Sahara, Mojave, Sonoran

Awful weather but garage floor finished.

And quite beautiful it is, too. Two youngish guys worked steadily and methodically from 8 am to 6 pm, in what I learned is a much more complex process than I imagined. Fill and grind, then fill and grind again, vacuum thoroughly, apply a first coat of polyaspartic and let set, apply a second colored coat, shake out vinyl flakes, sweep up vinyl flakes, scrape, sweep, vacuum, and apply a final clear coat.

I felt guilty watching these guys work so long and hard in such heat.

Perfect Weather…

…if you like perfect weather. However, if you like rain, you are SOL. I would not have the stoicism, fatalism, sangfroid, or whatever, to be a commercial farmer. The new corn in the fields, a few inches high, looks bad.

Meanwhile, the compromised fence has been reinforced and is now impermeable. It doesn’t make sense to bother with the time and expense of building a fence if it only serves as a holding pen for marauding rabbits.

Surprise Tree Trimming

What started out as a car wash turned into a tree trimming when neighbor Dave came over with his electric pole saw. A few dead or unwieldy limbs were pruned, and that, along with the lilac trimming of a few days ago, made the front of the house visible from the street.

Notes: 1) birch wood is extremely heavy, and 2) the cars did eventually get cleaned.

Warm and Windy…

…with rain continuing to recede in the forecast.

Dames rocket (Hesperis matronalis) the beautiful invasive.

Old Maid’s Nightcap (Geranium maculatum), the beautiful native woodland perennial.

But, hark, what sound through yonder window breaks? Thunder, you say?
Yes, and just now a full minute of rain!
This is not what used to be called a thunderstorm.

Back Patio Chat…

…with neighbor Patrick, retired attorney from California. Moved to Whitewater a few years ago. Got elected as City Attorney. Serves on the Urban Forestry Commission (which I have recently been appointed to), provides pro bono legal advice to the startup Co-op. Etcetera.

It’s his opinion that the midwest is really the best place to live, and Wisconsin is probably the best place in the midwest. And even poor Whitewater has its charms, especially for someone who likes being involved.

Fun to have a highly educated, sophisticated, articulate friend, especially one who likes bike riding and is skilled in the art of conversation.

Samara Snow

All the silver maples in town let their seeds fly in today’s big wind. Countless numbers.

I don’t know of any wildlife that really appreciates this offering. I find them crunchy, mealy, and green tasting, a bit like raw soybeans. Perhaps a stew of maple samaras and 17 year cicadas would be just the thing.

Garden Planted…

…on the assumption that frost is in the past, and rain will come. Happy to say that a little rain is falling even now, and we can hope that there’s more on the way, more than just enough to settle the dust.

Beets are the main crop. Then some winter squash, a few tomatoes, basil, and cilantro. And because we are here and not elsewhere, cucumbers and pole beans in small quantities. Oddly, I was unable to find cherry tomato plants, which goes to show the hazard of not starting your own from seed.

Meanwhile, the garage renovation continues. Long hours by Mimi behind the paintbrush.