DESPITE the Heat!!

I ventured out in the back early this afternoon. It had not yet climbed to 100 or more at that time.

I believe it was 96 degrees!! It is now 106! What a difference that 'cooler' 10 degrees made!

Louis Dean and I sat in the gazebo and watched a variety of birds come to the feeder.

A couple of woodpeckers and a few other 'not run of the mill' birds that we could not identify.

I think the water attracts them.

As you can see I DO have some greenery!

NO flowers at this point though!



Before it heated up too bad I managed to clean out this area in preparation

for planting some bushes along the fence .......once it cools off some!

I water the Asian Jasmine from time to time and it seems to be spreading.

I pulled the scattered houseplants (which live outside from April to October)

over to the gazebo area where we can enjoy them.....and remember to WATER them!

I feared they would not make it in this heat.....and I really do not have room for them in the house!

Louis Dean has put his music stands and stools in the den window seat where they 'live' and I don't have the energy to relocate all that stuff and then haul these HEAVY pots back in!

They seem to be doing OK.

I LOVE English Ivy and this was once a potted house plant when I decided to put it in the ground two years ago. I would love a whole YARD of this!! I can't get it to grow as well as the Asian Jasmine - which is a dense, fast - growing ground cover. And I want to cover the ground! I hate plain dirt/mud!

We fill the fountain up every few days......

I love the sound of falling water.

After we did what we could before it got TOO hot to stand any more I decided to indulge myself in a luxurious NAP!

I shut the bedroom door, flipped on the window A/C and the ceiling fan AND the sound machine!

Then I slid into the as yet unmade bed and breathed a sigh of contentment......

until Miss Maggie alerted me to  the fact that SHE was in the room as well and that SHE was NOT ready to nap! I escorted her out.......but by then the mood was broken and I was wide awake.

Since it is Tuesday and that is 'Art Day' for me I left the cool dark bedroom,

set up the paint table and proceeded to paint for awhile.

I think it is the heat but nothing occupies me for very long. I feel restless and listless at the same time.

It is now 105 so I figure I will read for an hour and then head out front to edge the yard.

THAT should ensure me of a good night's sleep!

"The sleep of a laboring man (OR woman) is sweet."

Ecclesiastes 5:12