I feel for you, Melissa. I have been there.

Sheila, are you not there now?

Actually, when I finally stuck my head out the door later this morning, it was fresher than I expected. I ended going out at the unusual hour of 10 a.m. and working pretty happily, well covered against the sun of course. I spent my time weeding the second Serbian bed, which looked a trifle more flourishing than I had anticipated, so it was a pretty good day.

I do wonder how bart is doing. Bart?

AH Melissa . . . It sounds like we are living in the same summer . . . Well, we're not really hot, and most of our spring bloom was non-existent. But we know, this, too, shall pass.

Sheila, that sounds like a fine array of annoyances. I take it that most of the problems have been corrected (not the one of the rose on your first husband's grave).

Jeri, yes, it will pass. Whenever I'm unhappy about the weather, though, I remember 2017, an awful year for me. It was summer-hot by mid-May, and I set a day that I identified as the middle of summer, and counted up to it, and then counted away. The weather first broke in September.

Sorry to hear that your spring bloom was poor; will autumn make up for it?

At least now we're half-way through July. Sheila, it sounds as if you and your DH are like us.My joke is that, if we ever do a trip to a malaria-ridden zone,he wouldn't have to get vaccinated against it -all the bugs would just bite me. I finally have been able to accompany him to our land when he goes out to water (may Heaven bless him a trillion billion gazillion times and more for offering to do this while I am out of commision!!!!!!). It was muggy and buggy (no south-western wind). We returned home -me, with a miriad of bug bites on my lower legs (which were covered by long pants and long socks tucked into said pants to avoid ticks), and Francesco with zero bites. Now, this morning, I discovered that a tick had bitten me as well, on my belly...

I want to buy an air-conditioner.

From what I could tell, some of my new implants are, alas under attack by the dread Black Finger of Death sindrome. I think it's caused by the sudden temperature swings and the extreme heat we suffered through in June. I sprayed Rocksil a week ago and yesterday another bio spray based on mycorizza. Hopefully, these treatments won't harm and might possibly help.

I hate summer.

Hey, bart, thanks for checking in. It sounds like conditions are unfriendly, and who's surprised, but summer is passing. I'm sorry it's so hot where you live; that is miserable. Also the bugs are no fun.

I woke up to an unpleasant domestic emergency this morning, as a consequence of which I wasn't able to pick up my helper and get out in the garden. The resulting errands and stress flattened me, too, but tomorrow I hope I'll be able to get out and peacefully work in the garden. I need to find enough rebar stakes to mark the inside edge of the second Serbian bed. My helper mowed the narrow walk between it and the hedge, but in his thoroughness went into the bed and got some small roses, which I hope may grow back, but who knows. So I need to show where the boundary of the bed is. Anyway, treats in store.

Bart, you are lucky in your DH, but there are a lot of good guys around. I hope you get to do something nice for yourself, and for the rest of your family. Something involving coolness, for sure.