Friday, June 12, 2020

Where Is Summer?

There were frost warnings out for last night up here in the north woods.  And also for tonight again.  Our low temp this morning on the thermometer showed 39°.  Well, no frost at least.

Needless to say, I've been covering and uncovering the some of the plants in the garden.  As for the warm weather loving seeds and plants, I haven't even dared to allow them outside residence yet.  What can one do?  It's just a month when June is cold, cold, cold.

We have had a bit of much needed rain, I think about an inch and a half total, so that's a good thing.  Apparently, the trees are loving this weather as I can't remember ever noticing them to be such a lush, beautiful green.  The coloring is just lovely.

How's our wood stacking going?  Good.  Nope, not all six cords of what was delivered is in the wood shed, but we're routinely working on it.  We put an hour or so each day on the project and some days it feels like we are really gaining on it.  On others we wonder if those pieces still on the ground outside the shed are somehow multiplying over night.  I am eternally grateful my better half has insisted on helping me with the job because if I were doing it myself . . . oh, I don't even want to think of it.  Methinks he's smart enough to know that by helping, I'm still able to get good food on the table and he has clean underwear in his drawer.

We've had tremendous winds the last two or so days.  Gusts almost reaching 50 mph.  It keeps any and all bugs from being bothersome, but we've come to realize that being outside most of the day in those winds tends to take the stuffings right out of a body.  We come in for our 4:30 p.m. second meal of the day, then go back out for a couple/few hours and then when finally being "done" for the day, we settle on the couch for some conversation, reading or handwork and find ourselves yawning and with eyes tearing to the extent that we're usually in bed shortly after nine.  I often find myself saying I simply must go to bed . . . and it's only 8:30 or 8:45.

First thing this morning (even before my latte --gads!), I mixed up and put a Rhubarb Upside Down Cake in the oven.  I thought that might warm up the house a titch.  (If you should be interested in the recipe for the cake, I posted it way back in 2009, and you can find it here.)

I also built a small fire in the kitchen wood stove to cozy things up this morn.  I know summer will actually arrive here one of these days and we'll be bemoaning it's so hot out we're uncomfortable.  Until then we'll continue to put a down vest on under our hooded sweatshirts and go back out into the cool (teeth-chattering) air.

 

14 comments:

Michelle said...

Our June has been unusually cool and damp – except for the short spells that feel like muggy summer (and we're not usually muggy here!), but not THAT cool! I just planted sweet potato slips into a big blanket of black plastic; hopefully they will get enough solar gain to stay toasty-happy.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

You sound similar to us right now - chilly and windy. We had big rain storms as well. Thankfully no frost warning, but cold all the same. However, prior to this cold spell it was HOT. We had a heat warning, I think 3 or 4 days ago. Summer can't quite make up its mind! I just made a rhubarb dessert from a local cookbook (you know the kind!) and it used pancake mix. It was pretty good, but most of it's gone now! -Jenn

Nancy In Boise said...

We've had yo-yo weather here too. 90s yesterday and today and this weekend is supposed to drop almost 30 degrees and more rain. Last weekend we had almost one and a quarter inch of rain! it really helps the weeds grow haha

tpals said...

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could trade some weather. I could give you 10 or 15 degrees of heat and it would be comfortable for me.

Debby said...

I live in Northern California (Shasta) and we've had a cooler than normal summer so far. We're usually around 105 and we haven't even hit 100 yet. I'm loving it.

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Good luck with the sweet potato slips. I've even given thought to trying to plant my squash, pumpkins, etc. in a sheet of black plastic but haven't succumbed to the idea. No telling if those will have time to mature here . . . that is if I ever do get them planted. Frost warning tonight again. Sigh.

Jenn - Yep, the weather patterns have been wonky all over the country it seems. I'm starting to feel uneasy about some of my veggies having time to mature because of getting this late start. Whatever will be will be. Although the two of us had a little help, the upside down rhubarb cake I baked this morning is gone. All done. No more left. I guess it was good.

Nancy - Yes, my weeds are very happy about the weather also. I can handle all of them except that darn quack grass we have!

tpals - Oh, that 10 or 15 degrees of heat would be so much appreciated here! Although I must admit my cauliflower and broccoli are looking great in this chilly weather. They are cool weather crops and have been proving it!

Debby - 100 and 105° usually? How do you stand it? How do you manage to keep growing things watered? Wow, we do all have our gardening challenges! I can imagine why you're loving your cooler than normal temps.

Granny Sue said...

Goodness, that's cold! It's about 55 here in the mornings this week, absolutely lovely. I have heard we're in for a hot, hot summer though, and not looking forward to that.

Sam I Am...... said...

It has seemed unseasonably cold here also for this time of year. We've had a couple hot days but not like usual which I for one am very grateful for!
It's much easier to dress warmer but there are only so many clothes to take off and the humidity is the killer! My tomatoes are very slow growing except for the cherry tomatoes which have flowers already. Not sure what's wrong with the other ones.
I can't even get frozen rhubarb as I would have to go inside the store to get it and I won't. I was able to get floor paint though as a grocery pickup. Lucky you with asparagus and rhubarb and probably strawberries too before long! Enjoy!

SmartAlex said...

47* here, and yes I'm covering my tomatoes at night. Just checked the garden and the sun is already there and its 60 degrees. Forecast high yesterday was 69 but we made 80 in the garden. Cool and breezy in other spots. Half an acre of gravel and pavers has its benefits!. The two counties east of us (away fro the lake) were forecast to be 38 overnight. What I really need is rain, but at least with mild daytime temps the garden won't be baking each day.

Mama Pea said...

Granny Sue - Yes, it is cold (39° again this morning) and we don't see much of a rise in the temps for the coming week. :o(

Sam I Am - Happy to say that our strawberry plants are FULL of blossoms and we even have small green berries already which is early. I've been really surprised at their progress because of the cold and not a lot of warm sunshine. I'll just be grateful for what looks as if it may be a good crop this year!

SmartAlex - Yep, we have to look at and be happy about the "good" that comes with the "bad" in regard to gardening! Very good point about the gravel and pavers in your garden. I'm sure that helps a lot. Yay for all the help we can get!

Tigger's Mum said...

New to this so going to go and consult a map on northern Minnesota. You are north of the equator aren't you? (Only joking.) You make it sound like it's still winter. Even cold grey gloomy UK (our usual home) is warmer than you describe by this time of year. On the other hand we don't get it really hot either, but I guess you have a continental climate (extremes) and we have a maritime one (mid-range uniformly grey - or beige).

Theresa williams said...
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Susan said...

Same here! The last three nights were in the 30s, almost unheard of here. But, then, there is no longer a normal. We will be in the upper 80s and humid most of this week. It's enough to give you whiplash. Mmmmmm. Rhubarb upside down cake. In addition to a toasty kitchen, I bet it smelled wonderful!

And yes, Papa Pea knows on which side his rhubarb upside down cake is buttered... xo

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Well, at least we aren't getting the extreme lows and highs as you seem to be. I think that might be even more detrimental to all growing things. I sure am getting tired of it being so cool (cold!) though. Even the sun, on day when it shines, doesn't seem to encourage any growth of the garden. Okay, I'm done grousing now. All is well, we're all healthy. Can't ask for much more than that these days!