i miss the rain

Until today, July has been cloudy with occasional storms, and it was delightful. Today, we're reminded that summer in Texas is hot. Temperatures have risen to the mid 90s again, it's humid, and well... downright HOT. There's not a cloud to be seen. The early July weather spoiled everyone, and everything, on the farm.

Today I've been able to work outside for an hour at a time before I have to come in and cool off in the A/C, and enjoy a glass of ice water. That's probably for the best, though. It is the perfect time to write a blog post! I started looking through the photos I've taken in the past week, and in them I see cool days, clouds, lush vegetation, and happy critters. The photos are making me really miss those cooler, drizzly days! Let me share a few with you, so you can see what I mean... all of these photos were taken on July 8, 2010 (not today).

 
Admiral jumps up onto the gate in the evening. His muddy toes remind me that the pasture and barnyard were damp enough from the rain for the thick, sticky, muddy soil to cling to anything and everything.

 
Mother Nature was kind enough to keep the water troughs full. Betty and Callio-Pea are happy to share the fresh water with Butthead, the barn cats, and the chickens.

 
Buddy Boy and John's Chicken sit on the gate drying their feathers, wet from the rain held in the tall grass of the barnyard.

 
The cucumber plant that I thought I would lose is doing much better. I added a few more inches of good garden soil to it's mound, and it really perked up. Perhaps it just didn't have room to stretch it's roots, and needed a little more wiggle room. And the cucumbers are now growing like weeds!

 
This is the first year I've ever tried to grow any melons, and WHOA NELLIE, we've got some little melons on the vine! Everything in the garden really enjoyed the break from the blistering sun and heat.

 
Admiral loves to crow, and let everyone within ear-shot know he's handsome, a good singer, and loves the ladies. He is such a good boy -- I wish all full-sized roosters were as good as he is. (Buddy Boy, not so much...)

 
Callio-Pea thinks he's crazy. All that crowing just seems silly.

 
The teenager-sized squash plants (I have plants at four different ages/stages in the garden, for a long harvest time) started to put on fruit. Little yellow zucchini and yellow crookneck squash will be on the menu soon!

 
The pumpkin plants are doing great! This photo was taken three days ago, and already the plants are noticeably larger. A few of the leaves got kind of mangled in one of the storms. We had some really large raindrops! I also have a mound of ornamental pumpkins (the little tiny ones). It has started to put out really long runners that I'm going to have to direct a little bit, so they don't take over the tomato and squash rows.

 
The squash pit and corn really loved the cooler temps and rain, and that cucumber plant in the middle of the corn has decided to make a run for the border... it's grabbing onto the grass along the side of the raised bed.

 
Yup, I miss the clouds and rain... it's official.

Comments

[Linda in CO]

Admiral is a handsome boy! Gosh I never thought that I would ever think a rooster handsome, but he really is! All the animals look so happy and cool! Sending cooling wind wishes your way!

Linda

[Melissa C.]

WOW! I just found a new favorite blog to visit! Your picture's are fabulous...I especially love your chickens! Got some of my own in the spring. Only hens though, because I live in a subdivision and don't want to upset the neighbor's to terribly much :) My hubby and I are just backyard farmer's until he retire's from the Coast Guard!

[Shellie Daniel]

I do think you could win prizes with your Admiral! He's the most beautiful rooster I've ever seen (or at least your photos make him look that way)! And I love Callio-Pea's reflection in the watering trough.

Isn't finding little cucumbers and melons under the leaves like going on a treasure hunt? Your melon is so cute!

[Kathy Martin]

Mighty fine looking rooster! Your photos always take my breath away! We had an extremely hot June in North Carolina! Always hovered around 100 with humidity! The hotest June on record. Now that July is here, it's down to the low 90's! You know it's been hot when 92 feels decent! :)

[Rebecca Bowers]

We're just in the middle of our winter here in NZ so its kinda nice to hear bout your hot weather. Your farm-yard friends are all so lovely, I got my fix on the weekend and visited our local Poultry Show, so funny and so loud with all the roosters trying to out do each other( we also have Frizzles too). Oh I discovered that my Hens like luke warm cups of tea...don't ask! Keep posting your lovely life to us, from Bec Bowers.

[Shala]

It rained here last night. Stormy. Around 3 a.m.
Our uncle lives in Bassett, NE and they have tomato blight in the soil there, so he grows all of his tomatoes in barrels.
Love the pics of Calliopea!!!!!

[diane mcvey]

Oh, I do know what you mean about those HOT TX summer days...that's why we have never gone back there for a job. There have been great jobs at Texas A&M for my hubby, but I told him I just COULDN'T live there. It's just TOO hot! So we have never come back. But thank goodness it DOES end, eventually! And Fall will bring cooler temps and some rain for you. Hang on! And the pictures today from before are just beautiful. Thank you for sharing! I wish I had the same healthy plants that YOU have! You are going to have so many wonderful veggies to eat this summer. YUM! I have to go to the Farmer's Market to get most of mine. I can't do the garden, and hubby just doesn't have time. Boo Hoo!
Have a GREAT week!!! :D

[Kellie]

still waiting for some of your pics to load..but I did get Admiral..wowzer! He's a beautiful rooster...and little Callio-pea..aawwwww, she's cute..or he..can't remember which...we had a big rain today in Mich,,so my garden is loving it..and very hot weather also. My cucumbers/pickles aren't so great so far..green beans are growing like crazy tho' and so are the raspberries!!!

[Carol Dee]

Your garden and all the critters are looking happy and healthy. Ahhhh. Life on Ann's Farm :) I just recieved my 4th issue of GRIT. We are loving it. Thanks again :) I did not realize TX was as humid as IA, Duh, the gulf! Hugs...

[bad fairie]

i'm so jealous of your squashes ;-D - i'm not going to ever bother putting any in until i get a hanging system built - otherwise i'm just feeding the slugs.