Kathy, I know the feeling. It's like that here to.
They have been saying that at 2-4 am it's been in the 70's so a few nights I put on my miners lamp and went to work for a few hours in the middle of the night.

OMG. I had considered that. Same reason. Hot as hades here in Newnan. Been making the 7-9 p.m. round instead. Now that I know someone else is doing it, I might get brave and say to heck with what the neighbors think. :-)

I am so glad you are back on. Please tell Diane thanks for me for allowing you to use her computer to email me, so I didn't worry about you BOTH.
I have missed you!

(of course, you could have called....)

Anyway, I am glad to hear you are being careful about this horrid heat. I am having to brave it and water every day, but I don't stay out too long. About 15 minutes and I have to get inside and cool down. I carry water with me and my cell phone. I get the most done in the evening. It is cooler and most of my garden is in the shade by then. And it is dryer, so the humidity is a lot lower. Humidity really gets to me.

You ladies are braver than I. I would NEVER work out in my yard at night, There are too many poisonous snakes creeping about at night. I've had way too many encounters with Copperheads and even Water Moccasins and that has cured me of being out there after dark, other than being on the patio, and still I have to be very vigilant. Last year during our Fourth of July celebration, one of my grandsons had gone into the workshop by the patio to see our pet rabbit and the little hen I kept in there. When he stepped up out of there, he stepped over a big copperhead that was slithering out through the door. It had been in there with him for gosh sakes. Probably after mice. But he didn't see it. I saw it and screamed (like a girl) and yelled "Snake!" My son grabbed his boy and yanked him out of danger. I grabbed a shovel and killed that sucker. It was 3 ft long. I hacked that thing to bits. I don't know how my grandson didn't get attacked and bitten by that snake. I guess the snake didn't feel threatened by him. Anyway, that pretty much put a damper on the rest of the evening.

Nope, no more being out in the garden at night for me! I don't even like going out to shut up the chickens after dark. I have had too many encounters with copperheads in that run. You would think you could easily see them, but even during the day they can blend right in with their surroundings. You don't see them until they move, even the bright colored snakes. It just isn't safe!

At least keep your cell phone with you at all times if you are going to do that. Please.

~Annie

Glad you are back and the computer is running. I need a new hard drive; would really like a whole new computer.....haven't decided yet.

I go out around 6 am and am in by 9-10 am. By evening I am so pooped the only thing I do is mow (rider) and usually just don't go back out.

Hot and very dry here and we are overrun with Japanese Beetles. I mean seriously overrun! We trapped over 2 gallons yesterday.

Gardening in the wee hours, a halogen light/long extension cord are a gal's best friend. Been there done that :). Actually it's really nice on warm summer nights, especially if you're lucky enough to catch a bit of a breeze to keep the mosquitos away.

Annette

Wow, you must be really hard core to go out in the darkness! Chalk one up for being a "real gardener!" Welcome back

80 degrees at 7am, yikes. Is that pretty standard for summertime in your area? Gosh, it must be so hard on the poor plants (and gardener) that there isn't a cooling recovery time overnight.

How does everyone deal with the bugs when gardening after dark? Spray? Or do bugs calm down in the wee hours of the morning? I can safely say I've never been out gardening at 2am! That is hard core gardening at its best!

Annie, here in NH we have hardly any snakes and aside from timber rattlers further up north we don't have any poisonous ones. I like the snakes in my garden (because they're not poisonous) but I could never imagine having to tip-toe around copperheads or cottonmouths. Is there any general safety info for gardeners who have run-ins w/snakes (aside from if you're holding a shovel bash it to bits?) What if you don't have any tools in your hand to defend yourself? I'm sitting here thinking about what you wrote and it once again scares me to remember that some of you have to deal with poisonous snakes. Please be careful.

Eighty is a bit high for this early in the summer. I can usually drink my coffee on the patio. But for the last week I have had to turn the fans on. By 10:00 it is too hot to do any work.

k

It is miserably hot! I have got to get out in it, so I will set up the fan, and the umbrella.

I am so glad you are back. Did you get a drive that speeded it up (pre crash speed)?

Just a few years ago, I could not have imagined how much time I would be spending on the computer these days. Our printer had to go in the shop, and I am so hopeful they can fix it. Not only is it a wonderful printer, but we have a supply of inks and paper that work on it that also would ass to the cost of replacing it.

kay

Welcome back, Plantmaven! Here in OK. it's hot as hades even though we have a mild cool front today.

Annie, you have copperheads? How far away are you from the City? I know they're in NE OK., but I've never seen one here, NW of the City.

But there is NO way I'll go out after dark to work in the garden.

One summer night I was letting the dog out the front door and a Bullsnake was right there, stretched out and flush with the door. In the dark.

I have a batch of Caladiums near the sidewalk and I've noticed snakes in there keeping cool. Ick ick ick!!!! lol