So far, I have been surprised that as much is in the garden as there is.  What there is was planted later than usual, but we will just enjoy the harvest a little later.
The heat wave we have been experiencing is supposed to break tomorrow.  Now to break the drought...

Tomatoes.  These had been damaged by our previous hail storm but so far so good.  

Section of Roma tomatoes.  The blue tarp is in place to heat the soil underneath and kill the grass that keeps trying to grow there.  The goal is to add more raised beds in that area.

Baby Romas

Our greyhound, China.  She could easily walk over the fence, but tends to not.

Debby Downer vacation

We are in Gulf Shores at the start of our vacation and under a Tropical Storm warning.  Who would have thought?  I love storms and have often said that I would love to be in a hurricane.  All I can say is, be careful what you wish for. 

Hail storm

I enjoy a good thunderstorm.  We don't seem to get them like we used to in years past.
Last night it started to thunder so I went out to the porch off of Bill's shed to read and enjoy the incoming storm.  Little did I know what I had gotten in too.
The rain started and then we got pea to marble sized hail.  The hail on the metal roof was deafening!  Then came some wild wind!  For a split second, I was actually a bit worried.  That quickly ended and I was grinning like a kid.  :)  The porch ended up being no shelter from the driving rain, and I was soaked.
The fascia was peeled off of the neighbor's house, a trampoline blown over a fence into another yard, patio tables and basketball hoops blown over, trees down, and shredded foliage. 
An exciting night!

They're back...

I have started to see the first Japanese beetles of the year this week.  I really wouldn't be upset if they didn't come to visit.  I must say that I like them best when I find them drowned in the pool skimmer.  Harsh,I know, but true.

Tree to Table

This was the first yeat that we got to the cherries on our young tree before the birds.

Waiting to be pitted.  I don't have a cherry pitter, so it was done by hand.  Needless to say, the t-shirt that I had on is now in the garbage!  Stained forever by errant cherry juice.

The result.  Boy, was it good!

Red Poppy