Thirsty Plants - August 2008

Word of the Day

Kipple - Any collection of useless objects. Over time, kipple will reproduce itself if not attended to.

It's a Tuesday and I'm back to normal. Laundry Day. I picked and cleaned raspberries yesterday and then I walked up my driveway with Gypsy to pick the few blackberries that grow on either side of my 1/2 mile driveway. There have been no more than a handful at this point, but I think Sis and I would be wise to hike out on the logging road tomorrow or the next day to check things out. There are several varieties of blackberries that grow along the logging road. The biggest ones are probably ripe. I know that I've been picking those already and some are almost done.

It's getting really warm and sticky...normal for August. The thermometer on my deck read more than 100°F yesterday afternoon. HTP says I should move the sensor since it's on the south side of the house but we already have a thermometer on the north side of the house. It's good to know what the temperature is out on the deck. There's no way that I was going to sit outside with temperatures reading 100+°F. The other thermometer read 85°F but, as I mentioned earlier, it is on the north side of the house and it's in the shade. We'll have to close up and pull shades early today to keep things cooler inside so we don't have to make the AC work so hard. It's supposed to be even warmer today than yesterday.

I watered my plants on the deck this morning. 100°F temperatures make for some really thirsty plants. My tomatoes are ripening. On a side note, I plan to plant First Lady tomatoes next year out in the Earthboxes. They're doing really well, despite the blight that hit them, I can't believe how many tomatoes are coming on just the two plants I have out there. The Brandywine tomatoes aren't producing many tomatoes at all...in comparison. I read about a new variety of tomatoes called Legend that are supposed to be very resistant to blight...early and late types of blight. I'll have to see if I can find out where I can buy this variety and try it in my kennel garden next spring. If I can't...I don't plan to plant any tomatoes out there unless I can find a similar tomato plant that promises the same as the Legend. I figure since Legend was developed in Oregon where people walk around with webbed feet due to the amount of rain and drizzle and damp, this tomato may work out here where we've been experiencing similar weather conditions.

I really should do some weeding in the flower gardens...more weeding...but it's hard to motivate myself to do outdoor work when it's so hot and humid. Maybe tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

Sixth Law of Applied Terror

At eh end of the semester you will recall having enrolled in a course at the beginning of the semester - and never attending.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It is certainly desirable to be well descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.

- Plutarch (46 AD - 120 AD), 'Morals,' 100 A.D.