Hot & Bothered

Hello my friends.  I haven't been a very good blogger lately.  I don't know if it is just because it has been so darned hot, or that I have been down in the dumps, or a combination of the two?  But I haven't had much to share.  Summer is winding down, with the kids around here all back in school.  This leaves the pool lonely.  I keep thinking I will be using it, but it has been too hot to even be outside.  Yesterday was a break in the triple digits.  We only hit 93.  And today, even a wee bit cooler.  But the humidity is hanging on.  I did a little walk around the property to see what all is burned and beyond revival.  Starting here in the front yard.  Can you see how parched it is looking?  Not many blooms left on the roses either.

I have a lot of yard work to do out there, but I am waiting for cooler weather.

There are a few things blooming still, but the earth looks like hard clay. 

The impatiens are still blooming well in the shade on the side of the house.

In the backyard, there is a lot that did not survive the heat.  My nasturtiums, that were profusely exploding out of the confines of this planter, only a few weeks ago, now look like this.

The garden is done, save a few little tomatoes that are hanging on.  And some hot chili peppers waiting to be added to salsa.

However, the basil will have to be purchased.  When I took down the gates to the garden, the chickens immediately picked it clean!

I did sprinkle some flower seeds into my garden boxes after I harvested the last of the veggies.  They are looking nice and will be ready for cutting soon.

I took a little stroll in the grove.  I haven't been out there in a while, except to tend to the chickens.  The ground beneath the avocado trees is littered with avocados that have reached maturity and fallen.  We had so many avocados this year, we kept everyone we know in guacamole!!  And still, there are hundreds on the trees.

The top of the coop is always littered with the remains of avocados after the possums have had their nocturnal dining experience.

Sometimes I will purposely step on the ripened ones that have fallen to the ground, opening them up to  let the chickens have a little treat.
Speaking of chickens.  They are HOT!!!  And they are not laying too well.  I am not getting as many eggs since we have had this heat.  Today I got 5, but the last one collected was a soft egg that was dropped right in the grove.  In extreme heat,  this is not uncommon.

My silly chickens have three laying boxes in their coop.  And they will ONLY use one!  EVER!  Sometimes there are two hens in there at the same time to lay. 

They will only use the wine box on the left.

   Silly girls!

The new oranges are getting bigger, and will begin to take on color in another month or so.

But won't be ready for harvest until January, and peaking in flavor in February and March.
We continue to get lemons and grapefruit pretty  much year around.  Some varieties ripening at different times.

The grove has been rather neglected in this past 6 weeks.  It has just been too hot to be out there much.  In the Spring, Greg and I were just beginning to play some paddle tennis on the sport court, and wanted to get some regular activity going on out there.  But it is sitting out there, unused right now.

Soon, I hope.
I haven't felt like doing much of anything lately.  No projects to show.  No sewing.  No knitting, except for a bunch of dishcloths.  Not much crochet.  A couple of scarves is all.  Tomorrow my Knitty Biddies are meeting and I am looking forward to that.  I did read all three of the Shades Of Gray series.  Loved them!  I went to see the new Meryl Streep movie, Hope Springs.  It was good.  I enjoyed it.  It is not a funny movie.  Not at all.  But I love Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones!  I thought the story was a good one.  And the acting was great!
I had a lovely lunch date with my dear friend Sherri today.  Sherri and I have been friends since birth.  Our parents were all four high school friends, and have remained close all of these years.  Sherri and I don't get much of a chance to see one another in these past few years.  When we do, we just gab away for hours.  Sherri and I talked a little bit about our son Drew moving to Nashville.  I haven't talked much about it to anyone.  But it does feel good to talk to someone I am close with about it.  I love Sherri.  She is one of my forever friends!
And as for cooking.  None.  Not doing any.  I haven't cooked a thing in weeks!  Well, I did make some killer hot pastrami sliders one night, with a Pioneer Woman Blackberry Cobbler for dessert.  But other than that, there is nothing going on in here.  No dishes to wash.  No pans to scrub.  Nice clean, uncooked in, kitchen.  Yuck!

I am eager to make some of the great recipes in Ree's newest cookbook that my daughter Gennifer got me for my birthday.

Nope, there is not much tasting going on in the "tasting room" lately.

I am also anxious to get into my sewing room to finish the 4 quilt tops I have waiting on hangers.  To make soft puckery quilts to curl up under when the weather changes....IF the weather ever changes, that is.  I have several afghan patterns I want to try, along with knitted things I want to learn to make.

There is a mistake in that quilt.  Can you find it?  Oh never mind....I still like it.
Oh, and my laptop cord has a bad break in it, and will now only work if it is twisted awkwardly and tucked underneath the the computer to hold it in this position.

Always something, I tell ya!
So there you have it!  A whole lot of nothin'!!!
 I have been enjoying seeing all of the fabulous Fall inspiration going on out there in blogland and on Pinterest.  I am looking forward to pulling out my most loved season of colors!!
Til next time.....Be Sweet, as my Nana would say.
XO  Kris