The Heat is On

   

    The heat is on...literally.  We went from comfortable 70's to the 90's this week.  UGH!  Those of you that have been with me know that I do not do heat well at all.  It make me physically ill.  My gardens also are having a hard time not knowing how to cope with this sudden change.  Here is how I am trying to cope.

   Jeff got the swamp cooler all up and running on Monday for me.  It is a lifesaver!  However, the overflow water drips off the roof of the house.  In order not to waste water, I have a bucket to catch said water positioned under where it drips down onto the ground.  I will use this water to water the plants in my flower borders in the back yard.  I do have the rain barrel set up but there has been very little rain so it does not have enough water to even fill a bucket yet.

   I'm attempting to get up early in the morning so that I can get things done before the heat of the day comes on and also take so time to enjoy the cooler morning air while I have my coffee.  Since I am hanging out more things to dry on the laundry line, I do a load of what ever it is that I am going to hang out in the morning the night before.  This works well for me with everything except the sheets on our beds.  Those I have to do in the morning and then get them hung out to dry.  We do love  good line dried sheets in this house. 😁

   Veggie and fruit gardens are watered in the early evening.  This gives the water time to soak in and not be evaporate off with the hot sun.  Jeff had not had time to set up the soaker hoses in the raised beds yet so I have been doing it with hose in hand.  Luckily I have a bench set up by the side veggie garden so I can sit there while I water and it has become a nice little evening ritual for me.  I enjoy watching the birds come in while I water to enjoy the coolness of the water and look for bugs.

   Cooking ahead and in bulk is something that also helps me deal with the heat.  I'd rather spend one day in the hot kitchen and have meals for a week rather than trying to do it daily.  We also tend to have a lot of cold pasta, veggie and potato salads this time of year.  Having homemade prepared meals in the freezer that are quick to grab is also one of my secrets to dealing with the "I am just too hot and tired to cook" dilemma. 😉

   Ice cold beverages are a must!  I refrigerate the leftover coffee from the morning and then add creamer and half and half to it later for a refreshing afternoon pick me up, or I will have that instead of hot coffee if the morning is air temperature is already climbing quickly.  I try to have some iced tea in the refrigerator and I make sure the ice cube trays are kept full in the freezer.  Jeff and I drink a lot of water also.

   Yes, we still use our hot tub.  We do use it at a lower temperature though when we need a good oak to help our sore muscles but we also use it to cool down in on the hottest of days.  By mid Summer, when the temps are in the high 90's and low 100's, you will find me in there, sometimes with an "adult beverage". 😄

   It might sound weird, but I watch a lot of movies during the day when it gets really hot outside.  I have the swamp cooler cranked up to keep me cool inside the house, curtains closed for the most part and put on a movie to keep me amused.  I especially like to watch Christmas movies or winter themed ones.  There is just something about them that helps me feel cooler...strange but true.

   Jeff taught me a trick that helps when I am nauseous from the heat.  He has me put a ice pack, wrapped in a towel, on the back of my neck.  This helps cool me down and helps with the muscle pain.  I also learned that our cat Midgy loves to have the same ice pack put on her back on hot days to help cool her down.  She is a rather rotund cat with thick long fur and needs some help getting cooled down herself.

   Those are just a few ways I am coping with the heat.  I know that we have a long hot Summer ahead of us and I am going to try to do everything I can to stay cool and not get as sick as I did last year from the heat.  Be blessed all!