Seattle Homesick Blues, Part 2

A shady glade in the West Seattle Community College Arboretum (that's Lorene Edwards Forkner, one of the Fling organizers ... you'll hear more about her soon)

Today was the first time I ventured outside of the house in the afternoon since I returned from Seattle last Wednesday evening and I am now experiencing serious Pacific Northwest withdrawal symptoms. Only this morning, I toiled for several hours in the warm and humid environs of my corner of Katy, savoring the light breeze that made being outside almost pleasant. But when I headed out to run errands at 4:00 pm, it was anything but.  The temperature was 106 degrees per the Weather Underground Station in my subdivision and I felt every frassin' degree.   I am NOT going back out there no matter how many droopy plants I can see through the windows ... they'll just have to tough it out.

Rosa 'Mutabilis' in the garden of Shelagh Tucker. The 'Mutabilis' I planted in early May fell victim to heat and drought.

One of my stops on my outing was Lowe's, where I went looking for the kids' beach umbrellas that my fellow blogger Leslie found at her store in Davis.  Clever and resourceful woman that she is, she immediately recognized that they'd make great sunshades for plants.  Yes, I just said that my plants would have to tough it out and they will.  My intent is that the umbrellas will protect them from the rays of the Death Star and give the foliage a chance to transpire rather than expire.  When the ambient air temperature is over 100 for days on end, gardens tend not to look so good.  And the Head Gardener ... well, she looks as pitiful as the plants!

Deep in the woods of the Bloedel Reserve

Speaking of temperature, you may notice that I've reset the date on the countdown widget to October 1st.  I couldn't handle the psychological trauma that ensued every time I looked at it.  Even though I fear that October will indeed fail to live up to my hopes of cooler weather, I've spent so many years counting October 1st as my benchmark that I decided it was necessary for my emotional health to continue to do so.  However, if October is indeed as hot as it was last year, I may suffer a breakdown of such proportions that a return trip to Seattle is required.  I'll go straight from the airport to the Bainbridge Island ferry and from there I'll head straight for Bloedel Reserve.  Deep in the forest primeval, I'll celebrate the cool and misty green beauty and wait for summer to end so I can return to my corner of Katy and pick up my trowel.