A Break In The Weather

This week has been unbearably hot in the garden. Temperatures have hovered around 107. It has given me a headache and made me cranky.

 

 

Even though, I found a mailbox to store my hand tools in. It came complete with real fake flowers, which I promptly took out. It began life in a school as a Suggestion Box. It still had letters to the teacher in it: Mrs. Ledbetter*, I love you. Mrs. Ledbetter, you have beautiful hair. Mrs. Ledbetter, you are my favorite teacher. Mrs. Ledbetter, I don’t want to go to first grade because I will miss you too much. Charley was quite upset that Mrs. Ledbetter did not keep her love letters.

*Mrs. Ledbetter’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.

 

 

What would I do without Zinnias? They are just about all that is surviving the heat!

The Garlic Chives are bursting from their papery buds. Mid week saw a slight change in our weather pattern. High temps have been 98-97, with very pleasant early mornings and late evenings. It’s funny how subjective heat is. A few months ago, I would be sweltering at 98 degrees, but after days and days of triple digit temperatures, suddenly 98 seems almost a breath of fresh air! Sadly, we didn’t get any of the scattered showers the weatherman was promising, but other parts of Austin did.

 

The Morning Glories are stretching their blossomed heads to heaven.

Now that the temperatures have cooled slightly, I am seeing all that is growing and blooming in my garden.

The birds have almost stripped all the juicy berries of the Poke Salat.

The roses don’t seem to mind the heat.

But the Morning Glory leaves are looking fairly leathery and bleached out.

This morning as I gardened—yes, actually gardened, I looked up and saw the moon hanging onto it’s spot in the day-time sky.

Eutin is still putting out blooms.

As are the Four O'clocks.

 

The cats and I are enjoying watching the birds from our cool spot in the family room. Even thought the weather seems cooler at 98 degrees, it’s still too hot mid-day to be out for very long. I am enjoying reading some of your blogs telling me that the feel of Fall is in the air. It may be another month for us, but it gives me hope that cooler weather is coming.

Finding Their Wings

 

Three years ago, my daughter came with her two precious girls to live with us. She was broken in spirit and body. I can’t in all honesty say these past three years have been easy. The girls all have been suffering from various degrees of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as other problems. But, I would not have traded this time for anything in this world.

I have watched my daughter struggle to heal and find herself once more. I am so proud of her patience and protectiveness she shows for her daughters. She has gone from cleaning buildings to survive, to getting her teacher’s certificate and special training in teaching children with Autism.

 

I have watched as she paid off bad debts that she did not incur. I have watched with pride as she has fought to get her girls the kind of help that they needed—and continue to need.

 

 

Now I am watching as all three fly the nest to be on their own. As a parent, one of the greatest gifts we can give our children, is that of independence. Watching them fly strong and sure is our greatest joy…

 

I won’t let them see my tears as they move in their own direction. I won’t complain about the quiet house, or how neat and clean it will stay now. I want them to fly without a backward glance to make them falter.