We’re being overrun by [“kill the…”] rabbit hordes!  Every time I look outside, there are like half a dozen large rabbits cavorting and chasing each other around, or just eyeing my garden.  They’re obviously multiplying every five minutes.

The good news is, this morning I saw a large hawk perched on a tree stake right in our yard, and it appeared to be tracking rabbits.  I even saw it pounce on something, but probably not a rabbit.  I think there’s a nest in a tree across the driveway, so that’s a good sign.  The more predators, the better.

The hummingbirds are finally roosting and feeding in our yard, another good sign.  Still working on the photo techniques.

I’ve been able to start saving seeds from my beans and peas for next year.

Here are yesterday’s spicy bloody marys by E, featuring herbs from the garden.  My favorite veg delivery system.

I’m determined to get work done despite this extreme heat wave, preferably in the mornings when it’s merely steamy, as opposed to broil setting.  One step at a time, I’ll get this garden under control, before the veggies get sun-grilled.  We’d rather cook them ourselves, as with these baby zucchinis (two varieties) that E is now sautéing with tomatoes and herbs.  The pole beans are still proliferating.  Apparently they can tolerate this toxic chert “soil”.

Here is Misu with her perpetual “feed-me” face.  So pitiful and compelling.  Why should the humans get to eat whenever, and not her?  It’s an effective method.

This one coppery sunflower managed to survive the rabbit pruning, though it’s probably next on the finch menu, along with the zinnias.  It turns out the goldfinches are going for the seeds, by removing the petals.  Glad to oblige.  It’s why I grow wildlife-friendly plants, to provide food and habitat, not only for our own aesthetic benefit.  Maybe a little too friendly, as those wascally wabbits waiting at the veg garden for me to leave, confirm.  Can’t have it both ways!

I should be out a-hoeing or something, but it feels like a blast furnace out there, with no relief in sight.  It’s like 1000º and rising.  You could smelt things.

Days like this I don’t miss my old job at all.  It would kill me now.  If only it could kill all the COVID out there.  Or at least all the selfish spreaders of it.

In the meantime, here are some flowers, a raven with the right idea, and this cute green guy posing for me on a tool.

I wish I had a photo of this, but it would have required stealth and a zoom lens.  Yesterday evening the zinnias outside my office window were covered with goldfinches!  They perch under the flower and eat the petals!    Between the finches and the hummers, it’s quite a spectacle out there.  Next year (if there is a next year) I will expand that bed into a flower buffet for birds.

E has been her usual industrious self.  She made and installed these shelves for herbs and spices next to the stove. She also baked this delicious Italian-style bread.  One loaf “disappeared” almost immediately, it was so good.

It’s so frickin’ hot out, I have to limit my work in the garden, but I do manage to plant and maintain things each day.  I planted a half dozen of these homegrown dark opal basil plants around the herb garden, and this hardy ice plant (bought) above the California rock garden.

My corn is actually forming ears, so it’s only a matter of time until the varmints beat us to it.  The tomatoes are starting to trickle in.  The main veg garden seems to grow volunteer flowers more successfully than veggies, but it’s colorful.  One thing about gardening down here–it’s always a challenge, so I’ll never be out of work!

Yesterday at Lowes, a larger percent of customers (and most employees) were complying with masks and distancing.  In fact, the masked woman in line in front of us at the outside garden checkout actually barked at us to stay back–which we were already doing!  Still, I prefer that kind of heated vigilance, to unmasked people getting all belligerent at being expected to protect others and themselves from a deadly virus.  Knoxville’s case rate is increasing alarmingly, as stupid people heedlessly throw precautions to the wind.

Here is E’s finished decorative wooden valance with a light over the sink; the photos don’t really do it justice, but it’s a big kitchen improvement.  And on the subject of kitcheny things, here’s another of E’s pizza creations.

Today was the dreaded mowing day, out in the blazing heat.  Still, more fun than going out into the dangerous world of COVIDeniers.  Misu (shown here in her latest box in the closet) doesn’t know how good she’s got it.  Out in the sauna, I took these random shots, including my native asters blooming in the “prairie”, more tomatoes ripening on the vine, and these adorable ‘shrooms coming up in the herb garden.  Soon after I took them, they got cremated by the heat.

