Tag Archives: humidity

Aug9

Awesome Artsy August

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Awesome Artsy August

Thus far August has had a few mild days with temperatures in the 70’s and low 80’s and low humidity following the rainstorms. Very nice. And then other days, shoo wee, while those rainstorms are building up, the heat index climbs above 100. These temperature variations bring back memories of family gatherings at my great-grandfather’s farm in Franklin County, Missouri in the heat with drenching humidity, as well as finding a few days of reprieve during our family vacations to the northern lakeside. The daisies, black-eyed Susans, and coneflowers are swaying with a breeze. The butterflies and bees find nectar during their busy activity while I read and eventually nap on a cot in the screened porch. We’ve had both types of summer days in just this first part of August here in Missouri.

“The month of August had turned into a griddle where the days just lay there and sizzled.” ~ Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees, 2001

“August creates as she slumbers, replete and satisfied.” ~ Joseph Wood Krutch, Twelve Seasons, 1949

“I love borders. August is the border between summer and autumn: it is the most beautiful month I know.” ~ Tove Jansson, The Summer Book, 1972

This summer has lent itself to great writing time when the heat is too much for outdoor activities. I have written a few poems and even a fairy tale. The book, The Artist’s Rule by Christine Valters Paintner, I am reading with a book club encourages different creative exercises like walking a labyrinth or putting together an artist’s family tree. This is where you write down the names of 4 or 5 people who have influenced you in the creative field and then connect their names with the 4 or 5 people who have influenced them, and so on. These can be a teacher, musician, artist, photographer, writer, craftsman, or culinary professional. This exercise demonstrates how we all are interconnected and are creative beings. Our God who made each of us is a creative god.

Dean and I will be getting away for a few days very soon. Due to gas prices and time, we are taking the shortest trip possible from our locale to see some sand, shells, lighthouses, and hopefully feel consistent cooler air. This will be the most northwestern section of Indiana and southwestern section of Michigan along Lake Michigan. We have not been in these parts of the United States, so we look forward to the new discoveries and change of pace. Meantime, this week I will prepare a “coastal” dinner of seared scallops and carrots glazed with a citrus sauce over jasmine rice.

Aug10

Summer Projects Heat Up

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Missouri’s summer heats up in August.  It started on the cooler side, but it is full-blown dripping hot now.  The humidity does it, zaps the energy out of me.  I am taking a couple of hours this afternoon in the air-conditioned cottage to reenergize myself.  This summer I have managed to get a walk in every day while at work.  I found a quiet, shady alley that provides some refuge from the madness in the middle of my day.  Then flowers and gardening are my evening and weekend therapy.  The blooms are flourishing.

This year Dean and I’s spare summer weekends are focused on repainting the window and door frames of our St. Charles cottage.  Of course with a house that is 80 years old, projects are many.  There is multiple layers of paint to sand down, so we get a smooth, clean coat of paint. We have found 3 layers with the front door frame and headboard.  A coat of primer will go on the frame and headboard this evening, with the final white paint another “free” weekend.  Then the front door is next.  “Nifty turquoise” is the color of choice.  Read The Turquoise Table by Kristin Schell to know why I picked this color.  Stay tuned for another post to follow with a picture of our finished project.

May28

Between Raindrops

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Raindrop Rain water, the necessity of plant and animal life hydrated the Missouri earth on several occasions this past 3-day weekend. Some rains were more like 15-minute storms, others were a steady soaking for an hour or so. “Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head” plays in my head, the beginning lyrics from an contemporary song written by Burt Bacharach in 1969 and played in the movie “Butch Cassidy And Sundance Kid”. It was the number one hit in 1970 with BJ Thomas singing it, and the song recently made Grammy Hall Of Fame status. I continued my gardening and farming chores in the rain, until the lightning brighten the cloudy sky and the thunder clapped with warning. Just 30 minutes ago it was blazing hot with the sunrays and humidity while planting my gourd seedlings. Before the lightning Dean managed to get another trellis tepee designed of repurposed metal poles, and placed in the ground for our gourds. We have luffa gourds on the outside, and bi-color pear gourds on the inside of one trellis tepees. On the other trellis teepee built last year, birdhouse gourds are on the outside with the hand dipper kind on the inside. Jude twine is weaved in between the poles for the runners to grab a hold of while the gourd plants grow. Monday afternoon’s storm came with much wind and heavy rain. Hopefully, the freshly planted gourd seedlings made it okay. We go back out to the Defiance farm on Thursday to observe and water the indoor plants. Fifteen miles from our residence, it is hard to say what it did at Boone Hollow Farm.
I repotted several fern planters into moss baskets while at home Monday afternoon. They now rest in the branches of our shade trees in our yard. Baby marigolds were planted to ward off insects. Now nestled inside a huge moss basket with the solar patio lanterns Dean has made near the backyard patio. More marigolds and zinnias await planting at the church rectory. Hail is forecasted with this evening’s storms, so we will continue to let these seedlings get stronger while in shelter on our front porch in their trays. Maybe this line of storms will move away by Thursday evening when time allows for more transplanted flowering plants in their “new home”. There is nothing like a refreshing rain.