Just when you thought it couldn’t get hotter–it did.  A heat index of 100° may not be unusual, but it’s hot enough to fry brains, whatever’s left of them.  Nevertheless, flowers, butterflies, and veggies just get brighter as it gets hotter.  This orange butterfly may be some type of fritillary, not sure.  I’m finally getting some peppers.  This jalapeño actually ripened to red.

Folks with dogs [babies, etc…] in vehicles–PLEASE do not leave them parked, even with windows cracked for a few minutes.  It can be fatal.

Again, only a Hort geek would get excited over this, but out in the field today I discovered a Vernonia (Ironweed) volunteer growing.  This is a tall purple native wildflower that tends to grow in or near wetlands or prairies, and is desirable for pollinators and butterflies.  To most people it would look like just a weed, but to me it represents validation of my efforts to create a healthy natural environmental area.

Wait long enough, and nature eventually repairs the damage we’ve done by restoring itself to more natural habitats that can support endangered native wildlife.  Install enough aggressive natives, and they’ll slowly push out the harmful exotic invasives that choke out beneficial species.  Anyway, that’s my good news for a change.

It was another scorcher of a day, so naturally I grilled.  Flowers continue to thrive in the hot sun.  Each morning I try to get out and work on garden maintenance while it’s bearable, in anticipation of the real work ahead of me as fall approaches.  That’s when all the native wildflowers I grew from seed will finally be planted in their permanent meadow home, and all the sickly veg beds will get some serious restoration.

Hopefully this heat wave has reached its climax (mid-90s, feels like 100°–to me, anyway).  I know other states have it much worse this season.  Expect an inferno as the new normal in coming years.  Thanks to trump for nothing.

I try do do as much as I can early in the morning, while it’s a mild sauna out.  After that, you could scramble an egg out there–or your brains.  I managed to snap this random shots before I fried.  Misu had a cooler idea.

It was mowing day here at the hacienda.  Nothing new there.

But yesterday I found myself face to face with what I believe was a young coyote, in broad daylight.  I was walking across the field, and it was just sitting, staring at me from an adjacent lawn near the woods.  It barked and kept eyeing me, before running off.  Pretty tame for a wild critter.  The group of ravens, meanwhile, were perched in a nearby tree, watching like Poe characters, as they often do.  All these wild predators serve as cleanup crews around the area, which is fine by me, as long as they don’t eat any more pet cats.

More flowers are blooming, and even some bell peppers (and tiny cucumbers) were ready.  It’s about time!

Disclaimer:  Some of the plants I post are not natives or even cultivars of native wildflowers.  Many were here before we moved in, and since there was a dearth of plants here as it was, I left them alone.  I hesitate to post exotic (non-native) invasives, because they tend to take over disturbed land and disrupt and choke out the natural environment, endangering species, so I don’t endorse intentionally planting them.

Having said that, this brutal heat wave is frying many of my plantings, while not coincidentally, invasives like liriope are thriving.  As I slowly amend and improve this disturbed TN clay soil, I hope to increase the native plant population and the native wildlife they attract (not to mention be able to grow simple veggies successfully).  Anyway, that’s my goal.  Every little step helps.

Also, I confess to loving all flowers, native or not.  We are an equal opportunity employer of flowers!  So I include annuals, perennials, tropicals, medicinal herbs, wildflowers, and weeds of all backgrounds and colors.  As long as they don’t strangle out or drive to extinction the rightful original native residents, the first nations of plants and animals if you will, they have a place here.

Here is Misu presiding over the columbine rock garden she helped create.

A couple of the many methhead types who traffic next door were having one of their typical loud fights out on the driveway, while I was grilling.  (Of course I was grilling, it being hot as hell out!)  I try to ignore it.

Next thing I know, the woman is hurriedly backing her big SUV onto our lawn, and crashing it into our little dogwood tree, before speeding off.  It shook the whole tree and stripped a big piece of bark off the trunk.  Branches were all over the ground.  We were not amused.

Later the guy who rents (?) the house came over and apologized for their behavior, which was cool.  Still it’s kind of disturbing to have all kinds of shady characters coming and going, skulking about, day and night.  It makes us nervous.  All we ask is mutual respect of boundaries and privacy.  It’s one of the unpleasant things about living here in TN.  Hopefully the neighbor will get his act together and kick out some of the hordes, as he seems to be trying to do.

I feel sad about the tree.  The whole point of planting more trees is to screen out the neighbors, only to have them try to run them over!  It’s bad enough their dog poops all over our trees.  It’s discouraging.

Anyway, that’s my little rant about the so-called neighbors.  Back to happier plants and things.  Here we have: yesterday’s homemade (by my mixologist-in-training E) frozen honeydew melon daiquiri, Misu on her tower, a view through goldenrod from my meadow, fresh-picked erev flowers, and two sides of pokeweed, a picturesque weed.  (Makes a great screen!)

Today I set up my columbine (Aquilegia) rock garden.  One plant is a native wildflower (red and yellow) that I grew from seed; the others are volunteers from a previous planting of same.  Nearby I’ve planted perennial cultivars of columbine.  Did I mention I love columbines?  They’ll be near the irises, which I also love.

The whole time, Misu was “helping”, i.e. comfortably draped over rocks, or rolling on her back to indicate approval.

It was another toaster oven of a day, so of course I grilled.  The heat only encourages butterflies and bees; here is some kind of swallowtail (blue and black) on marigolds, and bees on assorted flowers.

It’s hot as blazes out, so of course I grilled stuff!  Not much difference between the grill and surrounding temps.  Just as I got going, there was a sudden downpour (typical), but it didn’t even dampen my operation.  I’m the Grillist.  FI-UH.

Now it’s like a tropical greenhouse out there.  It’s too hot for many flower photos, but not for a cold pineapple beer!

Yesterday was at “broil” setting, so we just chilled inside for the most part.  I’m thankful the power stayed on.  You never know around here.  Misu is an expert at chilling.

These okras just soak up the rays.  The hotter, the better.  A true southerner.

Here are two colorful homemade summer drinks (not from the same day): a ginger cosmopolitan and a blue margarita.  E may not drink much, but she makes up for it by attempting to mix my eclectic drink requests.

This week will be like a furnace–mid-90s/heat index 100s–so early morning is the best time to catch morning glories and others in all their glory.

Just a reminder to pet owners–make sure your pet has adequate water, shelter from extreme heat, and is not locked in a parked car even with the windows cracked.  (Same goes for humans.)