Surviving the Heat.......

When I was a kid these were chicken watering devices.  I have an all glass antique one somewhere but this one is totally plastic.  I put it out just in case a bird is really thirsty.  In most cases we have been having standing water around everywhere.  The glass ones that worked with an old Ball canning jar were used to watering chicks and also to medicate them as treatment was put in the water turning it yellow.  When we had large amounts of chickens we had a watering device that was made of metal and when the lid was slid up to reveal the tank, a whole big bucket of water could go into it.  I can still hear that sound as the lid was fit over it and slid back down.

 The moss rose looks better this year than I have ever had for a long time.  I guess I had not been watering them enough in past years and will need to water them more when we stop getting rains. I like planting these in the ground but while in the granite pan they don't have to compete with any weeds and foliage from other plants.

Work!!! I bought these for a dollar a piece and I need to get the stepping stones placed in position. I should have bought a few more but there is time to buy more. I have a stepping stone walk next to the blue door to the back yard.  I have noticed that I am short a few that would make the transition to the single path a little easier to walk.

I continue to wait on these Asiatic lilies.  I have to prop them up each summer as they get so tall and heavy weighted.  If I catch it soon enough it is an easy job.  If I don't catch it soon enough they end up laying on the ground to bloom.  The have been planted in this location over 30 years now. 

I discussed the bud of a sunflower following the sun on my Photo a Day blog.  These guys were all leaning because of a heavy rain and wind.  The past two days of plentiy of sun and lots of humidity they are all mostly standing straight again. I was disgusting this with my wife and I do remember that I have had to stake them up with metal fence post ones the flowers fill with seeds.  I don't have any fancy sunflowers this year.  The package called them Mammoth which I am assuming will be that big old fashion one.  As you can see the green giant is standing in the photo taking the picture.

It is not a tiger liy but it sure looks a lot like one.  This is an older lily that I have not seen bloom for quite a few years.  Heavy rains must have revived the bulbs as it popped up amongst the phlox and ditch lilies this spring.  I have about three stalks of this so it is having a great comeback. There is a smaller set of stalks with it which I think I remember are orange lilies.

It is budding a little and forcing out a few blooms.  The foliage is why I bought it and it looks really good growing out there in all that heat and humidity. The photo still has an effect of the cold camera being taken outside into heavy humidity.  I really don't thing it is a cool camera as much as it is in low humidity inside.  Our air conditioning did not handle the heat yesterday in our house.  We used fans to help move air, which was lower humidity, and that made if feel more comfortable. We started off hot yesterday where today we are down to lower 70's.  We slept downstairs for half the night while our upstairs bedroom struggled to get cooled down.

I can hear all the construction noise this morning again.  They did not work yesterday as it was too hot for them to pour very hot asphalt onto a very hot surface.  I could see guys passing out while working the machine. If they get to our road today, north south one, we will be done with surface work.  They have dirt work to do around the sidewalks connects and then they will have to go back and address the ditches one more time.

I am heading out to mow right now.  I don't want to but the grass is tall and the temps will be good for an hour or so.  Once it warms up outside we will have to just stay inside.  I hear others around the United States are suffering from heat and also bad storms.  I hope all of you keep safe.  Thanks for stopping by today.