Dog Days of Summer

It has been very hot and humid for the last few days. We finally received some much needed rain last evening, for that I am very thankful. There were just spotty showers in the area and we were the blessed recipients.

I was glad for the rain, but I was in the midst of a neighborhood project, and really wanted to finish it last night. I looked at the radar and it didn't look like much rain in the area. We had just started planting when the rain started back up. I thought it wouldn't last too long so we continued in spite of the downpour. My husband and I were completely soaked and our work came to a screeching halt when it began lightening.

I finished the project this morning in spite of the heat and humidity. I didn't think I would ever cool down when I came back inside. It has been a long time since I've overheated like that. I was just bound and determined to finish it today.

We did a complete overhaul of our neighborhood median. The three trees that were in the median had been dead for a while. Our entrance has lacked color and was never landscaped particularly well. It has been a fun project and so far the neighbors seem to be very pleased with the new look. Many have stopped on their way in or out of the neighborhood to express their gratitude, one neighbor even brought me a bottle of water on her way out today. It has taken a lot of my time and energy to do this project but it has been very rewarding.

Now I have just a few more things to do to the sides of the entrance and we will have more color and nicer look for a fraction of the cost to our homeowners. We had a bid for all three sections and the total was $5637.49. The median bid alone was $1800 and that didn't include the removal or replacement of the dead trees.

I've spent about $1000 on plants and soil amendments. I love buying plants and it was so much fun to shop the different nurseries in the area and spend someone else's money!

Once it's mulched I'll have to take some pictures of the project. I wish I had thought to get before and after shots.

Enough about the neighborhood project. Here at Robin's Nesting Place only the hardiest of plants are looking good. It has been so dry and hot that many of my plants are looking a little ragged. I have a lot of sunflower's blooming and the grasses look so pretty with their plumes.


We are so very thankful that New Orleans was spared the worst from Gustav. My husband's brother lives there and we feared that he might be displaced again. He lived with us for several months after Katrina. He has often talked about the stress of living around the aftermath of Katrina. It has taken so long to rebuild and a lot of people are just worn out and depressed. They sure don't need more to cope with. We hope he finds everything alright when he returns home.