July 9th

Today has a distinction, at least in my memory,

of being the day in 1982 when PanAm flight 759

crashed into the ground in Kenner after being forced

down by a microburst. 

It killed all on board and several on the ground.

153 souls.

This is a memorial set up at 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help church.

I've never been to see it.

I really didn't even know it was there.

I'll have to visit to pay my respects.

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Jeez, it's only the beginning of July and the days 

are in the '90's!!

Currently, it's 90 degrees and 

according to my phone weather app,

it feels like 102!

I can attest that it does.

We are in the Dog Days of Summer.

What is that exactly?

Well, I looked it up....

It lasts from July 3rd to August 11th.

It was thought to be so hot

(per the Greeks & Romans)

that it would drive dogs and men mad.

It gets its name from Sirius the dog star.

Sirius is associated with drought, heat.

mad dogs, lethargy, bad luck ......

(a bunch of unfortunate events)

Well, clearly they lived in the Mediterranean

area with a reasonably mild summer,

and not in south Louisiana!

And...

it's not even August or September yet!

(how hot is it you ask?)

It's so hot....

that our hens are laying hard boiled eggs,

that my seat belt doubles as a branding iron,

that it's hotter than 2 hamsters farting in a wool sock,

that Jehovah's Witnesses began telemarketing.

that the beach sand turned to glass,

that.....

Ok, I'll stop now.

I really need to get it together,

because this heat makes

me realize I can't go to hell!

👿

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The backyard farm is getting droopy.

Typical of this time in the season.

The current crop of tomatoes has 

played out, but the new ones aren't

big enough to plant yet.

We are still getting cucumbers, onions,

celery and our herbs.

The CEO planted cantaloupes and watermelon.

Cantaloupes

These 2 are the size of the ones you get 

in the grocery.

We'll harvest them this weekend.

Watermelons

These 2 watermelons are

approximately the size of my fist.

You can already see their stripes.

There's still some Brussels sprouts...

sprouting,

These are carrots.

Hopefully they'll grow in a normal way.

Not like the Chernobyl looking ones

we grew in the early spring.

***********************************

The begonias are

doing well, but something is

making a meal of the lantanas

Begonias

Lantana

It's probably the caterpillars, but

I haven't seen any lately.

Gardenia

*********************************

I recently read an online article that said

most chickens can't swim.

I did some further research and

read where, not only can they

swim, their ancestors island hopped

in the southeast Asia area and spread

their ancestral roots to China and India.

They could have survived typhoons

and were blown/swam to the islands.

But,

they really don't like water.

Their feathers will get waterlogged

but dry off quickly.

Our girls will forage in a slight drizzle,

but when it comes to a downpour,

they head for cover.

Yeah, yeah,

I'm talking about ya'll,

Pepper.

*******************

In keeping with the Dog Days,

remember...

No matter what life brings,

Kick some grass

over that shit

and move on!