Fatigue and a few flowers

Good morning, everyone. I've been away from my window for a few days, limited to just quick little visits, due to an unusual work schedule. Work a night, off a night, work, off, and work again. Since these are twelve-hour night shifts, that many in such proximity can keep you busy. Sleep becomes the Holy Grail.

Anyway, it's over and I have a few nights off, back to back. My daughter and granddaughter and grandson are coming tonight for a quick weekend visit, and I'm looking forward to that. I must fire up the front-end loader and clean the house before they get here, but that needed to be done anyway.

The view from my window this morning is about what you'd expect as July dies and August is born. Colors are fading, and many have disappeared completely as the relatively tender annuals succumb to the brutal heat. Even the tough and resilient coneflowers have faded, their bright pinks and purples turning a weary gray. Enough of them have dried and gone to seed to ensure their return next year, so George pulled them up on Tuesday, along with everything else that was spent and done. Everything that remains out there now is semi-permanent, as tolerant of this heat as anything can be expected to be, and is mostly foliar, with a few flowers here and there.

The barberry is beautiful, it just doesn't seem to mind the heat, and its pretty purple-green foliage is so nice. The knockout roses are blooming very lightly. In spite of the publicity that surrounds them - everblooming, never need to be deadheaded, etc. - they do benefit from some pruning and deadheading now and then, and I haven't done that. I need to get out there with some sharp shears and a trash bag, and give them a quick haircut. They'll reward me in a couple of weeks with a fresh flush of blooms.

The crape myrtles are blooming, but again very lightly. They're not doing too well this year, I think I need to feed them. I have a bag of organic fertilizer in the garage, it's just been too hot to get out there and apply it. It's almost too late now, though. I'm not sure that fertilizing and forcing bloom this late into the heat season is a good idea. I must ask John, my neighbor with the garden center, who is my resident consultant.

There's a bit of color out there still. Black-eyed Susans back by the fence, yellow lantana near the bird-bath boulder, pink and purple verbena brightening up one end of the rose island, and multi-color moss rose (I love moss rose) sprawling across the little side path by the pond. An occasional water lily graces the pond itself - one is a brilliant blue, and is so pretty.

A yellow one bloomed a couple of days ago, and the pink one bloomed earlier in the summer, but seems to be about done with it now. The lotus, of course, gave me one incredible flower, and that's all. I hear that they often produce several, but mine has never bloomed more than once each season. Too bad - but that one bloom is worth it. Gorgeous!

Speaking of gorgeous, I got a lovely surprise earlier this week. There are probably at least twenty-five varieties of iris out there, and while they put on a spectacular show in the spring, for the rest of the year they're just an ever-increasing spread of spiky gray-green foliage. Not unattractive, but I like flowers better. Fortunately, there are a few exceptions. There are some varieties which are classified as "remontant" which means they'll re-bloom later in the summer, or very early fall. One of those rebloomers is "Total Recall", and it's well named. Here's what it gave me on July 28!

This particular beauty has a very tight blooming habit, meaning that the flowers are closely spaced along the stem, and some are double-socketed - two blooms emerging at almost the same time from one bloom socket. This gives a lovely mop-head style to the flowers, and they're just so pretty.

I have several remontants out there, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there will be more flowers this summer. Even the commercial growers will tell you that remontancy is not guaranteed - it's strictly up to the iris! It's possible that Total Recall will be the only one. On the other hand, there may be several more. Harvest of Memories will probably put in an appearance, it usually does. It's a much deeper yellow than Total Recall, more like a deep gold. It's behind the fountain boulder, and is gorgeous when it rises up and waves to me over the top of that rock. It rebloomed last year, I hope it stays true to form.

And now I have some very good news. My friend Joe is doing very well, after the terrifying events of the past week or so. He had a pacer/defibrillator implanted yesterday, and will possibly go home today, if not then tomorrow for sure. His activity will be limited for a while, but if I know him, he'll find a way. He'll get his helper to drive him, and they'll keep working. I certainly covet his presence here, to advise and suggest, especially as the seasons change, but if he thinks he's going to pick up a shovel, he's got another think coming. Like most men, he's a bit muley when it comes to taking care of himself, but I think this chain of events has gotten his attention, so perhaps he'll be a bit more cooperative.

His wife is planning to camp on his trail and make him behave. She called me last night with an update, and it was so good to hear joy and hope in her voice, instead of the fear that was there the last time we spoke. I know many of you have been praying for him along with me. Please continue. God is good.

And now, I must get busy. Stay out of the heat, everyone, if you can.