This is not news to anyone. We’ve been about a month with little rain and are seriously behind in total rainfall. The heat, even for mid-July is dreadful. Maybe I say that every year but it’s been bad. I worry for the wee furry ones but they’re holding up fine. They take turns laying belly up in various places during the day and night and follow me around when I’m home.

Although the well seems just fine, my Yankee nature I guess has kicked in and I’ve been saving grey water for the gardens. I know the plants appreciate it (even the weeds) and my hope is to keep any rain from running off. I can tell in the front bed that the years of leaves and humus really help hold the moisture and the hostas look happy no matter what.

In the night I arc
the pail of soapy water
to thirsty flowers.

I, quilting again,
although the weather too hot
I keep sweat from work

Church basements of old
where ladies passed days quilting
the heat escaping.

the nearby iced glass
beaded in condensation
beckons to dry lips.

The thread spools quickly
the needle bouncing up-down
drawing out the line.

While the line travels
drawing thread over the quilt
dracula’s tale spins.

What’s up with the CBS6 news poll takers – 60% of them agreed with the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to exclude gays from the organization? (If you’re looking at this today, July 18, go here to take poll.

I agree with an idea tossed about elsewhere. If you’re not open to everyone, your organization should fail the tax-exempt test: you’re a private club. I wouldn’t be at all sad to see gender-based organizations from fading away too. bye bye.

I tried to leave my own vote and commented that:

Organizations that exclude based on sexual preference should lose their tax-exempt status. This is poor citizenship and demonstrates only intolerance.

She is such a good storyteller!

The RoundUp worked finally on the poison ivy along the drive way. I was beginning to think it wasn’t and had applied it again, remembering to do it early in the day. But now it’s all disappearing. That will make mowing less scary. I know my neighbor is quite reactive to it although I’ve never been bothered by it. I don’t like chopping it up and spraying it around though.

The heat has brought a relaxation to those who obsessively mow their lawns, which is also good news. I regretted mowing mine last time – I should have checked to make sure the blade was as high as it would go. But done is done.

I gave all the cats little cat baths with a wash cloth as a feeble attempt to make them a bit cooler. Deirdre and Molly thought it was quite nice but the two boys thought I was trying to kill them.

I’m sitting here drinking iced tea and have a jar of it and an ice-bottle in my insulated cooler. I’m going to see if I can trick myself into some quilting work by dangling dracula before me…