Alright, alright.
I was one of those who complained incessantly about winter’s cold, vengeful reign.
I swore I wouldn’t complain about summer.
But y’all. I’m dying out here.
Lately, we’ve had some pretty hot and humid days.
The animals simply aren’t having it, either.
I’ve considered laying over the air conditioner vent and panting like the dog…
However, I thought I should probably try to maintain a bit of my dignity.
So, which are you?
Team Winter, or Team Summer?
This Heat Needs to Calm Itself.
If it wasn’t for these amazing summer storms that have been happening almost daily, I’m sure our animals would have went on strike.
Along with our amazing window unit, which has kept us cool for the last three years.
Have I ever professed my love for summer storms? No?!
Well, I am obsessed with them!
They are one of nature’s many pick-me-ups.
They energize me.
They inspire me.
They excite me.
The goats? They’re rolling their eyes right now, because frankly, they’re sick of having to run for cover.
I will say though… The heat and humidity is always worse when the storms clear.
It’s so sticky.
It feels as if you’re wearing a tight plastic jumpsuit on a sunny day.
I’m so glad that my homemade deodorant recipe can keep up with this mess. I’m in shock that it can honestly! (It’s photogenic, too…)
Around here, we keep a LOT of “junk clothes” or “work clothes”, because the last thing you want to do is ruin your good clothing on the homestead.
This excessive sweating will do just that, too.
If you’re just getting started, do yourself a favor: junk clothes.
- Goodwill- you’ll find everything you need!
- Yardsales- even cheaper than goodwill, and if you find the right size, there’s usually a lot you could grab at once.
- Free Listings- for clothes that don’t look even remotely new, most people give them away. Take advantage when the opportunity arises; because I PROMISE YOU: one slip in a wet, mucky, mid-winter chicken run, and you will suddenly believe in throwing clothes into the trash can without a second thought. There’s no coming back from that one. Those clothes are a lost cause.
The Garden…. Look, We’re Not Here to Judge. Who’s Got a Jungle On Their Hands?
Alright, let’s be honest.
The garden is a weed factory.
I was keeping up really well until June.
Then, well, everything hit the fan!
Hotter, dangerous days with high UV indexes don’t mix well with my pale skin.
Therefore, I have been hiding a tad bit more.
In addition, work has been hectic.
The more I work, the more neglect the garden suffers.
With a near full-time schedule, it has not been easy.
It’s been so hot, even my toddler wants nothing to do with the great outdoors..
He usually wants to stay outside around the clock… Not anymore!
However, when the heat and humidity get this bad, it’s better to be safe rather than sorry.
Thus, we are stuck inside quite a bit.
I’ve considered tilling in a large chunk of the garden, while leaving the peppers, tomatoes, and surviving squash plants to do their thing.
I planted backup squash, but we did lose a lot of our protected plants that we’ve been keeping you updated about. They’re still alive, just barely.
We have harvested squash off of them for weeks on end, and we DEFINITELY got at least 100 pounds of squash.
I didn’t record weights, and I should have.
In other words, the squash experiment was a SUCCESS.
It wasn’t a slam dunk or anything (because the plants have nearly succumbed), but we extended their lives through a very productive spring.
Largely, it was my fault.
Those plants could have lived longer.
I just didn’t have the time to manage them for a week or two, and things started going south.
As I said, when work and motherhood collide, the garden tends to suffer.
Am I upset? Nah.
Will I try harder next year? Absolutely.
Will I give up? Not a chance.
Questionnaire for the Comments!!!
Let’s have a fun little discussion in the comments below!
- What has been your biggest drawback in the garden this summer?
- Have you lost any crops to diseases/pests this year? What happened?
- Have you gotten a “first” fruit off of a new variety that you’re trying this year?
- What has been your MOST productive plant so far this year?
- Have you had any monstrous fruits yet?