Yesterday a crew showed up on our street to install fiber optic cable underground for the internet. They had been working all over this little neighborhood and finally got to our street. Apparently we’re getting Rise Broadband, a company that brings internet access to rural areas (we get our access through the cable TV company). The ends of the cables were still sticking up out of the ground about a foot with the ends taped up. A guy was out there today doing whatever he was doing to the cable ends sticking up and now they are not, completely buried with this cover on the spot by the telephone/power pole. About every other pole has a larger rectangular cover.
It’s been overcast and hazy the last several days, the haze being caused by a Saharan dust plume hitting the Texas Gulf Coast. This happens every year but more commonly in the summer between late June and mid-August. It hasn’t done much to mitigate the heat because it is fucking hot here the first week of May. At 5 PM it’s 87˚, 73% humidity, and real feel in the shade is 91˚. Oh joy. Standing outside, just standing there in shorts and a sleeveless top and less than ten minutes later I’m sweating. Do anything like pull a few weeds or take the dog on a very short walk and it’s dripping off me and my hair is soaked. Fortunately Joe and Mary showed up around 6 yesterday and took care of the shop yard and the yard around Pam’s house. And those poor workmen putting in the cable wearing hard hats, long sleeves, long pants, safety shoes, and construction high visibility vests working out in it doing manual labor all day. Do they get required rest and water breaks? Fuck no because our asshole republican governor for whom cruelty is the point, made it illegal for cities and communities to require it for outdoor workers.
I picked enough green beans this morning to have for dinner tonight,
my squash after giving me two fruits are now producing only male flowers, one of three cucumbers is growing and blooming but not seeing any little cucumbers, the other two are barely bigger than when I planted them, I have no idea why. The tomatoes are blooming like mad and setting some fruit but not enough and I have a tomato horn worm on one that I have not been able to find but every morning more leaves are eaten, the potato plants are turning yellow but never bloomed, the two bell pepper plants are being smothered by the beans so I need to dig them up and move them but omg it is so hot and humid out there.
Yesterday I had my pre-op appointment for my cataract surgery scheduled for the 22nd. Showed up and they told me she wasn’t there, that they had tried to call me twice but it went straight to voicemail. Did you leave a message I asked, yes she said. Liar. Checked my phone. No missed calls in red in the 'recent' folder from their number, no voicemails either. Checked my voicemail history and there were two from February so I know they have the right number for me. So it’s rescheduled for Thursday afternoon. Last week I got a reminder phone call from the dentist office about my cleaning appointment today. Do you need another call she asked, no I’ll remember I told her. And I did remember…yesterday. Totally forgot today. They called, are you on your way? (I was already late). Yes, I’m on my way! Good thing the office is only 5 or 6 minutes from here.
When I was out this morning picking beans and looking for that damn worm this clump of daylilies was just outstanding.
And now I have to start getting dinner done.
Those day lilies are wonderful. It's a shame the rest of the garden you worked for so hard isn't the same.
ReplyDeleteAnd Abbott was recently re-elected if I am not mistaken. Somebody loves him.
ReplyDeleteAh, gorgeous lilies and fresh beans!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the procedure is with tomatoes in your climate. When mine turn yellow or show whatever signs of distress it's usually because they got wet from rain or I haven't watered enough. That's why I now only grow them under a rain cover and drag myself around twice a day to water these delicate divas. But every year I feel like a fool because we can get really good ones, organically grown, at very reasonable prices at the market and every year, I think, why bother and use all that water. But there you are, we'll never learn.
Our potatoes have done exactly the same, Ellen. I think it might be some sort of virus or something.
ReplyDeleteI keep saying that the Republicans main motivation these days always seems to be cruelty. Just plain cruelty.
That IS a nice clump of daylilies. I don't know how some people do outdoor work in that kind of weather. People grouse about seeing construction workers just standing around, but that's why -- they've got to pace themselves in that kind of heat.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be able to work outside in that heat, Ellen. Take it easy and don't overdo it.
ReplyDeleteThose lilies ARE gorgeous! We're doing what I call world building (building a new payroll/HR system from the ground up) & the lady from the company who's helping us said that the chorine from her pool leaked and killed all her garden plants. Tragedy!
ReplyDeleteThe heat here in th middle of the day is suffocating. I pushed myself in the garden yesterday and then could not sleep. Today I been like a big slug. I hope my energy returns tomorrow. I love those daylilies. Mine have not popped open yet.
ReplyDeleteI generally don't seek out green beans, even fresh ones, but that photo of yours made me suddenly hungry for green beans. They sure are pretty. We're entering the not-so-pretty-after-work season, aren't we? Yesterday was the first day I started sweating, and by 10 a.m. I can deal with heat, but I despise the humidity. No matter; there are jobs to complete. It's time for over the top hydration, and plenty of breaks -- and working early and late, even unto sunset.
ReplyDeleteThat's awful about workers in Texas not getting any hydration or breaks. Much like farm workers but paid a bit more, and certainly trained a bit more. But it's still a hard job! Just as your growing food has become with that awful weather. I remember going back to Houston to visit relatives and unless it was December, it was most uncomfortable! (coming from Florida even.)
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