Before we leave. . . . . . . . . .

Monday morning. 

Sun shining. 

No rain coming for the entire week.

No wind blowing. 

Humidity a bit lower. 

Temperature a comfortable 80F - in the shade!

The kind of day I've been waiting for.
Time for spraying - but not plants!
The back garden is not very pretty now after many weeks of constant heat
 and dryness, however today it provided a good airy outdoor space to get busy
preparing our clothes, travel bags etc. for the upcoming Kenya trip.

We already had several pre-treated clothes from past Africa visits, however they've

been laundered a lot so have probably lost much of their insect repellency. 

Other items we are taking also need help as mosquitoes continue to 

spread malaria and now zika. Spraying with Permethrim is not something we

really like to do but with me who has a serious allergic reaction to

 mosquitoes - and oh how they love me - I cannot take a chance. Will also

be spraying any exposed skin with a Deet repellent often once we're settled 

in our camp.

Guess I can leave perfume at home this trip!

It's always quite a rigmarole getting everything in order for safari or expedition

 type vacations. With luggage sizes/weight restrictions, especially when small bush

 planes are used, you need to take only what you will really/truly/honestly require.

 Good planning and a bit of ruthless editing when actually doing that final pack is

 definitely required. 

The items are all dry now and taken indoors. 

Thankfully this product is just about odor-free and does not stain fabric.

We have a good handle on what we'll be packing in a couple of weeks - so Bob I and

 are now spending an hour or so on this beautiful afternoon going through our

 'KENYA' folders and weeding out paperwork we've doubled up on, and thereby 

minimize what we need to haul in our backpacks.

In the sultry August garden. . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . not an awful lot is happening here in the southeast.

 Funny how all the scurrying about in the Spring months, preparing for Summer

 blooms and fragrance, suddenly comes to a full stop once the weather changes.

Yes, weather dictates everything happening in the garden here. 

Once days become torrid under a blazing sun, and bugs are biting non-stop,

I have to pack away my garden tools and leave most outdoor chores to

nature. . . . . . .and Bob with the mower! 

The lantana is one of few plants blooming right now and is obviously 

 loved by these really huge swallowtails.

How perfect is this gentle painted creature!

We're harvesting figs just about daily. As we can't reach fruits 

at the top, birds, bees and other insects are feasting up there non stop

 which is fine with us. Share the harvest say I.

For the readers who wanted to see what a fig tree looks like,

here's the Celeste which has matured into a giant - it started 

here as a small 18" potted plant several years back. 

A second tree, almost as large, is on the far side of the garden!

Pruning is definitely on the agenda later this year when these beautiful

palmate leaves fall and we can see the branches again.

Hope your Summer garden is lovely.  Enjoy the weekend.

Good morning sunshine…

While picking up the newspaper at 7:30 am today, I took these pics. 

The sun is shining again at last, the grass is so green for August after 

several days with some really heavy rain. 

If you were close by I'd be showering you with fresh picked 

figs today. 

They're plump and juicy and the birds are feasting. 

I have so many now and I'm 'fig jammed out'!

Hey, if you ARE nearby and you want to help yourself, please 

call me or come on over, you're welcome to pick all you want.

Also greeting me this morning, a couple of beautiful sunflowers at long last. 

Their faces have been searching for the sun for over a week. 

Now they have unwrapped their golden petals and are shining brightly on this early August day.