Hot Times on the Bayou!

Its hot! It is very hot on the Bayou..and it is not even summer, yet. Technically, we are still in spring..so, it seems that something is amiss here! Perhaps this is just another effect of the drought..but then you would think our humidity would be way down..not so! Here is how it stands weatherwise on the Bayou..temperatures are in the mid 90s during the day..low 80s at night..dry, very, very dry due to the lack of rain..but with high humidity..in the mid 70 percentiles. Oh man, does that ever make for a blistery hot day and a hot, muggy night! Today when I was out planting Moon Flowers and Morning Glories, I noticed the thermometer that sits in the rose garden. I suddenly felt a lot hotter! Whew!

With the hot, dry weather, I noticed that the birdbath was always empty! Every morning, I would take two gallons of water all the way down the hill to where the birdbath is situated. Every afternoon, I would notice that the bowl had only about two cups remaining. I had started thinking that maybe there was a crack in the bowl or maybe Ezzy was drinking out of it again or the water was just evaporating. While sitting in my favorite chair this afternoon, I was treated to evidence that none of the above were the correct reason for the disappearing water. There were just that many birds visiting the birdbath! In just a short time over thirty birds flew in and used the bath. Some just drank while others made complete use of the facility!! One female Blue Jay really seemed to enjoy herself! She would fly in, bathe, perch herself on the roost to fluff her feathers. Then back down into the bath again! She would splash water everywhere! Most likely, she had been on the nest most of the day and really needed to cool off a bit! This Blue Jay stayed for a good bit but Red Winged Blackbirds, Titmice, Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Cardinals and Doves all made stops to either drink or bathe. Some, I think, were just trying to cool off a bit. I might have to rig up another birdbath or two just to keep my feathered friends hydrated this summer!

As a final thought about the drought and heat..how in the world is my Old-fashioned Petunia plant doing so well? The picture is of just one plant and it has been blooming for the past several months. What started as a tiny plant in the corner of the then cabbage patch, has almost taken over the squash/ bean garden. This plant has hundreds of blooms and is probably a good six feet across! I have never seen a petunia do this well! Perhaps it likes the water that Son pours on it from the kitchen! Each day, several dishpans of soapy water are dumped on this plant. You would think that much soap would be a mite detrimental even if it is biodegradable! Evidently that is not the case with petunias! Somewhere in the midst of all those blooms, there sits an onion plant! It is almost like searching for Waldo!