Friday, July 21, 2017

Stayin' Cool, Man, Cool - Or At Least Trying

It was very hot and humid here yesterday hitting 90 degrees in the sun.  The humidity, as always, made it more uncomfortable than the temperature.  We made the decision early in the day to save ourselves from melting into sweaty puddles (great visual, huh?) by staying inside as much as we could.

Papa Pea did all the normal morning chores while I harvested six more heads of cauliflower which were not as badly tinged with off-color as the first six.  Then I tied (securely and adequately, I hope) the leaves up around the newly forming heads in my second bed of that vegetable hoping these would remain snowy white.  I'm not even sure these will mature properly as cauliflower likes cool weather in which to grow, and we seem to finally be into real summer time around here.

When I got the processing done from the harvest and a few other daily tasks that refuse to go away unless tended to, it was 3 p.m. and I headed into my quilt room for some fabric therapy which was good.  Except I ended up with a headache that continues this morning.  (Coffee!  More coffee!)  I have a suspicion the heavy, humid air that is still with us may have something to do with that.  (And I don't think I drank enough water yesterday.)

It's a disappointment to wake to heavy, gray, overcast, uncomfortably warm weather this morning, because the forecast was for full sunshine, cooler than yesterday.  I had a big garden day planned.  Lots of weeds popping up out there, plants getting so big they need some support, old plants needing to be pulled and something else planted in the space, etc.  This weather encourages the biting insects (a pox on them!) to be bad early and late in the day so that doesn't encourage me to get out there and work in the garden before the heat of the day arrives full force.  But, hey, it's summer time!

I need to get some pictures of the menagerie in the poultry yard.  The Muscovy ducks have been quite successful in hatching out broods of ducklings, and we have wind-up toys of all sizes scooting around.  The mature birds (ducks, geese and chickens) seem to fluctuate between ignoring the wee ones or wondering what all these little creatures bumping into them and zipping through their legs are.  Happily, it's a peaceable kingdom and everyone has free range (within the fenced in poultry pasture) and their own secure, locked-down "house" to go into each night. 

I'll try to get pictures for the next update.  Hope you all have a great Friday and weekend which is coming up fast!

12 comments:

Rain said...

I almost wished you a great week, but you're right it is Friday, yeesh...time doesn't seem to matter! :) I like that. :)

Can you take a picture of what you did with the cauliflower leaves please? I'm very visual and can't picture it at all!

I love how you describe your flock! The wind up toys lol...I want to see photos of them too!!! :)

Honestly, I'm drinking water by the barrel and so is Alex, but when it's terribly humid out, we both get headaches too. Our bodies need to get used to the sudden cold rainy weather to the hot and humid weather!

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

You and I are sharing weather and a headache today. I woke up with one and its still lingering. I am finding as I get *ahem* older my body is one giant barometer...and it lets me know when the clouds are coming.

Those wind up toys sound delightful. We have a pair of nesting ducks around the neighborhood that live under a massive spruce tree in a box that someone built for them. I heard them quacking this morning. What a delightful sound!

One day, when I hopefully get my land, I would love some ducks. And chickens. And a whole bunch of other animals that I will need to rescue :)

Keep cool and stay hydrated!

Mama Pea said...

Rain - Yes, I'll take a picture of the "tied up" cauliflower bed for you. Maybe others would like to see it also. I could include it in a little post tomorrow.

Do you think my headache could really be caused by the oppressive humid weather? I don't usually get them, but it's still hanging on this morning.

We did our daily quota of wood splitting this morning and the bugs weren't bad despite the heavy, grayness. But I just had to come in from the garden because the mosquitoes were picking me up and slamming me back down on the ground. (And getting in a nasty bite somewhere there, too.) They bother me so much and I can't see well enough with a head net or bug shirt on to work outside. Guess I'll have to find something to do inside. ;o)

Mama Pea said...

MrsDM - Geesh, what is it with these headaches? Mine seems to be most bothersome in my right eye although my whole forehead hurts. (Complain, complain! Get over it!)

Hoping you get your land soon! It's a lot of work but so rewarding.

Susan said...

OMG, I can so relate! At the first sign of humidity, everything drops - I will leave that visual to your imagination - and I am struggling to find energy. And the biting insects! Nothing like adding insult to injury! I keep up my mantra (tomatoes like humid) to try and make myself feel better. It seldom works. Hope your headache is gone!

Rain said...

We definitely are prone to headaches in heavy humidity so my money's on that if you're well hydrated. Some days if I don't wear a head net, I will look more like a half eaten lollipop...I can't stand them but the bugs try very hard to enter my eye balls lol...

I'm actually wearing a head net these days in the woods because of all the spider webs I keep walking through!

Mama Pea said...

Rain - Call me a wimp (I am) but I've given up on being in the garden today as it's still terrible, awful, overcast, and buggy out there. The bugs love me and will bite me standing right next to six other people who aren't bothered a bit. It's a curse, I tell ya, a curse!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - I've tried thinking about my pumpkins and eggplants and cucumbers and peppers and, yes, tomatoes knowing they are probably loving this weather. (Dumb plants.)

Headache is still with me at 2:30 p.m. Very unusual for me so now, of course, I'm thinking I have some awful brain fungus eating any remaining cells I have left. Darn.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

It's Saturday for us already. Rain. We have rain. Right after a week of 90's and high humidity. I hope you get rid of the headache.

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

I didn't finish typing and the computer transmitted. Darn thing!!!!

The weather has been terrible causing headaches to last for several days. We've been getting up at 4 AM to do chores outside, and return back in when the sun gets hot (around 930-1000 AM). The best remedy, drink plenty of liquids and get lost in your craft room. That will relieve your headache, and put a smile on your face.

Hugs,
Sandy

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - This morning (Tuesday) is the first morning I've woken up WITHOUT the headache! Yayyyyyy!

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Thanks for the good advice . . . which you always have!

When it's as hot as you have it in your locale, you must change your schedule . . . or perish! Hope things cool down for you soon.