Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Raindrops on Roses

It's raining in Seattle. Some of you might say, "So, what's new?", but honestly, it really doesn't rain like this here in August. Last week we had a Seattle heat wave, which means it was mid-80s or higher for five days, over 90 for three days. After our family visitors left Tuesday, we opted out of yard work due to the heat and steam cleaned the carpets instead. It was good drying out weather.
This week were going to devote to gardening, getting to tasks we had been putting off. Monday we dodged showers. Tuesday we got rained on once but stuck it out and got a lot done. The result was a good portion of the yard is weeded, snipped and clipped and groomed for late summer. The old raspberry canes have been cut, ground and composted and the new canes tied up. The compost bins are piled high with the "debris" from my slashing through the perennials.
We were both tired and stiff and sore, and I am coping with a swollen, itchy hand and wrist from a bee sting. I inadvertently found a yellow jacket's nest in the ground while pulling aphid laden nasturtiums. Bugs and beasties have their own ideas about whose garden it is. For example, the squirrels think the zucchini are for them to chew on. The moles love our green lawn with its supply of juicy worms. Why is it that when a trap is placed in a mole hill, the mole pops up somewhere else, evading our attempts at its destruction? Survival of the fittest, I guess.
In the last 24 hours we have had nearly in inch of rain. I got out for a while this morning during a break in the precipitation to take a few photos of the H2O jewels adorning the flora.

So for now we'll be entertaining ourselves indoors, while the outdoors refreshes. There's always the Olympics, where apparently it's raining, too!

9 comments:

  1. Holey Moley! This is your garden, Linda? It is absolutely amazingly gorgeous! Wow! That must take a lot of work. I'm glad you don't have to worry about watering it. :-) Everything looks so green and fresh. I can almost smell that rain.

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  2. Oh Linda, your yard is gorgeous! I love love the lily, I have a few up now too. I can smell yours from here! The moles are taking over here too, Puddy isn't a moler, boy a good moler is worth their weight in gold, huh?

    My daughter thought heat wave was funny, living in the Austin area now, it is over 100 everyday, but I doubt it is as humid, I know it was killing me, especially at home..come 3 PM the heat hit and the house was baking until way into the night.

    Todays rain was fabulous, a real rain!! Not just drizzle. It rained last night too, I was in Bellevue.
    My squash should like the rain, but so far my squash is just blossoms. :)

    Anyway, beautiful yard and flowers, such a pleasure to see, it is truly beautiful here and perfect for flowers. I'm from PA and it was like this here sort of, lived in the middle of the Us for awhile, and missed flowers, and such moist beauty. Ciao...

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  3. Linda. Your yard and garden are so beautiful and I love the photos with the raindrops. I should have gotten a rain coat for my camera with all the rain we have had...

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  4. You yard is beautiful and I love the photos of the rain drops on everything. You both must work very hard to keep you place looking so beautiful.

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  5. I'm not sure which commandment says, "Thou shalt not covet", but I'm VERY sure I just broke it!

    Hydrangeas, blue hydrangeas...with raindrops on them. It's heavenly.

    You are to be commended! Results like those don't come without a lot of labor... and an occasional bee sting or bug bite. I'm so sorry about that!

    But, I have to agree with everyone else. Your yard is truly a beautiful place to sit and soak up a little peace. And I'm sure it's even lovlier when you're really there walking barefoot on the lawn.

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  6. Rain, it is. Being a true Seattleite I find the rain refreshing. Although--enough is enough. How fickle I am. You have a beautiful yard and garden.
    I did a rainy day post too. MB

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  7. Lovely garden. I like photogaphing my plants with rain on them too.

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  8. What a beautiful garden the flowers are amazing.

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  9. Wow..you have a little piece of heaven right here on earth! Thank you for sharing the lovely photos.

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