Day of Questions of the Month of Perfection

Kansas: 103º and sunny. Not too humid, but still ...

The heat sucks the life right out of potted plants, so I have to water those once or twice a day. Even the peppers, cucumbers, sweet potato in the ground wilt most every day. I have Habanero peppers ripening in a shade of gold. Since I planted the tomatoes in more shade and also deeper, they are fine except for some blossom end rot.

The marigolds seem to be handling the heat. My favorite is a bright yellow variety that looks like miniture roses. I also have single yellow and double cream, gold, orange and brown ones.

Here at the 'funny farm' we are suffering from the heat. It is wearing on folks. A quote from Ruth, "I've got a reindeer stuck somewhere and his name is Blinky."

Thinking of you:

Kay in Emporia, Kansas: 97º on a steamy day. Hope this heat is not complicating your health issues. Relief comes in September?
Anabel in Eureka, California: 68º. The coast of CA seems like a dream. I could use some sushi right now too!
Arden Kwong. I don't know where you are but it is 82º in your hometown of Hong Kong.
79º in San José, Costa Rica where I once lived. I probably still know folks there. Looked at my passport from those days ... could/should get another ... and visit.

There are storms brewing in the Gulf and Caribbean. Erin will land somewhere in Texas and could bring rain this far north depending on how it tracks and whether it is a rain-maker like some tropical storms.

Dean is a long way off but headed west and I see no way that it can avoid landing somewhere between Florida and Mexico. Too soon to tell who will be in the way.

I spoke with a good friend this morning. He says his son who turns 5 on Monday has been looking forward to the date for three months. Also, that they now have a caterpiller. He brought a snake home last week. Wish he could've been here this morning to see the blue swallowtail sitting on a bright yellow marigold and the flash of the golden oriole flying from the elm to the maple.

Day of Will of the Month of Perfection

Kansas: 97º and hotter than a ...

I am trying to stay where it is cool. Downstairs at the library is a bit stuffy, so I'll leave here to hang out at a coffeehouse or something.

The garden is suffering but surviving too. The portulaca has been performing well; I think the rabbit (or squirrel) has a taste for green tomato; the areas I mulched are looking fair to good.

IMAGES:

On the swings of South Park: What little light hugs horizon. Dark silhouettes against a dusky blue. The colors red and yellow have left, gone westward, ho! The stars arrive, north, east and south ... and I should homeward go.

Around my house: blue body, green head, bronze gossamer of a damselfly; 33 portulacas in bloom in 3 pots, a rainbow of white, yellow, peach, pinks, orange, red, magenta; 2 monarchs in a dance; c-c-cliiiiiiiiiick-ck--ck of a cicada taking flight; rumble of a bus on an uphill grade..

Thinking of you:

Sharon in Allegany, New York: 75º and cool nights. Every time I think of Sharon I remind myself I should be at Goddard or I remember her wonderful recitation of her poems "He was a Pretty Man" and "Olive".
Kathleen near Manchester, England: 61º and wet. At least she had nice weather when she went to Scarborough.
Susan in Moline, Illinois: 90º and steamy, but it is 103º in her home town of Guymon, Oklahoma.
Diana in Tahlequah, Oklahoma: 99º. Well ... the Illinois River is nicer than the Kaw!
Tiger in Tulsa: 99º and a good day for golf! He's still in the lead at the PGA. I don't know Tiger, but wouldn't mind meeting him and I do love Tulsa.