Cool Is A State Of Mind

This is proving to be a challenging summer. Thus far it’s been or at least feels like one continuous heatwave. As such I don’t do well in the heat but when it gets unseasonably hot, I tend to wither up. Needless to say, I’m struggling! Going over the work still pending in the garden does not help at all. But, after days of frustration and whining, I’m learning to accept the situation for what it is.

Acceptance does not in any way mean I’m okay with the circumstances. It simply means I’m not going to let it keep me in a bad mood. That bad mood was making matters worse. By stepping back and taking a few deep breaths has allowed me to gain perspective. I really am seeing things with a cooler head.

Until now, I’d been grumpy. Looking at my to-do list got me worked up as the heat and humidity was simply too much to do any substantive work. And, when I did do something, it was with a bad attitude because I was not working at my best. Naturally, it did not leave me satisfied as there was none of the endorphin high that typically comes from being outdoors in Nature. Pausing to reconsider the state of things was exactly the antidote to my foul attitude.

Having been on top of chores until the temperatures soared meant the garden was in decent health and condition. Stuff like trimming the espaliers to keep the shapes/patterns, cutting back overgrown plants, editing overly exuberant members in the meadow were for me just too arduous in the heat and humidity. Even watering the myriad pots, a task I really enjoy doing was unpleasant because armies of alert mosquitoes struck in unison. I’ve never been so attacked within a matter of minutes. Slathering bug repellent is effective armor but it meant adding to my discomfort as my skin felt smothered and sweated even more. Totally vile and miserable. But what’s the alternative? Automated watering would work. However, that also means complete lack of oversight. To start, in this weather, different plants require different amounts of water. Over or under watering can destroy plants. Then, I’d fail to notice any disease from fungus and such which are very likely when humidity is so high. Finally, I would be depriving myself the pleasure of seeing what is flowering and/or fruiting.

Note: the rest of the garden is hardly ever watered as the plants are expected to adapt and cope on their own. Mulching really helps. Having mostly native plants and ecologically beneficial non-natives translates to tough and hardy.

So what have I resolved? For one thing, having appreciated that the garden is as well as it can be, I’m not going to sweat the small stuff. Both literally and figuratively! Doing only the essential is enough for now. That means watering as required – for which I will be wearing bug repellent. The other chore is weeding. A little at a time and only when I’m able. I will not berate myself when I fail to get to it. Everything else will have to wait till conditions improve. That’s just the way it must be. It will be okay, the plants are more resilient than I.

So the garden will look wilder than usual. Possibly a bit haggered too. These days, that pretty much describes me as well. No worries, we will match!

Having a tempered, realistic attitude goes a long way to keeping ones cool.

Note: I make it a point to keep the birdbath frequently refreshed with cool fresh water and, the hummingbird feeders are replenished daily as the sugar water can easily start fermenting in high temperatures and that would be toxic to the tiny birds.

What’s happening in the garden right now –