Monday, July 12, 2010

We're Having A Heatwave...A Tropical Heatwave....

Today our heatwave and dry spell continues. It's 86 degrees on our screen porch,which is shaded,so that means with the 65% + humidity,it's well over 90 degrees. We are thankful that we have some wonderful trees to help bring a bit of shade if we went outside,but the garden is full blown in the sun until about 4:00 PM.when the sun starts going down behind the pine trees. The chickens have found a nice cool refuge under the coop in the dirt. Right now it's getting dark,and thunderheads are overhead,so we are praying for some rain. We did have some rain on Saturday,but it was a fairly quick,heavy downpour,not what we want or need. We need a nice,leisurely,steady rain,one that lasts for several hours. Our well is the lowest it has ever been,so we have been trying to be more efficient with our water use. My brother Valmore lives in Wisconsin and they are having more rain than they know what to do with,and his garden is being affected by it. I told him he could send a day or two worth here!

Today I am trying a new recipe-Lavender Honey Lemonade. I got it from Mother Earth News. The lavender is soaking in the honey water,and once it's done ( you can let it sit anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, I am letting mine sit for a couple of hours),you strain it to remove the lavender blossoms,then mix in fresh lemon juice and more water. It should be interesting. I love lavender,but when I handle it my allergies kick in,so I just deal with it. If it comes out well, I will post the recipe,with credit to Mother Earth News,of course!!!

Today I was grocery shopping,and it felt great not to have to buy lettuce,onions,or cucumbers! I literally was grabbing a cuke when I remembered that I now can get them from my garden! After I got home,Zach went out and picked more peas,then he "shucked" them,so tonight we will have our fresh peas with our haddock. How wonderful to step outside the door and pick it when we need it! It's times like this I envy areas that can grow easily year round. We have a small growth window here in NH,unless one has a greenhouse,which I don't,but who knows what the future will hold?

The mail has arrived and my latest copy of The Herb Companion came in.I am still waiting for my Lehman's catalog to arrive,and I just ordered "Radical Homemakers" from Amazon.com.My Dear Friend Michelle is reading it,and she was referred to it by Stephanie,who started our Gardening Roundtable.It sounds like a good read.I will certainly chat about it when I do finish it.

Still waiting for rain....and off to make my lemonade!

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