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catbird
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« on: June 09, 2008, 09:20:51 AM » |
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The season has now shifted for most everyone, so I thought I'd start a new thread for pictures and discussion of summer. (Thanks to kittylyda for the title.)
My tomato plants have been in the ground only two weeks and already have a few blossoms! (Either from my good compost or all the rain?) Although right now it looks as though I should be growing rice in my garden. Fortunately my squash and cucumber seeds were up before the torrents started, or they would have washed away.
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catwoods
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« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2008, 01:01:48 PM » |
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It's green in every way in any direction I look. Glittering greens in the sunlight, dark greens in the shade. It's been this way for some time, without the evening cicada buzzes, but those have now started. I try to have the AC off during twilight so I can hear these, no matter how hot the day. Fireflies are increasing, and moths are back in regular numbers this year, although I didn't see the spring Luna Moths at all.
Mimosa and honeysuckle are faintly scenting the air.
It hasn't rained for awhile but the last rain did wash a tree frog onto our glass-front door. I got a really good look at him and may write more later on my quest to identify his species. We now need a rain as the road has turned dusty . The heavy sunlight does away with moisture very quickly.
Green/brown lizards, blue-tailed lizards are jumping around. Damsel flies (smaller than dragonflies) are cruising the undergrowth.
When announcing high temperatures, one of the local weatherpersons used to say, "You can either change your attitude or change your latitude".
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catbird
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« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2008, 01:16:31 PM » |
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You like the sound of those cicadas, catwoods?   Maybe yours are quieter than the ones here, but I do everything I can do drown out their annoying buzz-saw sound. The sound hurts my ears and sets my teeth on edge. The cicadas start here in July, and the hotter the weather, the louder they are. Now, the mimosa and honeysuckle sound wonderful. Do you have jasmine, too? I love jasmine. |
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catwoods
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« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2008, 01:26:27 PM » |
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I'm not sure about the jasmine, I don't know as much about plants as I should, living on their turf.... I do like the cicadas  . I guess I think of them as an amplified purr with a raspy quality. I would agree, though, that the feline purr is a natural sound superior to all others! Anyway the cicadas do get louder as the summer goes on and they are thunderous in August. We have katydids too. They haven't started yet. They sing most of the night and sometimes you can't hold a conversation outside, you can't hear each other over the noise. I like 'em though.... |
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Katie
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« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2008, 04:36:31 PM » |
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The cicadas have been singing here in the Southwest desert too. Our bats are back from Mexico and we saw a frog last night. 104 tomorrow (but it's a dry heat!) the humidity is inching up and the nights are getting warmer. It is definitely the dog days of summer. Up at 5AM to walk by 5:30 before the oven cranks! The cacti are blooming, the desert trees just stopped and already the cat claw, mesquite and palo verde have put out pods with big beans in them for the wildlife. Reddie(our dog) loves the roasted, crunchy nuts. Won't be long and the real dog days of summer will be here when our monsoon starts. The downside; foxtail! we had a wet winter and cool spring - I have never, ever seen so much foxtail.
I really do miss the green grass and summer flowers of the north; the smell of wet grass and coolness of the northwest wind after a rainstorm.
Katie
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trudy1
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« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2008, 04:39:46 PM » |
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I like hearing the cicadis too. I really enjoy it.
We have honeysuckle growing everywhere here. I love the smell. and i have a jasmine , but i bought it last year.
We are having a drought so it's hot and dry here. the temps for the last 3 days have been well over 100%. It's very early for this kind of weather. My grass is turning brown, and everythings wilting.
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Poco
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« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2008, 10:33:18 PM » |
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Wonderful, vivid writing in this thread, everyone. It transports me to other places. I lived in Tucson for a couple of years, so Katie brought that back. I miss it, though do remember having to walk very early in the summer.
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catwoods
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« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2008, 10:56:29 PM » |
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I looked up jasmine and I don't think we have any. Couldn't tell for sure if it grows wild, and we don't do much gardening. But it sounds like such a wonderful plant, now I want some!
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karvskitties
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« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2008, 11:32:18 PM » |
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Okay, I'm jealous.
Summer, what friggin summer (its really cold here - they just had on the news that regardless of price, folks are having to refill the heating oil - news says ther orders are akin to November).
Okay, ladies - back to your discussion.
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GoingNUTZoverthis
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« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2008, 05:37:07 AM » |
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Okay you guys are all talking about nature, my favorite thing about summer is the food. All the grilling out, all the salad type dishes, mac, potato, pasta, etc , the summer beverages  , all the great fruits, lopes, strawberries. watermelon, etc..........and lets not forget the ice cream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I jut managed to eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's in 2 days Yikes this new flavor (for me anyway) Banana Split YUM!!!!!!!!!!!! Never by ice cream esp B&J too expensive but it was on sale 2 pints for 6 bucks so slurged and got a pint for me and a pint of boring heath bar crunch for Jim. Cannot do that again could not leave it alone was up at 4 AM feeding the cats with my face in the pint of ice cream YIKES. Any way Summer to me is all about the food. LOL I usually am a good 10 lbs heavier by Spet every year, and it take me all winter to get it back off to do it all over again |
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catwoods
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« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2008, 12:33:16 PM » |
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I too get a sense of what things are like in other areas, places I don't know too well, because of these season threads. And Lori, you make a good point about the food! |
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trudy1
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« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2008, 12:59:23 PM » |
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O got My jasmine plants at Lowes. And My butterfly [edited], which is doing great.
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catwoods
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« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2008, 01:07:42 PM » |
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Thanks, Trudy, we have a Lowe's and I bet they have it here. We don't have much time for planting right now, I was just sort of 'wishing out loud" but maybe one day....
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Katie
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« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2008, 04:12:35 PM » |
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Well today the "bad side" of summer in the desert showed up.. scorpions! Yuck!!
GoingNuts: I hate to admit it but I bought BJ's on sale today too! Summer is tough on the waistline. I will have to try the Banana Splitz.
I love this spring and summer thread too. Brings back good memories.
karvskitties: I will trade you a day of temps of 110 for a day of "cool fresh air"!
Katie
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Poco
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« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2008, 12:12:25 AM » |
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I'm afraid the cool weather got my appetite going again. Hope it stops now that the sun is back out! I remember scorpions from when I lived in Tucson. They were scary little things. Here are some flowers - a wallflower and a Knockout rose. (Mildew resistant for our climate.) |
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