Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Floating around in a water park sounds nice.

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Good morning. 7:00 a.m.



There’s a backlog of photos in my files and a few unwritten post ideas I've jotted down. They’re waiting for me and begging for attention. They'll just have to wait. Folks, for reasons beyond my control, there are not many words I can spew tonight. I’m too aware of the wet shirt that’s sticking to me and how I need a cold shower after working outside for an hour. Late afternoon on Monday, I had the stupid idea of digging up a small dead tree and replace it with a butterfly bush. Nothing stops me when I have an idea but the heat beat me up and I suffered for it. This is the best I can do tonight.

National news tells the story, I know. I need to say it anyway:

IT’S DAMNED HOT AND DRY HERE.


We’ve had 20 consecutive days of high temps between 90 and 105 F with humid conditions and dangerous air quality.


Three days of record heat have been recorded and today was one of them, at 100.


Not a drop of rain has hit the ground since July 27 and July was way below normal for rainfall.


Senior citizens are suffering.


Dairy cows are dying due to heat related illnesses.


Foliage, trees, and flowers look very depressed and birds pant.


“Dean” is out there…we're hoping to get a few days of steady rain out of him.


Observing water shortage conditions, I haven’t run the irrigation system in almost a week. Tomorrow, it’s set for 6:30 a.m. to treat the earth and to give the birds a nice shower. Boy, I’d love to be home to see them lift their wings!

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Look closely and imagine the fragrance. Ahhh… My little Magnolia tree is fighting the dog days and winning!



Tufted Titmice reduce me to a pathetic and frustrated idiot. There is more to worry about than getting a shot of a Titmouse! For months, however, I’ve been waiting to be able sneak up on one and get a sharp photo but they wait for me to tip-toe towards them and flee! I grimace and whine every time.

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This is my latest shot of the little scoundrel. Of course, it’s out of focus as are most others I take. When I downloaded this photo I was surprised to see a neighbor I haven’t met. Ooops! I saw him working on his deck in the late afternoon sun. The poor guy took a needed break from the heat. I wonder how many flies he swallowed when his jaw hung open. I kept an eye on him.

Gosh, I've had enough of this post. I'm off to see what everyone else is enjoying. A water park, perhaps?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just love your titmouse visiting! Wow, sounds hot down where you are at! You probably don't want to hear my temps that I am having!

possumlady said...

Mary, I talked about you today with a co-worker. We were talking about the weather and I said "I have this blogging friend living in North Carolina and they are getting NO relief" At least here in DC we've gotten a few days of cooler weather (cooler meaning upper 80s and low 90s), but mainly the humdity has gone down. I'll say a little prayer tonight that the cool front that goes through the area Friday night will make its way down to you.

Carol Michel said...

I hope "Dean" sends you some rain, too. We broke our streak of 90 plus degree days yesterday but started a new streak today.

Good luck with getting your pictures of the titmouse. Maybe you need a good telephoto lens so you can stand way back out of their way?

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Susan Gets Native said...

I almost choked on my drink when I saw the pic of your sleeping neighbor! It looks like he is hanging from his mouth, on your bird feeder!
You know what is keeping me going in this heat? Imagining how chilly and blustery Cape May will be in late October. Walking a beach with my blogger buds, bitching about how cold it is.

dmmgmfm said...

I understand your pain, Mary. We've had beastly hot weather lately with no end in sight. I'm going to the mountains tomorrow to stay with daddy. I KNOW it will be cooler there. I'll try to post some cool looking photos, OK?

JeanMac said...

Sorry it's still so hot - we are 32 here today and our house sits at elevation of 1875' so in town would be warmer.Your pic of the sun is so beautiful.

Annie in Austin said...

Oh Mary - this sounds like what we had last year in Austin - I sure hope you get some rain and relief from the heat soon.

Digging up a tree when it's one hundred degrees!?! Even a garden nut like me would draw the line at that one!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Alyssa said...

How do you even have a sense of humor anymore!! With that heat I'd be pretty grumpy. We have finally gotten rainy days and lower temps and I'd love to send you some of it.

