Flowers, birds, bruins and surviving the heat and humididy....

 September 7, 2023

A sauna is supposed to be good for a person...we have been living in one for the past few days. This morning was still very humid, very early, as I got a few chores done before the sun cracked the tree line. You just go ahead and "'git 'er done" despite the sweat running down your face and dripping off. Today, the weather is supposed to moderate. A shame, (joking) as we were just getting used to it....

My sunflowers have jumped right along. I have never grown this Teddy Bear variety before, but looked carefully at the seed choices this spring, as I didn't want monsters.They are about chest high.

While admiring my row yesterday, a steady cheeping noise drew my attention...and finally I spotted the source....a tiny hummingbird baby. It had positioned itself among the sunflowers and the gladiolas. This morning, I was relieved to see the mother bird feeding the youngster over on the cucumber fence. I am concerned over the little guy, as it is late in the season and the Hummers will be heading south very soon. I am afraid it won't be big enough to make the journey safely.

The second planting of carrots came out of the ground this morning. There is a bit of sunburn on some of the tops, and the soil they were in was very dry, but not too bad looking.

They are in the shade in the woodshed, and I'll get them squirrelled away later today. 

The root cellar has it's entrance way and it's double doors installed now. We just have to do some more work on the burying aspect, and getting the top smoothed and seeded. It is just too brutally hot right now and the soil is dust dry and slides.

The tire planter is abloom with pretty asters, and my glads are making me very happy.

The old apple tree beside the driveway has been dropping apples steadily. Every other day or so I have a wagon load for the compost where I layer them with last year's leaves. They make beautiful compost.

Sadly, the apples from this tree bruise rather easily and badly, and these warm temperatures we have been experiencing seems to be hastening the process, so there is a lot of knife work involved in prepping the fruit for preserving.
I have made a batch of apple butter from them, and dehydrated a load of slices, but am waiting on the apples on our other favourite tree to ripen. I did all my appleing from the driveway tree last fall, and I really want to use the ones from our other favourite tree. It just happens to be the favourite of Mr. Bruin and Foxy as well! (Yes, we have seen him eating apples under the trees.)

So far, the bears have not done any damage....fingers crossed!

A very cool recent surprise for me, was the discovery of this little native orchid blooming on the shady side of a big rock beside the pond, right beside my path to the garden shed. We think it may be an Alaska orchid....but are by no means sure. It has two tiny pointed, ovate basal leaves right at ground level, and is growing up out of a patch of moss.

Such a very dainty little plant. 

Finally, we did take a morning off and went swimming. So very refreshing!