As of yesterday summer is officially here, and I must say it is here with a vengeance. Does it just seem hotter or is it really so? I think it must be the lack of water from the heavens that makes it seem so. I am doing my best to keep the green flowering things moist enough to survive in the midst of quite an unfamiliar drought. It is amazing how creative one can get with conserving water, and as my family and I have observed, we should have been doing it all along. It only makes sense to save the water that runs out while you are trying to heat the water before showering. It also makes sense to catch the condensation from the air conditioner and use it. We have become quite resourseful since being threatened with sanctions. Along with quite a few new plantings in our yard, we are also trying to keep tomoatoes, peppers, and squash plants alive and productive. We are fervently praying for rain.

And now, with the official start of summer, comes the finalization of the summer articles for Charm & Grace. There are so many fun summer subjects with which to deal, I am quite enjoying myself in the process. However, I am still learning so much about the ins and outs of web design and coding, that it really cuts into my creative time. Hope to have the new articles up and running sometime tomorrow. So, I must get to the task at hand. May you find something joyful among the summer articles which will enrich your day! TTFN… (that’s “Tigger-speak” meaning Ta Ta For Now!)

I suppose a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but some roses have very appropriate names. For instance, the Tropicana rose (left) is a wonderfully citrus-scented beauty with a bloom the color of the meat of a ripe grapefruit. Really, a picture can’t do it justice. This is one rose that really should be viewed in person. The deep coral-orange of the bloom is breathtaking. I have enjoyed quite a few blossoms these past couple of weeks from the last rose bush in my rose garden to bloom. I must say, it was well worth the wait.

However, the weather has taken a definite southward turn (or northward if you are measuring it by degrees.) This week we will see temperatures in the upper 90s and 100s. And while that is fairly typical for our area, it is not typical to be experiencing a stage III drought alert. We need rain and need it badly. We are being threatened with sanctions for overusing our water resources. This means no extra watering of outside plants, and so I must admit that my roses and other flora will definitely be suffering (rather scorching!) I have planted several things this spring which may not make it if we don’t see some rain and soon. Well, enough about our depressed water situation. There are still so many things that summer brings… swimming in cool blue water, late afternoon siestas, a nice walk through a local botanical garden (preferably in the shade), and family time for things (like picnics and day trips) that we don’t always have at other times in the year.

I am wishing, for your family and mine, time to be together often and to find many ways to celebrate summer!