Actually, she did let me have a brief, early tomato season. Earlier in the season I had bragged on two varieties that usually do not let me down in the summer……Well, Mother nature had the last and heartiest of laughs. Prior to the weather becoming brutal, The Brandywine and Cherokee purple were early season winners, the Celebrity began to fade as June heat and drought pressed down. The Juliet and Sugary I had high hopes for but………… I should have suspected Mother Nature had other plans for our summer tomato consumption!

I also tried direct planting cucumber seeds, for which I have always been overwhelmed with fruit. This twisted and brutal summer failed to allow cucumber seeds to sprout. I went to plan C, and planted cucumber seeds in pots and in the shade on the patio, thinking I may have got lucky……..Ha, ha, ha she said!!! I did manage to get several transplanted to the garden and they appeared to thrive and climb the wire supports but then, the evil laugh kicked in…..Maybe a handful of female flowers began to develop fruit only to have them shrivel up and become compost material……Brown material and not green material. I tried to fight on but ran into questions from the CFO wondering if the high water usage would be offset by fruit and veggies….I hung my head and said no. As a gardener it hurts to see plants wilt and die….Wilted and dying plants are the norm this summer!!!!! Everywhere you look.

I bought my friend John a nice weather station a few years ago as a combination December Birthday and Christmas present. I am posting his monthly weather reports for June, July and August through the 30th. It is a grim reminder of how fickle she can be,,,,,,,you know who I am referring to!

Now to add to my pity party, my bees had a good spring and early summer season. I finished harvesting in mid July and I was calling Mother Nature a few unkind words as I was suited up and soaking wet. My challenge was and always is, staying hydrated. For 2023 we were blessed with around 500 pounds of sweet honey. So, a bit of, I won’t say revenge, but maybe some toleration of “HER”!

Fingers crossed for some rain, reduced water and electrical bills and a tempering of the heat. I do want to get something in the ground for the fall. Sugar snap peas, beets, carrots at a minimum. My Meyer Lemon tree is still holding onto fruit, but that could change.

TTFN

Bishop