baby it's hot outside!!!

When Chuck and I decided to move out of New York State 10 years ago, we chose North Carolina because Florida was just too hot.  Go ahead global warming, make a liar out of me, lol.

According to our thermometer, it's only 96 on our back deck.  But when you walk off the deck and into the sun, wow!  Now I know how the Thanksgiving turkeys feel.  Yesterday it was cooler in Florida then here.  It was only 11am when I took this picture, so by dinner time it should be well over 100 degrees on my deck.  My friend Karen lives in Arizona and tells me hers is a dry heat (??), but honey, HOT IS HOT! lol.  So we get up around 7am to get any work done outside.

Chuck found that termites were eating his work shop, so our wonderful neighbor brought over his Bobcat to help clear away the dirt that had rolled down the slope and rested against the front doors of the work shop.  Apparently the termites came with the dirt slide, so the dirt had to go.  Our son Brandon enjoyed seeing the bobcat at work.  I wish Owen had been over too, but Bill made him a nice pile of dirt to play in.

I should have had Hannah stand in front of this pile to show that it's a pretty good size pile.  Owen loves playing in the NC clay.  Him and Brandon get the toy construction vehicles, and just dig up anything they can find, and get out of the ground.  Gotta love boys. :~)

Now comes the hard part, digging out around the base of the shop, by hand.  My poor husband is doing this himself (he hates to ask for help).  I think he forgets he just turned 70!  But he was brought up on hard work, and I wouldn't have him any other way.

This is the electrical line to my art studio :~(  I have not been able to play or create for days, but it feels like FOREVER!  But my wonderful husband is going to splice me in so I don't have to wait till the work on his shop is done :~) 

Which leaves me with finding something else to do, like gardening??? In 100 degree weather??? not likely.  Yes, that is my vegetable garden under all that grass and weeds.  Why is it too hot for flowers to grow and bloom, but not too hot for weeds and grass?  We have 48 tomato plants, and 16 pepper plants, and cucumbers in this mess.

This is the other side of my messy vegetable garden.  I'm about halfway thru, but like I said, I can only work a few hours every morning (if I get up, hahaha).  Our tomato harvest has been totally awesome.  Big, plump, and juicy...I love tomatoes.  So far I've canned 8 quarts, gave away 2 bucketfuls, and I'm ready to can more today.

This last picture is my herb garden.  I have to pass it every time I walk into the house, and I say to myself, "self, you really need to weed and harvest your herbs".  Then I come into the house and turn up the air conditioning.  I won't even show you how much help my rose garden and butterfly garden need, I just need a break in this heat!  So if you're somewhere cool, be thankful.  If you're somewhere hot, be thankful anyway.  Because God is good, in the heat and the cold.  He loves you, and blesses us all.

Debbi