July 2021

It seems like July came very fast this year.  The 4th was wonderful although quiet here.  We put our flag out with pride, watched the celebrations on TV, and enjoyed the wonderful music.  We don't do fireworks - the animals never like loud noises and I have a dog who cowers in the corner at thunderstorms so we don't add to whatever else is going on in the neighborhood.

 

We have had lots of rain in the past few weeks.  Not as much rain as Houston has had but plenty of rain. And the plants are all loving it.  Actually, the grass is loving it all too much.  Our mower is currently in the shop so the grass is trying to take over the world.

Our garden bins are working hard.  The marigolds are blooming and I'm picking them every couple of days so they can be dried and ready for natural dyers. The watermelons came back on their own this spring and I'm looking forward to eating them.

 

The tomatoes are doing great also but picking them has been problematic. The fire ants have a firm foothold in that particular garden bin and we did nothing to eradicate them before we planted the tomatoes.  I'm not willing to use horrible pesticides but I really want them to go away.  I haven't tried boiling water but that may be coming.

 

The crepe myrtles are blooming - I love all the colors! They always make me smile.

 

The trees need to be lifted. The limbs are growing out and down so far that in places I can't walk under them or drive my car under them.  I think we are on the tree trimmer's schedule so that should be happening soon.

 

We still have some things leftover from the freeze that are well and truly dead that need to be removed. The mimosa tree didn't make it and the pittosporum at the back corner of the house tried but failed to come back from the freeze. The orange trees have already been removed but the stumps remain and will need to be removed before we can plant something in their place. And the sunflowers have come to an end.

The front garden looks stunning and the bees are back pollinating and gorging themselves on the sweet nectar. We have a few things that need tending but that is always the case. For now it looks pretty much like a happy July. That's a good thing.