Cool and misty morning

I also raised my face to the mist this morning.
I long for rain.

The bees came out.
I watched them in the morning glories.

Bee bottoms make me giggle.

I enjoyed the morning.
It was cool and misty for a few hours.

I recorded the tenth of an inch we received.
I am grateful for it.
 It is day 77 of the drought of 2012.

The deer left us a couple of sunflowers.
I feel like framing them!
The heat returns tomorrow but today it is cooler and we had a wee bit of mist.
 For a few hours we had relief.

Day 70

The drought in Kansas City continues.

Even the pokeberries are wilted.

The zucchini are struggling.

The lawn is gone.
Today's 103 degrees with 17% humidity tells the story
of summer 2012; hot and dry.

I am surprised by what is blooming.
Pleased the milkweed is still growing.

It will be food for the Monarch caterpillars come September.

The drought and the heat are taking their toll on my spirit.
I feed the birds and make sure all the water bowls are full.

When I was a little girl I was in a church choir.
We sang the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi.
It always gave me comfort.
While I watered this morning I found myself singing.

101..102..when will it end?

Once again the temperatures have broken the 100 degree mark.
Still no rain. Calm winds. No relief today.

I watched the butterflies from inside.
It is too hot for me to be outside.

The corn crop is gone.

My corn husk dollies remind me to send blessings to the farmers.

It is the last day of the month.
 It is market day.

Our son sent a gift.
He knows I water everyday.
Now I can have dechlorinated water for the entire garden.

It is one of my best practices.

Surely August will bring relief.

Hot and Dry

We have a routine now.
We water twice a day.

Second blooms are smaller than normal.

The gourds begin to fold their leaves by 9am.

Zinnias to the rescue. The seedlings are beginning to bloom.
We will have butterfly food now until frost.
The temperatures are rising this afternoon into
the 100's once again.
We are praying for rain.
The drought continues.

Zinnias

The Thumbelina Zinnias are beginning to bloom.

They are thriving in the heat.

The Zinnias will be wonderful butterfly food.

The Queen Ann's Lace continues to bloom.

The drought continues.
We are taking care of the birds.

 We are planning our Autumn gardens.
Having an edible landscape is nice.

Please to have rain

It is very dry.
The sunflowers are going to seed.

The Gold Finches are pleased.

I am not deadheading until it rains.

The coneflowers continue to bloom.

I planted cotton seed for October decorating.
I hope it sprouts and grows well.

We are planting our Autumn gardens.

Planting for October's harvest.

We are replanting sunflowers.

The ground hog ate many.

Our rocks have one more week of

tumbling.

I am very excited!

It is still hot,

90's instead of 100's.

Still we have had no rain.

Wilted

The dwarf Crepe Myrtles are in bloom.
They are an understory for the French Lilacs.
A bird bath is nestled behind them.

It is easy to see what areas of the yard are in full sun.
They are burned up.

I have been keeping the seedling alive.

Milkweed vine is climbing the bee-balm.
The Monarchs will use the vine for their caterpillars.

The sumac has found its way through the bamboo.
I am so happy it has survived.

My native planting are doing okay with little rain.

The gourds are also thriving in the heat and drought.

My main focus is keeping water available for the wildlife.

I wilt quickly in the heat.

I need sorbet to keep my spirits up.

I am inside in the afternoons.

I am gathering my rocks

and making garlic braids.
It is too hot for me to hike and do my pond watch.

I am my own Hero...
I know to stay inside and wait for moon rise
to be outside.
I shall take a moon bath tonight.
I shall soak up moon beams.