It's 102F on the back porch (west facing) at the moment and I've got the
shades pulled down out there since about 1400. Supposed to top at 104F
with a heat index of 113 or 114. Thank goodness for air conditioning and
electricity.

Crops are withering, of course the tomatoes, eggplants, and sweet chiles
are still producing but not as well as earlier in the summer. With
raised bed gardens we are having to water every night to keep things
going, including our fruit trees.

I'm going to get up at daylight tomorrow and cut out the lima bean vines
and chop them up with the mower for the composter. Probably will pull
the last of the cukes and lettuces that are either dying or sprouting
before death.

Neighbors who don't care about plantings are going to replacing ten or
twelve year old live oaks and other plantings that they can't be
bothered to water. We let the grass go as it will come back when it
rains, if that happens before to long. The weather heads keep promising
it's going to be 10% to 40% rain chance just any day now. Dear wife
wants me to break out the breech clout and the paints and get my fat
butt out there and do a rain dance for her. Might just do it on the off
chance the rain gods are poking around looking for a fat guy half naked
calling their names.

We're getting atmospheric dust falling on the vehicles, etc. every day.
I suspect some volcanoes way off away from Tejas are spouting again.
Certainly looks like volcanic dust and there's no deserts anywhere
close. Hopefully the stuff has lots of minerals and will help with the
fall and spring gardens.

George