I enjoyed reading your blog Sharon.

I was not aware that Kentucky ever got that hot or dry. They are predicting 110-111 F here by the end of the week. Right now the town is ringed with big storm clouds but that is never a sure thing for wide spread rain here. We are in a severe drought but no water restrictions, it just costs a lot for those of us with too many plants. We received .05 of rain yesterday which did nothing for the plants but did cool us down, some, last night .

Thanks, Linda.

I'd say we've had about 10 years of extreme heat and drought. I've lived in this part of KY for nearly 40 years and it wasn't always this hot. Hotter than the mountains where I grew up, a whole different growing zone actually, because the mountains are about 400 miles east of me, though still in KY. I guess all the trees and the mountains themselves provide summer shade in the valleys there.

But I am now located somewhat south and west of those mountains, and I think your climate is moving nearer to us. I told somebody that whatever Texas and Oklahoma get today, I can expect tomorrow, and that's just about always true. We are a small town with a small water facility in spite of the rivers and lakes all around us. I think we just have to be careful about water because of the facility itself. But the rivers are low and the lakes so low that it's affecting the tourist season. I guess I'll just wait and see. There's no way I can move the mountains closer, though I'd like to try.

Thanks again, Linda. Stay cool as you can out there!

Sharon, I enjoy reading your blog and today's entry made me stop and think, it was a low energy day for me, this morning when I went to the garden I felt discouraged, so many weeds, I did some grumbling to myself, weeding hadn't been in my plan for today. Well I decided seeing as how it had to be done I would harvest some chickweed, free greens, and get on with it.

After reading "Sweeping the yard" at lunchtime I went back to the garden with a different point of view. I looked around at the very green trees and grass, I felt very grateful that we have enough water to make those weeds grow so lush. Wish I could send a few rain clouds your way.

Fun story Sharon

I don't remember the ground in our backyard but I do remember having my play area and making lots and lots of mud pies so I'm sure there were lots of bare spots. Mom was totally cool with getting dirty and having fun. My backyard was my haven. I climbed the pear tree, ate the concord grapes, played on the swing set, played in the sandbox, and made lots of mud pies I bet I even swept the ground a time or two with my little broom too

Long as I can keep my tomatoes growing, Margaret, I'll be just fine. Actually, I have to consider that things have been green and lush and blooming here since early March. That's a pretty reasonable growing time, though I'd like it to be longer. And I have a lot of really strong plants that won't be affected by the drought. I've had to cut dead iris and daylily foliage all the way back to the ground in early August before, it was dry and I'm always afraid of fire; cutting back then never hurts the plant. So except for the uglies around here, I'm OK.

I am concerned about our farmers and about local farmers markets.

I'm glad you feel better about your day. I'd be really happy if I still had chickweed growing!! Even the dandelions have given up.

Vic, good for you and for your Mom. Almost ten years separate you and me, plus it was my grandmother who mostly raised me, so to tell you the truth, I had a homemade wooden swing hanging from the apple tree, but I'm not sure anybody in the mountains had ever seen a swing set in those days. I played in the creek a lot, and swung from the grapeless grapevine and landed in the creek a lot, too.

My brother, nearer your age, was born in 1950. He had all those fun things like swing sets and slides. I had a good time though, I think it gave me a pretty big imagination. And I can still make a broom out of twigs.

Thanks for reading the blog, Ladies. Fun things to remember.

I forgot to tell you Sharon, that we too, are having the 100 plus temps starting Friday. It's really scary

I'm watering my tomatoes like crazy and I have two that are getting "redder" everyday

Your brother and I were born the same year

You've had a lot of rain, Vic, so maybe you have no danger of fires.
Be careful and stay outta the heat, though!!

Thought so, about you and my brother. His b'day is in October though, and I think yours is next week.
Happy Hot Early Birthday, Vic, my friend!

Once again you've educated me in your delightful way. Thank you.

Just as you do for me, Mary.
Thank you.

Ahhh.. but aren't you glad you don't have to sweep the yard in triple digit temps? How grim!

Older folks here talk of swept yards and the primary reason was snakes. I couldn't agree more. We know a younger man that lives in the old time ways (his choice) and he sweeps his yard.

On spring break this April, two of my grands came to visit. I worried as they are city girls ~ 9 & 11. We had been seeing regular rains and I wondered how bored they would be. The first thing we did was go to town and buy them crocs and flipflops and mud boots. But I didn't need to worry. They played in the mud and found a spot of clay to make bowls and balls. They would wash off at the garden hose and guess what? That made more wonderful mud! In their spare time, they would catch the oak caterpillars and name them before they relocated them. Life in the country IS GOOD! and Gram was relieved.

Fun read as always Sharon ~ thanks much! Kristi

Morning Kristi,

I'm sitting here, inside, still drinking coffee before the day gets hotter and I'm looking at the brown/yellow, flat on the ground daylily foliage. Now several stalks are still struggling to bloom, but the foliage, 'tis no more. Not pretty.

I'm so glad your grands had fun. My grandson, soon to be 8, will be here for the weekend within the hour. He lives in Indianapolis and I've warned him already, we can't play outside. I'm thinking we will just have to stay inside and paint last year's dried gourds. Surely that will keep him busy.

Stay cool down there.
I don't think it's going to get much cooler anytime soon!

Thanks so much for joining me on the blog.

I'm slowly catching up on my Sharon's-blog-reading.

My grandmother swept her yard as well, but with a difference. She kept a three-foot-wide ribbon of dirt on either side of the sidewalks that ran in front of her house and up to the front porch. I wish I knew the history behind that practice. No one else in the neighborhood did that. One of her daughters, my Aunt Rose, is still alive and comes to eat with us every Sunday. I'll have to ask her if she remembers the reason.

Please find out why, Larry. I'd love to know. I'm sure she had a reason.

And thanks for keeping up with my blog!!

Will do, Sharon. I'll ask her on Sunday.