It’s kind of sad but gratifying at the same time that the most COVID-compliant store around here is “BoozeMart” (Total Wine and More).  We went early to avoid crowds and restock for a month or two, and they required masks and distancing, with signs all over the place, sanitizing, curbside pickup, etc.  Everyone had a mask, and checkout shields up.  It was such a relief, after dealing with all the non-enforcement and indifference elsewhere.  If only I could just live on booze!

The upside of lockdown is, we’re getting lots of things done around the house.  E is building and installing more wooden kitchen components, and I’m slowly cleaning up the garden.  I think I do it for my own therapy and peace of mind, as well as aesthetics and plant health.  Keeping the immediate surroundings in order helps keep the sense of world mayhem at bay.  Here are some of my latest improvements, and next wave of seedlings.  Also E’s best homemade pizza yet, with a thick, fluffy dough and simple toppings.

I’m happy to report, not only do we have hummers, but I sighted my first large blue-and-black butterfly of the season today.  I was starting to get worried, along with many other observers, about the absence of butterflies this year.  I’m growing many of the plants they need, but even those are taking a long time to get up to speed in the conditions here, despite all my efforts.  Hey, it gives me some incentive to keep working at my objectives.  It’s not the worst problem to have!

Here are some of the more successful outcomes.

It’s the little things…especially isolated on a virtual island.  Squint, and the familiar takes on an exotic tropical palette.

Finally–the first tomato of the season!

I grew these delicate delphiniums (larkspur) from seed.

These two little moths were inseparable, as they sampled each zinnia together.

The bees are insatiable.

Don’t these flower colors make you think of exotic tropical drinks or ice popsicles?

As many of us have discovered, one of the side effects of the pandemic quarantine is hyper-organizing.

For example, my son is stuck home for the summer with lots of kids who need constant sorting out.  He’s organized a whole crafts room, plus a system of separate individual snack bins for them.  He moved on to cleaning and sorting the pantry and storage shelving units, plus all the other rooms, including his office.  That’s on top of all the other outdoor projects and repairs.  It’s inspiring.

Closer to home, E’s handcrafted open cabinet above the stove is now a display case for some decorative kitchen items, freeing up room elsewhere for more organizing, as you can see.  Now she’s hard at work on the next phase of the kitchen project, something involving more lumber and tools and stinky substances.  Like my garden, it’s a never-ending process that keeps us occupied at home and off the streets.

In between there’s baking.  We’re overstocked on E’s homemade breads, so she moved on to pastry confections.  These are sweet strawberry croissants.  We’re perfecting the art of improv cooking with what’s on hand, as I suspect many of us are these days.  We need all the org projects just to work off some calories!  Or is it the other way around?

All of this sounds so normal and mundane, but it’s a symptom of a very abnormal reality all around us.  We’re among the fortunate ones who are able to just stay home, keep busy, and survive.  Thousands are not so privileged.  I know it’s not easy, but it’s a matter of life and death.  Sad that we’ve lived to see a situation where people have to choose between staying alive or paying the bills.

Anyway, back to the mundane.

This was a phenomenon I’ve never witnessed before.

This evening we had a sudden huge t-storm that filled the garden with water.  Then the sun came out while it was still pouring, and in the back yard there was an actual rainbow on the ground!  I’m really sorry I couldn’t get a photo–it was almost ghostly, arching over the field.  Our own personal rainbow!  Maybe it’s a sign?  We could use some good news.

Here’s a shot taken in the sun shower after the storm.

Excuse the pun, but that’s how it feels outside, like virus germs are being burned away by the extreme heat.  I like to think so, anyway.  The way things are going, it may be one of our only hopes in these devolving times.  At any rate, I’m thankful for AC down here in this increasingly muggy climate.

I’m constantly growing and planting more flowers, veggies, and herbs.  I have to get out early in the morning to avoid the broiler.  The flowers don’t seem to be minding it, though, which attracts more goldfinches, hummers, and many other birds and bees.  I’m watching goldfinches hop onto each zinnia and eat the petals(?).  Hummers buzz them, as well.  Even a couple of butterflies have been sighted.  The bunnies, chipmunks, and large groundhog have been making themselves at home as usual.  Colorful blue-tailed skinks are basking in the sun.

Here is E’s new handmade open cabinet, installed over the stove, and yesterday evening’s cool blue drink.  Here are two of Misu’s favorite hangouts, her office box and her office lookout perch (watching the finches).  And of course your daily flower dosage.  The purple spike is my new Liatris, and the fluffy orange one is tropical hibiscus.