My Disappointing Summer of 2014: A Look At What Went Wrong

/ Ally Bean

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I am at heart a project manager.  I like to accomplish things.  I’m practical.  I’m determined.  I have vision.  I work well with people.  I like to research, plan and then bring to fruition that which I set out to do.

But the Summer of 2014 has thwarted me on every front.

As some of you who live around here know, this has been one of the wettest summers on record.  While California is drying up like an unloved, unwatered Philodendron in a terra-cotta pot sitting on the window sill, Ohio has been deluged with so much rain that outdoor pots of waterlogged geraniums and zinnias are holding up white flags of surrender.

All this rain is not right, I tell you.

We have done almost no gardening, no flea markets or antique shows, no cookouts or drinks on the deck with friends, no outdoor concerts, no long walks in the nature preserve or parks, no outside dinners at funky restaurants in cool parts of town, no redecorating projects that need bright clear natural light.

Pretty much one word sums up this past summer: NO!

Zen-Den, ever the optimist, reminds me that around here a wet summer leads to a glorious fall.  And that if I can hold onto my sanity for just a few more weeks, I’ll be okay.  So it is with that autumnal hope in mind that I continue on trying to ignore the lousy summer weather [like the current pouring rain + thunder] and find something else to do.

Besides complaining, that is.

31 thoughts on “My Disappointing Summer of 2014: A Look At What Went Wrong”

  2. so “no” is to become “on” as in onward into the fall. All are waiting!
    We often get “fall colors” from drought: yellow, brown, gone. It’s soggy here, too. ….more on the way this afternoon – dog running crazy outside until then. If we can just make it past Sept 20th maybe we’ll avoid a big storm (peak threat here is from now until then)…but meanwhile…soggy and dreary and tired of it

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    • Andra, I sure hope so. The weather has been nutty around here: an occasional gorgeous day– and then days of rain, haze, humidity. Difficult to find the joy in summer with weather like this.

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  5. Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year. I hope you are blessed with bright blue skys and colorful leaves. You certainly deserve it! I have to say that we have more sunny days than not and could actually use some rain. I’m getting tired of keeping the plants alive with city water. They need some natural moisture!

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    • Beth, normally I’m watering our pots of flowers and herbs every other day during the summer, but not this year. Let’s hope that Z-D is right and that gorgeousness is right around the corner!

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  6. “California is drying up like an unloved, unwatered Philodendron in a terra-cotta pot sitting on the window sill” The absolute best way to describe California right now. Please send some of that water our way. We need it before everything starts to look like a raisin.

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    • Jessica, I’d gladly push some rain over that way if I could. I don’t know that we’ve ever done as little as we have this summer. Every stinking time we plan something, it rains or we have humidity + heat over 90. I’m tired of soggy, I tell ‘ya.

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  7. We have had a lot of rain in Ohio this summer. On the bright side, there are no brown spots in my yard. On the down side, my hair has not remained straight after straightening it for more than a few hours at a time…

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  8. We are getting rain now, but have had a glorious summer. (not that you want to hear that) The weather has been extreme in several states. After I was in Alaska in July, they had a record breaking month of August rain and dreary skies. I guess that one must always have a back up plan. If the summer is super hot, extremely rainy or the winter is snowy or mild, what will our different activities be that will suit that? Because ya know, we don’t have any control over the weather. 😉 And carpe diem of course.

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  9. I enjoyed the mid-July to mid-August break we got from the rain… then it started up again. My grass is about up to my knees in the backyard. I tried cutting it yesterday, but it was so high and wet that it was futile. And yet another all night soaking rain last night… if we can’t have drier weather, I’ll take the cold to kill my grass please!

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    • evilsquirrel13, good point. Wet + cold would at least get us out of mowing. But wet + hot has turned our yard into a midwestern jungle and me into an unhappy [lethargic] camper.

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  10. It HAS been a lost summer. We’ve not had a ton of rain in NEO, but the humidity has been tropical. My herb garden is out of control, and it’s impossible to dry any herbs naturally due to said high humidity. Our tomatoes didn’t get the high, dry heat to set really flavourful fruit, so they’re not too great.

    Not many patio/deck days for wine, you’re so right! What a loss! I’m SO OVER this summer. Bring on the crispness of Autumn, please. I’ll gladly drink my Chards and Merlots and Cabs in jeans and a sweater on the porch or patio. Who do we contact to make this happen?

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    • nance, I’ve had the same herb difficulties that you have had. No way to dry them plus many are covered in mold because of the high humidity. While a bummer, I can take that sadness in stride.

      It’s the lack of sitting outside with friends and adult beverages that has me the most disappointed. Although like you, I can happily wear warmer clothes if that’s what it takes to enjoy our deck. Here’s to a wonderful fall!

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  11. My summer was a bit of a letdown, too. Ours was the summer of plans that mostly did not come to fruition. Rain cancelled a few plans, illness some others, and many more plans just never made it past the planning stage. I had the kids with me full time for 2nd half of their break, largely so that I could take them to swimming lessons that were in the middle of the day. I had grand plans of play dates and fun excursions for the afternoons after the lessons, seeing as I wasn’t getting any work done. Instead, for every week’s one successful plan or two, there were 4 or 5 failed or cancelled plans.

    On the bright side, there were some fun things, and the successful plans (while in the minority) were indeed successful, so I am trying to focus on those. And my husband and I both had some professional successes early in the summer, so I shouldn’t forget those in evaluating the quality of the season.

    Here’s hoping that we both have a wonderful fall. (The season, that is. Here’s hoping neither of us falls down.)

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    • alejna, usually we’re good at doing things during the summer. I hadn’t realized how little we did do until I was reviewing photos from last summer and noted that I had nothing like them for this summer.

      Our only real summer accomplishment was to get someone to paint the exterior of the house. It was a big deal & looks great, but took forever because of rain delays.

      At this point, I’m just biding my time waiting for cool, crisp autumn days to descend upon us and magically transform the landscape into bold colors. Me and my camera are ready to go.

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