The Cat Days of Summer….

When it’s 90+ degrees in the shade…

…note to self:turn off the solar pool heater…

…with no cooling afternoon rains…

…and even at 8 AM it’s too hot and humid to do much in the garden….

…what else can you expect from the Chief of Security…..

…… but this?

….can you blame her?

:: stay cool :::

Mid-July Blooms….

This morning was cool,as July Florida mornings go.

It motivated me to get to work on getting the gardens back into shape(after the contractors made a mess).

It’s been awhile since I took an early morning stroll,camera in hand,through the garden.

Orchids in bloom…

took this one up to the lanai,to enjoy the blooms

this one,too

Ground orchids…

Bromeliads…

Jamaican Wild Coffee…

Casearia sylvestris - Flacourtiaceae

Simpson Stopper/Twinberry  (Myrcianthes fragrans) blooms….

and berries….

the birds are having a field day with the berries….

Blue Butterfly Bush

clerodendrum ugandense

and the Plumeria are still going strong….

What’s blooming in your mid-July garden?

Remember…..

           when the kitchen looked like this?

no counter space.

Screams 70’s,doesn’t it?

 

Now,it looks like this….

and this….

and this…

and this….

The antique lights were an eBay find.

 

The new laundry room looks like this….

One of my favorite things,

a print from Erich,the Younger,

that he brought back from his recent trip to England….

and this….

things still needed to be done,in red…The cabinets were put together by #1 grandson,Kyle…..

 

A few of my favorite things……

 

the new window sill…

 

Display space…..

The new sink and faucet….

And this….

the door! from a salvage yard,the hardware was bought on line.

and this….

A tempered glass cutting board.A gift from a friend….

 

Some thoughts on kitchen renovation…

~ it will take longer than the contractor says.

~ no one shows up when they say they will…….

~ be prepared for bumps in the road.We had quite a few.Broken pipes,floods,etc.….

~ doing dishes in the bathroom is not fun….

~ just keep thinking how great it will be when all the trades are out of your hair,and gone

~ the yard and garden will be torn up,too.Trades have a habit of walking right straight through your garden….

~ have everything ready before they start the renovation.To avoid delays,our contractor had me order the appliances,lighting,sink and faucet,drawer hardware,etc. before they even started working on the kitchen.Of course,everything was stored all over the house,but it did help avoid delays.

~ dust,dust,dust everywhere!It’s unavoidable.Just do what you can.

 

Sooo…

 

now,

I need to get to work on the yard………

Hold the phone!!!!!

…..but the plumeria are blooming!!!

Not one…..

No sirree,Bob….

But three….

Three different ones….

Three different colors….

All at once!!!!!

…..never,ever happened before…..

The white….

First time for this one,and I’ve had it for over 5 years…

The yellow….

Third bloom for this one

….and the deep pink….

Second bloom for this one….

Now,if only the orange, and the orange and white striped ones would bloom…..

Life is good….

p.s.: the kitchen reno is almost done.Just the fine tuning left to be done.Stay tuned for a photo tour.