Here Comes July

(end of June post below.... post two for 8/11)

July 1....

Nick and Elijah helped Homer with the wall... when was that? Anyhow this is how the fire pit area looks now. Put down the liner and rocks on top. So much better than that dirt bank. Still need to finish the wall to the left. He did start that the other day so maybe tonight after he finishes hauling fill dirt. I still need to do the grass hill, but it has to be cut down and our loader is loaned out. Someday stairs will go there.

Things are shaping up and turning green. It's been so hot this summer. As of now... mid-August... I think we've had 35 days of 85* or hotter plus all the other days it was just under that. We truly baked and I loved it!! Although I did underestimate how much water my gardens needed, but now I know in the event we have another hot summer.

I mowed the weeds around the lawn and it looked so much better. I still need to get that grass planted. Not enough hours in each day. 

A big storm cloud went by, but I didn't get any rain.

Emily in the greenhouse. Again I didn't get my tomatoes cut back.

July 2...

I had a few extra plants so she decided to fill some pots and plant them. Kind of cool for being a non-gardener.

Tonight it was a downpour of rain. It was hard, windy and cold, but they played on. Other than the drizzle the first week this was our only rainy game.

Look at the wall of rain coming at Emily's game. When it reached us I went to the truck. I was already soaked to the bone from Lucas' game and was freezing. 

Last of June

June 27....

First peppers from the greenhouse.... banana, hot wax and jalapeno. It is now bursting at the seams and I have to pick and dry before they all go to waste. 

For dinner I stuffed the peppers with a moose burger bread crumb cheese mixture. The banana pepper was perfect and the others too hot. The beans, etc. were not from my garden. 

 Made fruity pineapple coconut milk rum drinks to enjoy in the sun and then remembered why I don't like such sugary stuff! :)

Left dinner in the oven for dad and raced off to soccer. Emily really loves playing. Wish she would have had a better coach and more fun group of girls for her first time, but she loves it enough that she wants to try more sports. So glad nothing is holding her back anymore.

My beds were starting to fill out. Now this one is bursting!

Me watering at 10:40 pm. You will often find me out there at midnight. I love that it's light all night long. I really miss that in the winter months.

June 28...

Mulching (newspaper then wood chips) is such a long tedious process, but has been worth it. I had to pull very few weeds this summer saving me a lot of time.

These flowers are several feet tall now... never ceases to amaze me.

June 29...

Forest fires nearby blew horrible smoke in to town. You can't even see down into the valley.

There the pool sits unfilled. This is the latest we've ever been and it's the hottest summer we've had. I wish things were clicking better this summer, but as always it seems there is always something off.

I cleaned until 4:00 am when I could no longer stand. At 7:00 am Homer helped me with the last hour of cleaning and then he started hauling the water while I went back to bed.

June 30...

He got this far the first Sunday and then finished it the second Sunday. He put in a total of 34,000 gallons of water. So much has evaporated with the hot summer and we should have replenished.

Close to the End of June!

(Second post for Wednesday 7/17.... first one below)

Monday....June 24... Soccer practices as always, but no photos to show for it. I'm also sure I did a ton of yard work as that is how it goes all day every day.

June 25.... Hot and I'm loving it. I like 80's and 90's. I will take sweaty over goosebumps any day of the week! Hamsley maybe not so much. He likes to be hosed down in the heat of the day. Look at that smile!

He even turns a back side.

And rolls to get his belly.

Tuesday is game day. Lucas plays goalie a lot. Let's just say my team is special and they are having fun. As far as soccer goes, not so much of that happens. Lucas is still doing well and the new kid is outstanding, but as of now has only showed up a couple times. 

Watching the planes fly water to the big forest fires we are having.

He plays his little heart out, but we are so the underdog in every game. Lost this one 7-1.

Funny how we are standing the same.

I never get enough photos of Emily playing. I either get to watching her too much or visiting with another mom.

Wednesday....June 26..... I got Emily out in the garden to help put down newspaper and wood chips. I told her she would get a tan! Whatever works.

Ug! Can you believe that at the end of June the pool still isn't filled. Such an off summer for us. On this day I took all the rocks at the end of the pool and moved them over......

....to this bare bank. Hardly made a difference. I hope to finish the rocks this summer. I'm getting older and don't much care for this rock work anymore. It's 120* down on that liner when it's unfilled on a hot day. I take lots of breaks.

We decided to go out to Pike's to eat on the deck. It was so hot out that we should have sat under the tent!

I had a salmon caesar salad.

We shared some steamer clams... wonderfully good, but so expensive for so few...more than this, but still not much ($16).

We played a little mini golf, too.

Dad and I went out driving in my truck.

We ran into a friend on his 4-wheeler out in the woods. We ended up visiting with him until 1:00am and got to see the pink sky.