Summer Catch Up

Hi, all!! Even though it has been a record-setting six weeks since I have blogged, I don't really have anything earth-shattering to share today. I would love to say that I have repainted my entire house, or remade every slipcover, or decorated every table top within an inch of its life. But no, it has been a summer of school projects, and of course the also record-setting heat. It's just staggering, really, and sort of has us all in some kind of slow motion existence. We carefully weigh which appliance will be used each day, as we have been asked to use as little power as possible to avoid rolling blackouts. I have lost count of the number of days we have broken record highs (the highest being 110), and record high lows, and how many days in a row over 100 -- I think maybe 39 or so? Let me just say that it was 89 degrees at 6:30 this morning and leave it at that. 

I dare not go a single day without watering first thing, and again late in the afternoon. It's been a heartbreaking amount of time since we've had rain -- maybe mid June? But thankfully, early in July, we found a free source for this --

 

 

And have been the lucky recipients of several truck beds full of mulch! A local tree-trimming service keeps a huge pile of it at their site, free for the taking. While we did have to scoop and haul it ourselves, did I mention that it was free?! It has helped tremendously to retain water in our poor, parched planting beds. It's a great workout too, and who wouldn't want to haul mulch when it's 105 outside, LOL.

 

 

We have been battling this low-light area under our huge live oak tree for years, and this past year the tree started sending up new shoots from its shallow root system. Lovely, no? We hacked them down, and laid a layer of landscape fabric. Brilliant stuff, I say. While we had previously thought we might cover this area with river rock, the free-ness of the mulch convinced us that that would do. 

If you're in the Dallas area, head over to Lindsey Tree Service on Northwest Highway and load up some free mulch for yourself. We borrowed a truck to get ours, but Maurie saw one guy filling up his trunk, which he had lined with a tarp. 

Although we are dreaming of sweater weather, we're doing our best to enjoy the last of summer, before a hectic and crazy senior year. What have y'all done this summer? I sure do miss you guys, and look forward to spending some quality time here soon!

xoxo, Andrea

 

Comments

[Stacey]

Hi Andrea! We were in Dallas last week visiting in-laws. It is hot there but it's actually hotter here in OKC. Believe it or not. We are in drought too but nearly as severly as the state of Texas is. Our heat finally broke yesterday...hopefully yours will soon.

The freeness of that mulch would have convinced me too!

[Ricki Jill Treleaven]

I am not ready for summer to be over. We are packing our oldest daughter's stuff to move her into her dorm for the first time on Saturday. I am so sad! Enjoy the hectic senior year!!!

[Manuela@A Cultivated Nest]

Hi Andrea,

It's has been unbearably hot summer. I'm just hoping that we have an early fall.

Thank you for stopping by. Yes I'm glad Maxie's illness wasn't long a drawn out either for his sake. But it was such a shock because he was feeling so much better and playing and then a few days later he was gone. But apparently that's not unusual.

hugs,

manuela