What Are You Going To Do This Summer!

Over at the Back Channel, BevnTempe asked the question this morning about what all of us "regulars" and anyone else who wanted to chime in what were they going to do this summer. Inasmuch as I'm feeling burnt out, disappointed, and down-right frustrated with the state of affairs (not including the ol' governor), her post was a welcome question. Here was my answer with a few more embellishments:

Great post, Bev. You’re right, we do need to take a break from the constant jibberjabber of politics and stop and smell the roses.

We’ve put so much time, energy, and money into our backyard “resort” — as one of my daughters calls it — that we’ll spend most of the hot weather here at home with family, lots of pool time, fireworks on the fourth, and bbqs. We’ll take in a few D-Backs games, as well as get ready for the grandson’s high school football games starting in mid-August, when the weather is still in the 100’s during the day and the nineties after the sun goes down. No bundling up for football season here in the desert.

We would like to take our trailer out and go up north to cooler weather for a couple days, too. Can’t go too far for too long as the m-i-l is 94 and my wife, along with her sisters, take turns staying with her, bringing her meals, and visiting. We’re in the “sandwich” generation of taking care of an elderly family member and the very young of the family. Our great grandson, six, spends anywhere from three weeks to three months with us at a time as his separated parents like, need, want to leave him with us for extended times. We certainly don't mind having him around even though it is quite difficult to keep up with his high energy level. Thank goodness there are two of us to take on the task of care-giving.

My garden needs constant attention, especially watering each day, as it would burn up if left alone for more than two days at a time. I like the job of constant gardener as I’m learning what does well and where here in the desert. It’s a real trick to grow many common vegetables; but, I’m learning. Gardening in the desert is quite different from what I used to do in my gardens in Washington and California. This is my second year at it here in the desert and each year I add something new, whether it be soil or watering systems. Next year I plan to put in an automatic irrigation system and a sunscreen for my little patch of a garden.

I got plenty of good advice from my back channel friends on things I can do to improve my garden. So, with their advice in mind, I'll start a fresh garden next February. Yes, we plant our gardens in February or at the lastest in March as the heat comes on fairly early around these parts.

OK, I’m looking forward to reading what each of you will be doing this summer.

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