It's too darn hot!

What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.

          ~Jane Austen (December 16, 1775 - July 18, 1817

Our backyard this afternoon

Same view pre-drought...

 
     Here in central Indiana we have had some blistering summer weather. We had virtually no winter, so a hot summer had been predicted. But no one thought it would be this bad... We have had a full week with high temperatures above 100 degrees F. We have not had a drop of rain in our area in over 5 weeks. Weather records for high temperatures and no rain are being broken almost every day now. The fields of corn, usually lush and ready to pollinate about now, are stunted in their growth and some are actually dying out in the fields. I have heard predictions that up to 80% of Indiana's corn crop is at risk of being lost. I have noticed a decided lack of produce at our local farmers' markets.

     The situation is serious, and threatens to become dire. Personal fireworks for the 4th of July were banned, and most towns around us cancelled the professional fireworks. There are bans on watering lawns. People are urged to pay attention to their elderly neighbors, who are at high risk for serious health problems when the heat soars. Community pools are jammed.  Reports of excessive numbers of car breakdowns have been heard on the TV news. It is on the tongues of the local residents whenever we meet one another-- which isn't often because no one is going out.

     Here at the Bertram residence we are holed up as if it were the middle of winter. I have started a new daily ritual-- The Watering of the Gardens. I water the pots on the back deck and front of the house every morning, and then pick a garden location for the day and set up the sprinkler there. I let it run for about an hour. I rotate garden sites every day-- sometimes the front yard, sometimes the back. Most of my plants are holding on, but a few are totally fried, even with the watering. And this morning I was later than usual-- instead of before 9 am I got outside around 10:30 am. The water in the hose was too hot to touch, so I had to let it run out before I put it on the plants! Our lawn is gone... it was reseeded in the back yard this year and was just starting to fill in nicely when the drought hit, and now all that new grass is not just dead, but crispy and almost black looking.

The front yard is no better...

This is a little astilbe flower that was growing in our SHADE garden... it is burned to a crisp despite frequent watering

Closeup of the grass... you can see remnants of the straw used this spring on the newly seeded grass. We'll have to try again next year?

     Our air conditioner is working fine, though the power bills to pay for it will be sky high. We do our best to limit other power usage, and to limit our water consumption a little. We have a well, and it has never given us problems, but recently we have had some issues. Like the time I was running two sprinklers at the same time (one in front, one in back) and then tried to wash my hands at the kitchen sink. That was too much stress on our system and we lost water pressure. We took that hint seriously, so have stopped washing dishes and clothes during the day, or taking showers when we are running the sprinkler. And only one sprinkler at a time.

     Holed up inside on otherwise beautiful days, when neither of us has any work to do is beginning to wear on us. We both have fits of boredom. Defying common sense, I have picked up my knitting and have actually read a couple books. I have NOT gotten to work on the sorting and such I need to do to put together a garage sale later in the summer... it is toooooo hot for actual work like that!!

     I think of the farmers who worry about their crops, and about the consumers who will be paying a lot more for meat and products that use corn in them (which is a lot more than you'd think!)  Our dried up lawn really isn't all that important compared to the livelihood of so many farming families. And to the families who will have to sacrifice something else to buy that food.  Or to those who don't have air conditioning and are suffering anything from cardiovascular problems, breathing issues to just a bad case of the hot weather grouchies. While warm sunny days are a delight, this is pure misery...

It's too darn hot!
It's too darn hot!
I'd like to sup with my baby tonight,
Refill the cup with my baby tonight.
I'd like to sup with my baby tonight,
Refill the cup with my baby tonight,
But I ain't up to my baby tonight
'Cause it's too darn hot

          ~Cole Porter from "Kiss Me Kate"