Summer Bummer

It is hot. Really hot. I can hardly spend 20 minutes outside. And if the heat dosen't get you, the swarming mosquitoes will. So it basically means that t he weeds won. It has been a year long fight, but they have taken over. They are creeping up between the cracks in the concrete walk and popping up from the lantana. My bird bath is not level and keeps falling over, squishing the salvia and butterfly bush below. Caterpillars are munching on my oleander and demolished my passion vine. Every time I go out into the yard, all I see are problems.
It is about this time every year I have my summer bummer. It is just too easy do other things than garden right now. My daughter is starting school, I am on a new diet (which sucks up an astounding amount of time and mental energy), and my job is busy for football season. I didn’t even mention actually watching college football which will soon take up even more of my Saturdays soon. Go Noles! Normally, I would start obsessing about Halloween: “We’ll have a huge party and invite the whole block. We’ll dress up as the wierdos that we are and try to get candy and beers. We’ll have a haunted house!! Kids will come from everywhere just to see our house! It will be the greatest . . .” After that I’m out of commission in the garden until after Christmas. This year, I think the blog will keep more focused, force me to walk into the garden and keep regular tabs on it. And since I’m embarrassed to take pictures of dead plants, I’ll have to make the effort to keep them alive. But it is hot outside . . .