I've been much happier with the weather this year than in many recent previous years. I'm especially thankful when I visit the GA Forum and see what a hard time those poor people are having. It has been very hot this year, but most of my plants seem to have done OK.

Brandon - since GA is spitting distance from me - I am feeling their pain. I have had some loss with the baby plants - especially things that were transplanted straight from the garden and brought to the swap without time to get caught up from being uprooted. All in all, though, I really can't complain - except about the heat. I found working in the garden after dark to be more productive.

As for the bugs...they are the size of B-1 bombers and unrelenting. I don't remember the last summer that the bugs were so bad, but I am looking forward to a COLD winter. It really didn't get cold here - even though north of me experienced a very wet and cold winter. I had some things that never went dormant because of the unusual winter.

These 95+ days during this past week have been wretched - I am so looking forward to a break in the heat.

Come to think of it, I have seen way way more wasps (not sure which type) this year than usual. I don't know if that is just chance or whether it has anything to do with the heat, but there were about six nests in my barn this year.

The other day I was sneaking around to pray one of the nest. Being so careful not to agitate them. After spraying the nest and turning around to go outside, I saw that I had walked right under two other large active nests without even noticing them. Somehow I made it out without getting stung.