And the green grass grows all around, all around...

One of the hardest things to leave behind is my garden. Not because it loves me as much as the people and dog I'm leaving behind - I will miss them all certainly more than the mess of plant matter I call mine - but because I'm afraid that I'm the only one who loves the garden enough to invest time and effort it needs to keep going - especially if this wet spell passes into dryness... I have these horrid visions of crispy and wilted plants, ravaged unchecked by slugs and aphids and lily beetles (I can't really say anything about weeds.. half of what I've planted is probably considered weeds somewhere.)... So to my family who will be taking over my charges... please water the plants when they get limp - preferably in the morning - but early evening will be okay - and for goodness sake... don't use the jet setting on the hose - soaker works best for narrow beds and shower+center works bests for lots of things together like behind the cherry tree and the main bed. If things are looking munched - you can either try refilling the beer traps for the slugs or putting insect repelling soap on the leaves for everything else - just don't spray the soap on the nasturtium... it says so on the instructions on the bottle. Okay... I'll trust you - as long as you provide me with a bit of photographic proof that it is still alive... :D

Other exciting news... well. Melissa Gilbert is playing Caroline Ingalls (Ma) in a musical version of Little House on the Prairie in the Midwestern States... but it doesn't start until long after I leave - and somehow I don't think it'll travel here at any point.

There are still no spots on the sun - but August 8th is still supposed to be the best hope for viewing the Northern Lights in the near future.

Another one of the cool red and white poppies opened this morning, but by the time I got back it had been pretty much mashed by the rainstorm. However, I will have to post a picture of the Lobelia tomorrow. Its opening up nicely. We have now officially had the wettest July on record at the Airport since 1937.

Otherwise... a side from a zillion things to do and plan and think about and finish up and tidy... life is actually pretty quiet in this end of the world.