Outside My Window ~ 7.18.10

Outside My Window…is a balmy 80ºF at 9:30 this morning.  Factor in the dew point, it feels like 84ºF.  I went out a little while ago to give some of the more vulnerable plants an early morning drink and it didn’t feel to bad.  It will get hotter with a forecast high of 97º with a slight chance of thunderstorms.  I have given up on the slight chances.  We had a slight chance yesterday…..we had dark storm clouds yesterday….we had thunder yesterday….and we had barely any rainfall yesterday.  Barely enough to disturb the dust on the cars.  This is just sad….there were some dark clouds that looked as if they could have produced a lot of moisture and they just dried up over this area.  That little bit measured 0.04 inches.  I remember writing about how green and beautiful everything was in the spring and now I look outside and see brown grass and wilting plants.  I lost this bush….

It was new this spring and didn’t have a chance to take hold before the heat and drought set in.  I thought at one point I may be able to save it with lots of supplemental watering but it didn’t work.   🙁   Sigh…..I may pick up another one and leave it potted until the fall when I will transplant it.  I read this is a good time to plant them.  It is ironic that as I type about drought, the Weather Channel is talking about deadly floods in Kentucky…not all that far from here.  They have too much….we have too little.  On Friday evening I saw a report we have received 0.34 inches of rain for the month of July….not even a half of inch this month.  To add insult to injury, our pollen count for the area is very high.   

I am thinking…how much longer this heat is suppose to last.  Again, I realize it is July…it is summer and it is suppose to be hot.  But when you consider our average temperature for this time of year is ten to twelve degrees less than what we have been experiencing and the fact this area is prone to extremely high humidity, it has been miserable.  I’m not even going to talk about the electric bill shock many people are experiencing.

I am thankful for…air conditioning.  I can’t even imagine how people who don’t have air conditioning are tolerating this summer.  Even though air conditioning is pretty much the norm in the this area, there are a lot of older homes that don’t have it and some people who opt not to use it.

From the kitchen…is a cup of French vanilla coffee at the moment.  There has been a request for cinnamon rolls for breakfast…but the little vampires aren’t up yet.  🙂  And I’m happy to report I have six, count them six, tomatoes sitting out and ripening nicely.  That makes it me ~ 6….critters ~ 1.  Booooo yaaaaahhhh! 

I am hoping…this case of eczema on my hands will soon run its course.  Not on one hand, but both and it is driving me crazy!!  I was first diagnosed  when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter.  I asked the doctor during a checkup what this rash was on one of my fingers and got the dreaded news.   Add to the fact that warm weather can make it worse it is like a double whammy….I’m hot and miserable and my hands itch like crazy!  😐 

I am hearing…the Weather Channel tell me there is a 30% chance of rain today….the ticking of my many clocks….an otherwise quiet house.

Around the house…laundry…..a few dishes to wash….CD’s and/or DVD’s  ready to burn with photos….more photos to scan.  I have discovered flatbed scanning is a slow process. 

Plans for the week include…working from home tomorrow….delivering photo CD’s sometime this week……and this coming Saturday I will be participating in one of Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walks.  I will be joining the Yorktown walk.  This is my first ever photo walk with a group…should be interesting and a chance to meet some like minded people.  If anyone is interested in participating in a walk, there is still time to find a location near you.  They do limit the number of individuals to 50 I believe….but you may be able to find one with openings.  I know the one I’m participating in has 5 openings left as of this morning.  I’m just hoping it isn’t Africa hot that day…or raining.  Wouldn’t it be ironic if the one day we finally get rain would be the one day I don’t want it to?  

One of my favorite things…is a cool, summer breeze.  Have I experienced one of these lately….ummm, no ~ but still one of my favorite things. 

A picture I’d like to share with you…is of a visitor I had yesterday in my backyard.  He was fairly young I believe…and quite unafraid of me.  I will have more tomorrow, but for today….this one….