MONDAY MUSING: ME AND MURPHY

This is one of the hottest summers we’ve had in Missouri, for sometime. Certainly the heat started way earlier than the normal for Missouri. We normally don’t get triple digits until the third week of July and it continues, with rain and the cooler 90’s off and on. But this year? We’ve been sun baked with triple digits since mid June and very little rain on top of that.

Sigh. Murphy and me have had a ball.

Me and Murphy were dancing when my small non genetically modified corn crop decided to die—even though I was watering it. I had the plot farther away from the water source—hey we usually have rain and who knew there wouldn’t be anymore after the first of June. Peppers didn’t make it—either planting, the pole beans are scarce, the Zucchini, usually prolific gave me only a few fruits, same with the yellow squash. Bugs had a field day with what was there. Second crop of tomato plants were looking lush and good. Then the locust/grasshoppers discovered them this past week. Lots of green leaves one day and the next almost stripped to the stem. The veggies planted in containers so far seem to be doing okay if I can keep the dang bugs away. But they’re a late crop. I had my well-established Echinacea plot nearby the tomatoes and they are alive but not a petal is in existence. Yep, munched—ditto on my roses and two formerly gorgeous flowering Mulberries. Nasty little Japanese beetles have gorged on anything with flowers. UGH.

This was the year for new trees and flowering bushes. All four butterfly bushes died, ditto the two red maples, and I have one snowball tree, barely hanging on —out of 3. Apple trees, which flowered nicely this year, have already lost most of their leaves and whatever fruit is growing is very small. My poor Hostas are positively puny looking. None of the new barnyard Hollyhocks came up. All the old ones did but very short termed flowering. Much of the new stuff I had planned out over the winter and placed in various places in my yard just didn’t make it. My yard isn’t small and even with my John Deere rider it takes three hours to cut the lawn. Of course, right now I’m saving lots of gas since I don’t have any thing beyond greenish yellow crunchy grass. Trust me, it doesn’t need cutting. I need to talk to my tax person, to find out what is a tax write off. I know my hay is. Very little protein in that hay—what little we got.

 

The surrounding forests are stressed. Lots of protective thinning and die off. Vegetation is dying. The lack of water is problematic.  Lower pond is just about dry except a tiny section near the even tinier seeping spring. Yep, I found Murphy's footprints down there, too. Normally, I have five or six feet of water in the middle even in the hot August sun. A healthy creek surrounds the property like a U and it’s low right now as well. We didn't have much of a snow pack this winter although we did get rain. I have a very deep well and we sit on a chunk of dirt floating (okay, sitting) on water, still, we need to be judicious with water use.

 

I’ve basically realized what veggies I get this year will be a bonus. There is next year, right? Okay, I’ve accepted that. Mostly. Damn Murphy anyway!

Then Murphy, that scheming rogue, had to have a Sunday dance. My central air ceased blowing cool air at about 3:00 this afternoon. Fan works fine. The cooling part? Nope.  Monday through Wednesday we’re due temps over a 100. No window units. Yippy-kai-yay. It’s supposed to drop to 70 tonight and there is a relatively cool breeze blowing and all the fans I have are currently sucking in the cooler air. The house is well insulated and I’ll close all the windows by 9:00 a.m. and it will be cooler inside than outside—outside 101 inside maybe 88 if I’m lucky.

AC tech is scheduled to come out at 7:00 am tomorrow. There is water on the floor of that section of basement. Let’s hope all I need is a line unclogged.  Or something simple because replacing that Trane isn't something I want to have to do. That would suck big time.

Hey, anyone want Murphy? I can tell you he is a great dancer. Anyone?