This summer has been humid and wet– mold everywhere on the roses, on the tree trunks, on the sides of terra-cotta pots, on stones along the paths.
Perennial plants, such as cat mint, are so waterlogged that they’ve wilted, unable to spread their roots, trapped in clay soil that has formed its own kind of water-filled hole around them.
And then we have some potted annuals that are going out of their way to show-off their colors. Like these petunias, for instance. That have gotten leggy and dramatic, attempting to cover the entire deck.
On a weird note, unlike previous years in which squirrels took over our property, this year has brought us rabbits, snakes and one red fox. The rabbits seem intent on eating all the weeds [yeah!], while the snakes lurk under bushes, near the front door.
Not happy about that. Neither one of us is.
The red fox seems to be joyful as he jogs across our property. Don’t know much about him, being a newcomer to the suburb ‘ya know, but from the skip in his step I can guess that this summer is his kind of weather.
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On an encouraging note, I’m happy to report that two of my three my milkweed “experiments” are doing well. The plants that I started from seed didn’t take, but the white milkweed, a sturdy plant that I purchased at the garden center, is growing 30″ tall in the back yard near the woods.
No flowers yet, but looking good.
The yellow milkweed, purchased at the same garden center, looked half-dead when I bought it. Withered brown-tinged leaves. Not so big. But now, planted in full sunshine near the garage, it’s about a foot high and has pretty yellow flowers on it.
Just goes to show, don’t judge a potted plant by its leaves. 😉
I’m not certain but I think that we are beginning to get monarch butterflies here. Zen-Den saw one when he was mowing out back– and I snapped this photo of a butterfly [moth?] when I was out front.
Usually by mid-summer I’ve glorious flowers, waiting in the sunshine to be photographed. But this year I have Noah on speed dial while my camera naps the days away.
Too soggy for photos of posies.
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
It’s terrible, isn’t it, all this rain and sog? I’ve given up completely on my herbs ever doing anything. My basil hasn’t grown a centimeter; it simply sits there, looking yellowy and pathetic.
Today I woke up to mist and fog and more UGH. How I wish we could somehow send all of this precip to California and the Northwest, who need it so!
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nance, it’s beginning to get on my nerves. So much mold & fog. I always tell myself that I can survive winter because summer will be glorious. But this year I lied to myself & that makes me even less happy. *humph*
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And I’m singing Winnie the Pooh songs…. Oh the rain rain rain came down down down… We needed rain a while back. We have more than enough now. On the plus side, my herbs are actually doing much better. They must’ve really been starved inside.
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Zazzy, I need to follow your lead a sing a few happy little songs. At least it’d give me something to do! Our herbs aren’t doing well & the tomatoes aren’t getting enough sunshine to turn red. And don’t get me started about the poor geraniums…
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Very weird weather here in the east too. Tornadoes, lots of rain, intermittent hot and steamy and cold and damp. Some plants are doing great. Others are not happy about sitting in soggy soil. Tomatoes are a little slow.
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Kate, tornados, huh? That’s odd. And not all that comforting, I do believe. Too much rain here. I’m sick of soggy.
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I’m so jealous of your new vulpine neighbor! You must try and get a picture of him!
Does the rain have it unseasonably cool where you are as well? It is seriously 65 degrees outside right now, and I have my jacket on… the calendar says July 9th.
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evilsquirrel13, I want to get a photo of this fox. He’s cute and would look lovely in a formal photo! Wish me luck.
And yes it’s cold here, too. Today at least. Tomorrow? Who knows.
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We have the opposite problem here—-no rain and extreme heat. All I do is water to try to keep things alive. We had a little deer in our yard the other morning, unusual in this neighborhood.
When our kids were young, we’d always go get milkweed leaves and look on the back for Monarch butterfly eggs. We then got a fish bowl, a stick, and kept putting fresh milkweed leaves in the bowl (covered with plastic that had holes poked in it). Pretty soon, the egg would hatch into a caterpillar that grew and grew. It was so fun watching it turn into a chrysilis, then opening into a beautiful Monarch. One of the many houses we’ve lived in had a screened in porch and we hatched many Monarchs that year. Great memories!
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Beth, I really don’t know about this weather… at all… anywhere. Botheration.
Love your Monarch project. I’ve never done anything like that, but should I see the opportunity with these plants I’ll try it. We have the screened-in porch and I’m sure that I can afford to buy a fish bowl! Sounds like fun + a cool blog post. 😉
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Yes, definitely try this if you can. Check the underneath sides of the milkweed leaves to find the eggs. It would be a cool blog post!
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Will do. Thanks for mentioning it.
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We are in a horrible drought with temps in the high 80s and low 90s, with only 1/6 of us with central air conditioning. Not the summer I envisioned although the sunny days are beautiful. I think I will take this over the incessant rain. We get enough of that at times in Washington, although not this past year at all. At least that yellow flower is very cheery! That will have to be your “sunshine.”
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Margaret, I like your idea that the yellow flower is my sunshine. I’ve lived through droughts and they are defeating. All you can do is watch as the flora dies off. Plus with no AC, I think that I’d have no energy at all. Heat takes it out of me fast.
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I just went from a drought post to a wet post. We’re just hot hot hot (which is not unusual for us this time of year.)
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Andra, this is the most peculiar wet summer that I can remember. It’s defeating and boring. And I’m feeling like I have cabin fever, stuck inside all the time. Where is the sun?
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