Thursday, September 10, 2009

Thrown For A Loop

Mother Nature has thrown a spate of heavy, humid, stifling hot weather at us. Yup, in September rather than when we would expect it . . . like July or August. After having a summer when we had very few days that actually felt like summer . . . why now, for heaven's sake?

I spent a lovely morning quilting with a couple of friends. Delightful conversation, pleasant surroundings (at a coffee shop . . . mmm, good drinks!) and made some progress on some handwork.

Came home, had a quick bite to eat and sat down at my desk to post an entry to my quilting blog. As I was finishing, an almost naked man (my husband clad only in his work shorts) poked his head through the doorway, and announced, "I am going out to mow."
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"In this heat and humidity? You'll get heat stroke!" I said.

He replied, "I know, but I did the weed whipping yesterday so I'd just as soon finish the job and have it all done."

This was bad news for me. It meant I had to go out, too. I wanted him to save the grass clippings for me to mulch the parts of the garden that have already been cleaned. We'll let the good bacteria and worms work on them for a while and then possibly till them in yet this fall.

So out we went. Into the horribly humid, hot, hot, hot, muggy, full-in-the-sun yard/garden area. The thermometer on the south facing deck in the shade of our big birch tree read 80°. Lordy, lordy, it had to 90-something out there in the sun.

When he finished mowing, he called to me and said it was time to call it a day. We were both drenched with sweat. (Well, he was drenched with sweat. I was glistening.) I told him I wanted to finish weeding a patch and I'd be in shortly.

About fifteen minutes later, all of a sudden I didn't feel so pretty good. I think heat prostration was trying to get a grip on me. I came inside and sat down but couldn't stop sweating. (I mean glistening.) I finally decided to get in the shower, and now I feel much better.

What the heck is with this ungodly weather now? Dunno, but my zinnias seem to be happy with it. They're looking better than they have all summer.

I guess I need to relax and go with the flow. Mother Nature is obviously having a little fun with us. I think I hear her chucking softly to herself right now.

10 comments:

Jody M said...

We're getting the remains of a hurricane right now, just a steady light rain with occasional gusty wind. I think our hot/humid is past us....I hope.

Sue said...

Too bad we all weren't like zinnias.
I hate heat too-especially with someone who feels an urge to do yardwork (and expects ME to help)
Oh well, it's done now-hope you get to relax with a cold one now!

Claire said...

I hear you! I was SHOCKED by how swampy it was when we were working on the cabin this weekend!!!

Mama Pea said...

Hi, Jody - If you can, send some of that rain our way (no hurricane elements though!) . . . we're really pretty dry and could use the moisture. Somehow, the hot, humid, mugginess just doesn't qualify as good moisture.

Mama Pea said...

Hey, Sue - Believe me, I do NOT look nearly as perky as these zinnias in this weather! Today was another humid one . . . yuck. (I avoided any yard work today though.)

Mama Pea said...

Claire - Swampy is a good word for what the weather's been like!

You-know-who went on and on about what a fabulous lot of work you got done on your little place this past weekend. Good job! Hope you can make it back up once more before snow comes.

Erin said...

I sent our weather your way, lol! Actually, ours is always like that in the summer, temps in mid 90's, humidity in the 90%'s, makes for daily 110 heat indexes, yuck! That's when I kind of try to forget I have a garden...I just look out at it from the A/C inside and think..."I can't believe someone chooses to garden out there"...and pretend it's the neighbors' plot, lol! Can't complain today, temps in the 70's and my brother & wife & new niece flew in from Saint Paul and we had dinner in the backyard. If I get motivated tomorrow I will post some pics!

Mama Pea said...

Erin - Don't know how you manage all summer! Glad to hear your weather has moderated a little bit. Now if you could please fix ours . . .

RuthieJ said...

I was amazed at how beautiful all the zinnias were in Wausau over the weekend too. My wild asters are starting to bloom now and all the pollinators are still so busy.

Mama Pea said...

Hi, Ruthie - We're starting to see some wild asters, too. Our honey bees are still out working hard trying to find flowers to top off their stash for the season.