It has sure felt like August the past week. Not including today, which was low 70's and perfect, the past week has seen highs around 90ยบ with super humidity, yuck! There has been a heavy, damp scent of honeysuckle in the air for days and mosquitoes, exactly August conditions!
The garden is looking very August-like, almost overgrown!
I counted at least 30 butterflies just in the gravel perennial beds today.
Can't you just almost smell the honeysuckle? It's growing all over that dark corner of the yard in the below photo. I wish I liked it more, but that's the far end of the scale for me on what my nose can stand. I know, I'm weird - if I smell lilacs I get an instant migraine and run for the hills :) Thankfully they are pretty rare here, they like a colder climate.
...and a belated Happy Cinco deMayo to you!
I'm officially going to stop apologizing for being such a lazy blogger lately, I've been in the schools again and will be for the rest of the month and have had so many things on my to-do list I think I'll just have to say this is going to be "one of those years" and do my best to blog when I get the chance.
I'm officially on "bean watch" now... my seedlings are all up about an inch high and Mockers the mockingbird is doing all she can as usual to thwart my bean growing efforts. She is quite the character, but I'm on to her after all these years. I'm going to kill her with kindness and try to get her to eat mealworms out of my hand this week, wish me luck LOL! Now where's my helmet and leather gloves? :)
Love the mustaches! Just keep in touch so we can all be exhausted - virtually - with your schedule!
ReplyDeleteThose mustaches were a hit at the party we went to, everyone had one LOL!
DeleteUh oh, you wouldn't be so happy in our yard - we planted honeysuckle on purpose. We love the smell and it attracts lots of hummingbird to the yard. I also love lilacs, but unfortunately we don't have one planted (yet).
ReplyDeleteAnke, I can take the honeysuckle most days, I didn't plant ours though it just rambles all over the neighborhood here!
DeleteAnd while you're so very very busy, I'm going to come down there and steal that GORGEOUS ornamental grass.....
ReplyDelete:D
Sue, if you lived closer you could dig up all you wanted! I never divide my clumps because I don't know what I'd do with them all, I've already got 3 or 4 self seeded clumps this year LOL
DeleteWow your garden is sure lush with growth! We've gone backwards a bit and it's pretty chilly at night, more normal May evenings. Gardens are usually planted in May here and of course I'm behind.
ReplyDeleteI find the scent of lilacs overpowering too but we have a bush that is okay as long as it's outside. I haven't smelled honeysuckle in years and can't even remember what it smells like anymore.
Having two busy boys I doubt your life is going to get slower anytime soon.
Sparkless, I hope you get some warmth soon!
Deletetell her ,she's welcome up here,hey that reminds me -hope APG isn't reading this I never got a chance to plant those green beans I won--haha
ReplyDeleteJudy, funny you mention that, I just left another comment on APG's blog begging her to check in with us and let us know she's okay!
DeleteI know just how you feel on the lilac. I have had a two day migraine from these two chestnut trees outside. They look like they are releasing smoke the pollen is so thick coming off of them. And I have to get some of that ornamental grass this year. I think it would cover many sins ;)
ReplyDeleteJane, that grass works great as a screen for "less beautiful" areas LOL!
DeleteHave fun with the mockingbird! We are wilting hard here. Off to water -- not to blog.
ReplyDeleteStefaneener, I am so lucky so far this year, we've had rain every 2-3 days lately so I haven't had to drag much hose so far :)
DeleteCan't believe how fast your garden has shot up! I guess that's what warm weather will do, huh? I hope we get some by July or August. Just put up a blog post saying how cold it was here today. Is there no happy medium??
ReplyDeleteTell the boys I think they each look twenty years older with their mustaches.
As for Mockers, I'm afraid I wouldn't try to kill her with kindness. I would just . . . oh, never mind. There might be bird lovers reading this.
Mama Pea, I LOVE Mockers! That's exactly the personality I enjoy in the garden, it's like having a "frenemy" LOL, she's called our yard home for years now, and luckily doesn't bother all the doves I have.
DeleteMy garden is looking overgrown but not in a good way LOL! I've got weeds galore and I haven't even planted yet! Good luck with Mockers- I'll be interested to see if you can really kill her with kindness.
ReplyDeleteAnd you would be miserable here. We've got honeysuckle everywhere and I just planted 5 more lilac bushes this weekend. I've got a friend who is a pastor who has the same reaction to Easter Lilies. They had to institute a no lilies for Easter rule at her church. I guess there were a few 'old timers' who had serious issues with it but most people were fine.
Our weather has been all over the place. 60's one day- 80 the next- them back down. Who knows. It is just such a weird year.
Judy
Judy, my weeds are out of control this year, I pulled for a whole week, it looked great and about 2 weeks later it looked as if I never did anything!
DeleteYou silly, silly gal. Don't you know you're only supposed to blog when you can? And that if you were shirking your real life responsibilities, we'd be writing blog posts ABOUT you?? We enjoy your updates of your (insane!!) gardens and life at your place...but know that we understand when life is too busy. Yep, its gonna be one of those years!
ReplyDeleteMamaTea, I always feel so bad about not blogging because so many are just as busy but still manage those daily posts, how DO they do it?!
DeleteEiy-Yi-Yi-Yi, look at those Frito Bandito's! They look great. And your garden is amazing. We finally had a little sun here. Steve put "his" tomatoes in yesterday. When they don't make it, I won't say a word, its way to early. I hope it's not already saying it's August for real there, as the weather is way off balance already. And blog when you can.
ReplyDeleteRuth, I sure hope you get some warmth soon, you deserve a little beauty and reward in the garden after the sad news you had. Here's to sun & 70's for you!
DeleteI can't stand the smell of lilac, either, not that that makes you feel any better. lol. Our garden still looks puny but my Mom (way down South) is getting tomatoes already and my boys think that's totally not fair. :)
ReplyDeleteTina I'm glad I'm not alone! Lilac to me smells like someone broke a bottle of cheap perfume LOL! Never mind, even expensive perfume wouldn't work with me :)
DeleteBeautiful! I wish my garden was looking like late summer by now. I've never had too much trouble with honeysuckle or lilacs but I know where you're coming from, jasmine, orchids, and hydrangea are like that for me. Just going to the grocery store I have to hold my breath passing all the potted orchids in the floral department. Blech!
ReplyDeleteAnywhereEden, isn't that funny how some of us are so sensitive to smells?! I'm always in awe of all the air fresheners sold on the market today, when I smell them in someone's house I always think I'd probably rather smell whatever they are trying to cover up LOL!
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