We went out into the garden and yard just at sunrise this morning. Got
the yard mowed and weed whacked. Watered all the vegetables and fruit
with a slow hose or the installed soaker system. Pear tree seems to be
perking up a bit more as I have been running a slow hose on it twice
daily at the rate of about a half gallon an hour. It is dug into a huge
hole, eight feet wide by six feet deep and then filled with real dirt
and compost versus the clay and sand that had been there before. I will
have to get out there either late this day or very early tomorrow to tie
up the heavily laden limbs. Looks to be a nice first crop of pears come
August.

Heat indices are still running at 106 to 108F by mid-afternoon so we are
grateful for the air conditioning. I don't remember this much heat from
the two or three other times we lived in Houston area. Maybe because the
builders cut down all the old growth trees when they built this
subdivision and then put in baby live oaks. Live oaks live a long time
but are slow growing. Of course we gave away our live oak and put in a
pear tree. I want trees that produce something to eat AND make shade,
the pear has grown four feet taller and wider since it was planted three
years ago.

Alas, the vegetable garden is slowly dying, mostly because of the heat I
reckon. Still getting a few cukes, no tomatoes, no squash, sweet peppers
are very small and not doing well. The crowder peas are still producing
and putting on new blooms so they are okay. The bay tree cutting we
planted in 2013 is now almost three feet tall. I think we will have
enough bay leaves for all the family now. We only use bay in gumbo or
the odd soup so a jar full can last a long time. G

George, hiding from the heat already at 11:27 am CST.

On 07/15/2016 09:27 AM, George Shirley wrote:
We went out into the garden and yard just at sunrise this morning. Got
the yard mowed and weed whacked. Watered all the vegetables and fruit
with a slow hose or the installed soaker system. Pear tree seems to be
perking up a bit more as I have been running a slow hose on it twice
daily at the rate of about a half gallon an hour. It is dug into a huge
hole, eight feet wide by six feet deep and then filled with real dirt
and compost versus the clay and sand that had been there before. I will
have to get out there either late this day or very early tomorrow to tie
up the heavily laden limbs. Looks to be a nice first crop of pears come
August.

Heat indices are still running at 106 to 108F by mid-afternoon so we are
grateful for the air conditioning. I don't remember this much heat from
the two or three other times we lived in Houston area. Maybe because the
builders cut down all the old growth trees when they built this
subdivision and then put in baby live oaks. Live oaks live a long time
but are slow growing. Of course we gave away our live oak and put in a
pear tree. I want trees that produce something to eat AND make shade,
the pear has grown four feet taller and wider since it was planted three
years ago.

Alas, the vegetable garden is slowly dying, mostly because of the heat I
reckon. Still getting a few cukes, no tomatoes, no squash, sweet peppers
are very small and not doing well. The crowder peas are still producing
and putting on new blooms so they are okay. The bay tree cutting we
planted in 2013 is now almost three feet tall. I think we will have
enough bay leaves for all the family now. We only use bay in gumbo or
the odd soup so a jar full can last a long time. G

George, hiding from the heat already at 11:27 am CST.

We hit 100F yesterday, but dropped to 50F at night. It was down right
chilly.

Today when the sun went down, you could feel a 15 degree drop.

The cherry tomatoes are full of marble sized green tomatoes.

My purslane (I am eating some now) doesn't care for the hot
weather and I am afraid it will bolt.

Four days ago I crushed a group of squash bug eggs and
killed the mother that laid them.

Killed one squash bug two days ago. Did not find any eggs.
Must have been a dude.

Got me one Squash flower. Its a dude. Oh well.