The titmouse and your neighbor sleeping in the background is really funny. You must have been Very excited that you didn't see him! Birds'll do that to you.

Jayne said...

I'm right there with you Mary. It was 102 here yesterday. Too hot to exist. Soooooo ready for it to cool off. Even the pool water is up to 93 degrees...what the?

Ruth said...

The worst addition to hot dry and humid is poor air quality. I hate the yellow haze that hangs over everything. We have had more seasonal temperatures this past week. You need a good cold front from Canada. I would send it if I could!
ruth

Susie said...

I felt overheated just reading this. I can only imagine what it feels to live it!
Loved the picture of the magnolia. My mom always loved those and planted a tree in her front yard.
xo

Mary C said...

Well, I can see I'm not the only one who has trouble photographing titmice. I also have a problem with the chestnut-backed chickadee. One of these days I'll get those "flighty" little guys. I'm thinking cool thoughts for you, Mary. My daughter and I are flying to the East coast next week; I sure hope the temps will be better than what you've been experiencing these past two weeks. ;o)

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, Mary, that shot of the magnolia bloom is just stunning! Hope you get some rain and heat-relief soon.

Cathy said...

It's so hot, but I tried to walk in the metropark prairie today. I turned around when the vultures started circling.

Your magnolia looks like a Georgia O'Keeffe painting. Gorgeous.

You'd think that little bugger Titmouse would slow down in this heat.

OMG! I hope your new neighbor never finds your blog :0D
Sure hope you receive the blessing of rain - hours and hours of steady pattering rain, rain . . . rain.

Naturegirl said...

You have managed to keep your sense of humor with all that heat!!
Our temps. were not as high as yours but we did have the consecutive days without rain but in the past few nights it has cooled off.. it's up there again..I've waterd my plants twice already as they were wilting before my eyes!!! Let's go grab some lemonade Mary!! Stay cool stay near the air conditioner!! hugs...not too close I'm HOT!! NG

Almost forgot oh that magnolia is heaven sent!! Ours bloom only in Spring.

thailandchani said...

Last summer, here in my part of the world, we had a 30-day run of over 100 degree temps. By the time it was over, everyone was cranky and out of sorts.

Weather matters. Doggone it! It does!

This summer has been mild, thankfully, but who knows what will come around the corner.


Peace,

~Chani
http://thailandgal.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Mary, I too have had trouble photographing titmice! What is it with them anyway? I just spoke to my mom northeast Oklahoma. They are having the heat, too. I tried to convince her not to walk down the street to the mailbox, (she is 83) when the temp is over 100º, dont know if it worked.

Well, I hope that butterfly bush does well afte your effort. But, don't do that again, please. Too hot!

Love your opening shot!

NatureWoman said...

I'm sorry it's so hot and dry there for you Mary. Nice weather is coming soon. I love your magnolia flower photo.

RuthieJ said...

Oh Mary, I feel so bad for you. I'm not even going to tell you how much rain we've had because it will just make you feel worse. It was about 60 degrees when we got to work this morning and I could hear some people belly-aching in the hallway about "how chilly it is this morning."
I'm glad you still have your sense of humor and are kind enough to still look out for the wellbeing of your birds and your overworked sleeping neighbor.
I'll keep you in my prayers for rain and try to send some your way.

LostRoses said...

I had to turn my fan on to read the rest of your post. Mary, just because we want to dig up a tree in 100 degree weather doesn't mean we should!

A-Jacque Davis said...

Your pics are timeless. Jacque

Chrissie said...

I understand your need to dig up and then plant the butterfly bush. I am exactly the same and wont let anything beat me when I am in that mode :-) The butterflies will love you for it. Now you can lie back and imagine you are at the waterpark :-)

Larry said...

When I feel miserable about the hot weather, I just call my mother.-She has no air conditioning in the house and she is in her glory when it is at least 90 degrees and humid.

Chrissie said...

Your hummingbirds are beautiful. We just don't get them in this country at all so I always love to see them on your posts :-)

Patrice said...

Right now we're experiencing a northwest downpour. I'll send you some rain!