It has been exceptionally dry here as well and very hot, Gina. I am so over it as well. I live at the end of the hose.
No, I did not eat the luffa and I did not process them into sponges, sadly. I had a neighbor from Sudan who used to come over and look at them, I think they reminded him of home. Guess they had grown them there as well. If you turn them into sponges let me know how that ends up. I am no longer growing them, do not know why or what happened to them.
I miss growing sunflowers, such a happy plant.
