Year End Deadline

I am in a dither getting our house and yard in order before we go to Michigan and Ohio for a 10-day birding trip. The weather here is between spring and summer. The mid- day temperatures are getting to low-mid 90s with promises of  30% precipitation that doesn’t happen. Everything is dry and crispy. I’m running the front yard sprinklers everyday, using 2 programs on the timer so I can easily turn one off when the rains finally start. We are supposed to be on twice a week watering, however I have a few new plants who need help getting started, especially my fairy hibiscus (Hibiscus poeppigii) I planted under the oak and tiny gaillardias (Gaillardia grandiflora ) over in the bright sun. Were I to be home, I’d just throw a bucket of water on them each morning.

We’ve started turning the AC during late afternoon and night. It’s still cool enough to open the house until about noon, but that’s about over. Until then, Gracie enjoys looking out the living room window, unfazed when the squirrels hang from the tree branches and chatter at her.

I have an additional deadline: getting this year’s blog book completed before we bird, because the company sent an email that May 15th is the last day to order before it goes out of business. WTF? How dare they? On the upside, I won’t dither around as I previously did.

To that end, my usual blather that I’m shocked how quickly the year has passed, I can’t believe we’ve been here 4 years and out of our Fort Lauderdale house for 5, etc. But it’s true. I am shocked. I am even more shocked at my recent pictures. Dang, I look like an old lady. However, an old lady with a lot more things she hopes to do in the coming years.


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