happy green tea

too hot and I'm miserable. We've had an awful (some say typical) summer, full of rain and wind and cool temperatures and I've been mostly okay with that. But today it's like Phoenix, it's like Coober Pedy, it's like, oh, the Congo! Africa hot, I'm telling you! Being a native Washingtonian, I'm not used to this kind of heat. Okay, I've been reminded that it's only been one day--today--but still! HOT. And muggy. It's like being in Seattle with the heat and the humidity and the clouds! It just makes me cranky. To top it off, the airport has the planes flying on a different runway and they go right over the house. I can take dogs barking, I can take mowers, loud neighbors, chainsaws, hammering, but planes particularly cargo planes, I can't take. See, right over the house!

The plants love the heat. They've been trying to survive in less than optimal conditions since late May and look rather like desert scrub, more than bushy, beautiful, bountiful even, annuals. They sit in the planters, drenched in water and huddle together for protection. Well, maybe not, but they are just not growing like they should and their growing season is nearly over. On the positive side, I haven't had to water much this year! Usually by August I'm ready to give up and let the plants die a slightly early death just so that I don't have to pull out the water pitchers one more time. Cruel , oh aye, but such a relief! Here is one of the planters:

They've looked this way since May. The lobelias are exactly the same size as when I planted them and the petunias, while they've flowered, are also the exact same size. A nice surprise and the only plant that seems to have grown is the little white thing in the foreground at the end of the planter--where did it come from? My two candle holders have been filled with water all summer, which is fine because God knows we haven't been able to put candles in them and have dinner on the deck or anything! The petunias in the planters on the front of the house have been overwatered just like everything else. They are wet and tired. They are mildewing and dying. Funny thing: I actually had to water them tonight, as they were dying from lack of water! Hahahaha! Oy. There's already been snow in the mountains!