Things have been busy around here, hence why my blog has been quiet for a while. We have been almost continually in a heatwave since early June, with not much signs of ending soon. It often pushed into the low 100 F in full sun areas. 106 F is my highest recorded so far, that I noticed.
Considering the sizes and locations of Jean's Botanical gardens around the house, it is a constant watering and weeding daily activities, watering morning and before dawn. But in return you get a constantly changing vistas as the plants flower then dies and are replaced by other blooming on cue.
Scenes from this morning.
Let's just say that as soon as those bed's location and size stabilized, I will deploy underground automated watering solutions. I have the technology and tried some of it before Both Bluetooth and WIFI, Bluetooth interfaces I find a bit touchy at time, move away with your phone and loose comms. I have a big yard :-)
Now, if only I could convince her that we don't need more specimens of whatever :-)
Add the constant work required with the pool and you got your work day already starting to fill before you even done anything else.
So, all that to say, heat or no heat, the jobs must go on.
It is really not that bad if you take it easy, stay out of the open sun areas as much as you can or minimize exposure. I have a few cooling stations located around the property to take refuge in or work :-)
Pacing yourself, take cover, take breaks often and hydrate (water) and vitally important, get back inside and have a nap :-)
I usually finish the day inside the pool. May as well get inside to clean it :-)
Anyway, I am taking a break inside right now, hard to see when you have water dribbling in your glasses. I should really wear a bandana...
For the last two days, I am finally back working on my last two window sashes.
That meant dragging out machines and setting up shop outside.
I had previously experimented with making a small sample with hand tools, to get a sense of the better sequences of cut. The finished sill plate does not have much of a square surface left when done. So it get tricky to hold, hence my experiments. Which quickly convinced me that I was not going to used my small plow plane as thought to cut the long tapered groove in construction lumber with solid knots in it.
Then decided to use the table saw to cut my groove straight walls then using hand tools to widen it in a tapered shape. That worked, but it is a lot of sweating work to trim and fit the groove to the window frame, I know....
So today I have a Plan C, I will still do the bulk of the work with my trusty chisel, but will refine the shape with a scraper. So I am now making a steel scraper profile to do that. Then I'll cobble some sort of wooden holder to used it like a marking gauge, to both straighten the groove and ensuring a good fit first try up my work bench out in the sun :-)
By then I was sweating buckets, so I retreated inside, had lunch and made this blog. Now time to go back out in the sun...
Bob, loosing or melting weight ??
I got some yard work to do but I did nothing today. The H&H was unbearable and the cellar felt so nice.....
ReplyDeleteSame heat wave here. Was a bit more chilly in July but since beginning of August it is pretty hot. Last weekend the temp sensor hit 40C, showing 46C with humidity factor, hard to work outside past 11AM.
ReplyDeleteGood side of it, vegetables are growing fast and we have a lot!
I am watering early morning around 6AM so droplets evaporates when sun rises and keep leaves dry.
Lionel, ready for some whales watching vacations.
Well, here in Belgium, we have had the rainiest summer since 1834.
ReplyDeleteLionel
ReplyDeleteIf you are going wgale watching here in NS. Highly recommend a trip to Brier island, off Digby gut. We went last week, was very foggy did not saw much so we got free pass to come back.
Sylvain, we could use some of your rain around here. Like Lionel said, our gardens are loving the heat, but must be watered daily. We are having bumper crops in return.
ReplyDeleteBob, the gentleman farmer
sometimes too much is really too much:
Deletehttps://www.rtbf.be/info/regions/detail_le-point-en-images-sur-les-inondations-qui-frappent-a-nouveau-la-province-de-namur-dinant-sinistre?id=10810699
Yikes Sylvain, that is really too much for sure. We are experiencing a changes in weather patterns??
DeleteBob, who is turning into a human barometer as I get older
I hear you loud and clear Ralph, pretty brutal at times, but i am somewhat used to it. I we can service,fuel and arm aircraft in this heat, I can take it easier and work outside. No pressure to turn around my gardens plots :-)
ReplyDeleteBob, the old Airman
I had no idea there was such a thing as a citronella plant. I thought citronella was purely a marketing name (has the root of "citrus", so it must be good ...) for the mosquito-repellant candles, that I assumed were just man-made chemicals.
ReplyDeleteYes Matt, its from a plant. Strong smell, work great.
ReplyDeleteBob
I just saw your mention of the citronella plant and though it would be useful in combatting the bugs during evening cocktails on the porch.
ReplyDeleteIt's worth repeating that it's toxic to pets and people if eaten.
Do you plant fresh every year or bring it indoors for winter?
Bob,
ReplyDeleteYou are on the wrong coast, up here on the left one we haven't been over the mid 70'sF all summer :-), and most of the time the highs are in the low 60's. But if you go over the coast range there has been record breaking heat waves.
ken
Finally got connection speed that is usable.
Steve
ReplyDeleteI just asked my wife. She says she bring it in during the winters and yes she has started numerous with clippings. True, the plant is toxic to dogs and people if misused. Have no issues with our two dogs.
Bob, the gentleman farmer
Welcome back Ken :-)
ReplyDeleteThe weather patterns, they are a changing, n'est ce pas?
Bob, the human barometer