The heat wave continues. On this Memorial Day, a quiet, contemplative day, we hit a record high yet again. Yesterday we broke news with 95F (35C), today we're likely to repeat that headline: hottest May 28th ever.
It's like summer. Someone commented that we only had three weeks of spring this year. But it's not really summer. You need only glance at the garden: so much confusion! A peony went from a tight flower bud to a full opening in just a few hours.
The irises are exploding -- if you were to be away this week, you could well miss their entire period of bloom.
I don't typically water much in the spring season, but this year, I'm taking out the hose daily to help the very youngest plants build stronger root systems. And in the shady areas, there's no question -- we have an unusually early arrival of bugs. But unlike in the summer, the nights are cool. We shut off the air and throw open the windows. And this morning, a delightful breeze kicked in. The really doggy days of summer seem many weeks away.
Perhaps you'll have read in yesterday's post -- I went to sleep fretting about a kiddie pool for my grandkids. Such a seemingly easy task -- to create a bug-free, cool splashing spot out on the porch for Snowdrop (and whatever other grandkid might come this way on a hot hot day). But how to do it? The CDC says skip the inflatable kiddie pool. It's unsafe, and the water quality is terrible (though no one knows how many kids really get sick, as no one collects data on this). If you do have such a pool, they suggest you dump the water every day and dry out the pool each time before refilling it. And give kids a shower before they go in!
Dump and refill an 200+ gallon pool daily? Where does the bleached or chlorinated water go? In my garden?
I wake up thinking -- enough. Deflate the big pool that we just set up on the porch. Send it back. Bring in the tiny splash pool and let Snowdrop splash in it on the porch to her heart's content. It takes two buckets of water to fill it! For big pool stuff, take her swimming in the community pool once it opens in a few weeks. Bingo! Not hard at all! Decision made!
Ed and I get to work on creating a splash play area on the porch, between our big pots of flowers. With a comfy place to sit for the adult (me!) watching the little one. So easy! So perfect!
Breakfast on our beloved porch. (I'm bringing in fallen irises - they make great vase flowers.)
And shortly after, Snowdrop comes over for a visit. She is excited about splashing around. Who wouldn't be on this summery day?
But I want to start off slowly. Let the water warm up a bit. Let's read!
... and eat cherries. I found gold ones yesterday. So very delicious!
Finally. Outside. Splashing. With grandma, comfortably looking on.
... and with the sweet scent of alyssum in the air.
With a young child (or any child), there is, of course, always some risk. Snowdrop moves with lightening speed from one thing to the next. But at least I know the splash pool has fresh water, filled if the whim strikes, easily dumped into the garden at the end of the day.
It's a great place to enjoy watermelon! Snowdrop is very good at sucking out the juice, but the dribbles are inescapable!
(Afterwards, as is her routine now -- do all children love their small routines? -- she asks to put on shorts and her favorite tshirt here. The pinkiest of pink shorts.)
It's a beautiful day to be hanging out on the porch with my grandkid!
When she leaves, I return to the yard. I wont list the big and little jobs that are always there for me. Today, they seemed especially tame, giving me time to think, to admire, to feel grateful.
I leave you with a photo of the very delicate and beautiful flower stems of the Baptista (false indigo). Everything that's lovely in a flower can be seen in this slender stalk.
h
Oh, and a last one of Cupcake, trying hard to find a cool spot in the garden.
I hope your long weekend was restful. Serene. Lovely.
It's like summer. Someone commented that we only had three weeks of spring this year. But it's not really summer. You need only glance at the garden: so much confusion! A peony went from a tight flower bud to a full opening in just a few hours.
The irises are exploding -- if you were to be away this week, you could well miss their entire period of bloom.
I don't typically water much in the spring season, but this year, I'm taking out the hose daily to help the very youngest plants build stronger root systems. And in the shady areas, there's no question -- we have an unusually early arrival of bugs. But unlike in the summer, the nights are cool. We shut off the air and throw open the windows. And this morning, a delightful breeze kicked in. The really doggy days of summer seem many weeks away.
Perhaps you'll have read in yesterday's post -- I went to sleep fretting about a kiddie pool for my grandkids. Such a seemingly easy task -- to create a bug-free, cool splashing spot out on the porch for Snowdrop (and whatever other grandkid might come this way on a hot hot day). But how to do it? The CDC says skip the inflatable kiddie pool. It's unsafe, and the water quality is terrible (though no one knows how many kids really get sick, as no one collects data on this). If you do have such a pool, they suggest you dump the water every day and dry out the pool each time before refilling it. And give kids a shower before they go in!
Dump and refill an 200+ gallon pool daily? Where does the bleached or chlorinated water go? In my garden?
I wake up thinking -- enough. Deflate the big pool that we just set up on the porch. Send it back. Bring in the tiny splash pool and let Snowdrop splash in it on the porch to her heart's content. It takes two buckets of water to fill it! For big pool stuff, take her swimming in the community pool once it opens in a few weeks. Bingo! Not hard at all! Decision made!
Ed and I get to work on creating a splash play area on the porch, between our big pots of flowers. With a comfy place to sit for the adult (me!) watching the little one. So easy! So perfect!
Breakfast on our beloved porch. (I'm bringing in fallen irises - they make great vase flowers.)
And shortly after, Snowdrop comes over for a visit. She is excited about splashing around. Who wouldn't be on this summery day?
But I want to start off slowly. Let the water warm up a bit. Let's read!
... and eat cherries. I found gold ones yesterday. So very delicious!
Finally. Outside. Splashing. With grandma, comfortably looking on.
... and with the sweet scent of alyssum in the air.
With a young child (or any child), there is, of course, always some risk. Snowdrop moves with lightening speed from one thing to the next. But at least I know the splash pool has fresh water, filled if the whim strikes, easily dumped into the garden at the end of the day.
It's a great place to enjoy watermelon! Snowdrop is very good at sucking out the juice, but the dribbles are inescapable!
(Afterwards, as is her routine now -- do all children love their small routines? -- she asks to put on shorts and her favorite tshirt here. The pinkiest of pink shorts.)
It's a beautiful day to be hanging out on the porch with my grandkid!
When she leaves, I return to the yard. I wont list the big and little jobs that are always there for me. Today, they seemed especially tame, giving me time to think, to admire, to feel grateful.
I leave you with a photo of the very delicate and beautiful flower stems of the Baptista (false indigo). Everything that's lovely in a flower can be seen in this slender stalk.
hOh, and a last one of Cupcake, trying hard to find a cool spot in the garden.
I hope your long weekend was restful. Serene. Lovely.
