COOL DAYS

Mid-July -- and the weather is still unsettled

It’s just not as warm here as we expect July to be. At 3000 feet above the Clearwater River, lows are around 60 while highs are less than 75. I’m wearing jeans and a sweater. Keeping the house cool has not been a problem. In fact, Mike closed the dining room window as we ate supper last night. As I write, I’m watching dark clouds build. We might get a shower but probably not. Some other place will likely get this shower.

My raised bed gardens seem to be doing well. The beets and lettuce look happy. However, I will say that the beautiful summer squash plants are slow to set on as is the cherry tomato. Perhaps the on-again / off-again heat has confused them. Seems like it no sooner gets warm than another system moves through.

Mike and I spent last weekend in town. On Saturday, Mike cycled 65 miles with a group from Moscow through Deary and back. On Sunday, he and son Clint rode motorcycles to Orofino on Hwy 12 and back through Cavendish. He’s gradually cutting and stacking wood, too, and relaxes by watching the Tour de France.

We returned to the farmhouse on Tuesday (7-16). I had promised the contractor that we would clear our clutter off the sun porch in preparation for the new flooring, thereby saving him a trip. Mike and I accomplished that just as the workmen arrived. In addition to removing the old flooring and placing new underlayment, they performed various finishes around the house, including hanging new blinds in the dining room and master bathroom.

While daughter Hallie was here last week, we swathed the cherry tree with more netting, and I managed to pick a couple of dozen cherries this week. That’s that for this year. It’s tough to keep the birds from feasting on the fruit. Now I’ll remove the netting, and Mike and I will adjust the fencing for the growing tree.

Bess ----------- Kathy --------- Mike

We have seen seven rattlesnakes this summer. They like it hot, you know, so they seem rather lethargic. Bess located one under the boat at the pond yesterday, which Mike caught and removed to another locale. It pays to take care, but we suffer more from the wasps than the snakes. Mike got stung twice at his shed, and he has been miserable!

We had enough strawberries for several shortcakes. I considered that wonderful since the plants received no attention at all last summer, not even picking. My plants are ever-bearing, so we may have berries again before summer’s end.

We suspect a little more rodent activity in the yard. I must check that out. And we think the elk came through over the weekend, leaving calling cards that don’t quite look like deer. KW