Hi Pete,

I'm getting up early and doing yard work before high sun hits. Also adding mulch to beds to conserve moisture, putting out a soaker hose, and counting my blessings that the grass is dormant enough that I don't have to mow much in this weather!

And yes, using the sunscreen and skeeter repellent. Here in Ames, we got a badly needed inch of rain last week. You're right about the sweet potato vine. Mine are taking over the other plants around them, including shrubs!

We got deluged in Story county last night, but before that I was covering up every bit of exposed skin I could including draping a dish towel around my neck to keep the skeeters from skeletonizing me (I'm sure the neighbors wonder about me!) and schlepping buckets of water from draining the kids splash pool over to the gardens. I'm cheap. I'm not going to waste all that water. The tomatoes look great and are starting to turn. I can hardly wait for that first BLT. The cukes are going crazy. I have an 8 foot row growing up a trellis and every day I'm picking 10 to 12 of them. I don't have time to make pickles but at least my coworkers aren't complaining yet. The zukes have squash borers so I'm not wasting any more water on them. Don't even go into the herb bed in my yard its mosquito heaven. I don't want to end up with West Nile Virus or something. I'm sure it will be worse now it rained.

Any one else growing caladiums? I bought a package of those dried out little bulbs from Wally, stuck 'em in a pot and forgot them. Wow! They LOVE this weather. One of them is even blooming -- looks like a cross between a peace lily and a calla lily. I'll have to try the sweet potato vine in the herb/flower bed. I put them in the planters at the office and they are looking good in there but i hadn't thought to try it at home.

mmo

Ugh. We got an air conditioner! A great big one. I was listening to NPR today and there was a report that retail sales were up, but mostly at the giant stores due to purchases of ACs. I venture outside early in the evening only, it's SO dry here the skeeters seem to have packed their bags and moved elsewhere. Count your blessings I guess. I have been watering a BUNCH. We have a deep well, and I am hoping that the drought doesn't continue another year!