Normally I have beautiful garden and yard posts for this time of year.
This last month has been....well...WET and more than depressing here in Chicagoland.
I ran out tonight to take these pictures between the storms tonight.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
We did composite decking on the front steps last year, but they are slick with water all the time.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Ever since Father's Day---we have been busy with projects, RAIN, more projects, RAIN, family, RAIN, gardening between the RAIN and some insufferable heat and humidity, and more RAIN.
Hubby has been working at a friend's REDO house, so even when it is nice for a few moments, I'm not outside alone because I'm deathly allergic to bees and bugs stings in general. So dead-heading and trimming have been at a minimum, let alone removing weeds.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
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| oldnewgreenredo |
The Holly Hocks are wet petticoats, full and tipped over from the wet.
We live on a rise/ridge outlying Northwest Chicagoland. We haven't been really able to go West, North, or East for the last week with all the flooding. Tonight there are power outages for thousands.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
This is our roof addition from two weeks ago, which saved our finished basement. We had a strip of concrete poured all along the foundation almost 3-feet wide, but we still had water.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Thankfully, it was up when the record 5-6" inches of rain fell in one 24 hour period.
We had burned-out two sump pumps the week before---because of so much rain,
and the drainage system just needed help in our 1972 house.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Our new walkway---the spill over the planters, from plugged 3/8" drain holes.
I have abandoned every saucer under all our planters or pots.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
The church pew is totally saturated, the back opened up and water filled it. I think it may be totaled.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
This was a newly painted bird house last year.
Thats mold and lichen on it, and the screw has slipped out from
the weight of the water probably inside. There was a family in there earlier.
It has been over a week now---and the flood waters are still high on the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers--so many people have suffered. The last two nights we had pouring rain again for hours, with the pre-requisite lightening and thunder. And now again tonight. I feel so for those people surrounding us, who are suffering with still high water and more on the way. Tonight my kids are out of power,so we may have houseguests.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Some plants are ecstatic, especially anything tropical, with the heat, humidity and rain.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Others don't even want to open.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Back where it isn't as soggy, more Holly Hocks are blooming. That's our neighbors' construction mud pile, they are having a hard time with their big yard project. They basically have a swimming pool where their patio will be poured and laid with stone.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
We have mold, everywhere. Hubby dashed out and cut grass yesterday morning--it's sticking to everything, as it rained before we could get it collected.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
This is a huge pot, and the tall fronds are pounded down. I will try and tie them up again tomorrow.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
The entire garden is kinda sickly. Plants are a peculiar yellow green, or lime,
when they should be dark rich green.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Spindly from the lack of light. The yellow black-eyed Susan's have lots of flowers,
but just as many holes in their leaves.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Tomatoes are overgrown and stressed.
Lots of dead material on the lower branches and spotted leaves.
Luckily we grow our tomatoes from seed, and there are a lot of them.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Zuchinni blooms, we have had only 2 squash and one pickle so far.
Hubby picked a few small tomatoes today, they are splitting on the vine.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
My dill is 5 feet high, but no cucumbers.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
My lettuce is only 3 feet high, honestly it was fine on Monday?
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Saturated patio bricks, that crumbled.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
The ditch that wasn't really a ditch before.
This lily hadn't bloomed for several years, because it normally is so dry right there.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Our street blocked now by our neighbor's Mulberry.
The trunk is over twenty feet away from the street.
We have to take it back or not see traffic.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Potato vine LOVES it all.
Bachelor buttons not so much they are laying down and calling, "UNCLE".
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| oldnewgreenredo |
My front porch lettuce is getting ready to explode, I try and cut tomorrow, just in case.
I ran outside tonight (Friday, July 21st) to take these photos between the storms tonight.
I use boot trays only $2 instead of the $7 they want for the saucers for these planters.
But we really are okay, it's just ugly everywhere in our yard.
We just feel-- for all those who are not, okay.
How's your garden growing?
Thanks always for visiting.
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.
All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.
Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission.
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle
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Sandi
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Oh my goodness, Sandi, that is a lot of rain. How disappointing for you. Your Hollyhocks are so pretty though. I hope those rain clouds blow away and reveal a sunny blue sky. I am thinking you could do with a lot of sunshine right about now.
ReplyDeleteI hope so too, for all the people under record floodwaters. Thanks for stopping and commiserating, Sandi
DeleteThanks, yes we could use some dry anything. Only a sprinkle yesterday-high in the 90's today, hopefully for all those people affected by the still record high rivers will get a break. My buried internet is being effected, so I'm in and out. Thanks, Sandi
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about all of the storms... it has been a different kind of year this year!
ReplyDeleteIt's been crazy for lots of people. We have seemed to become the victims of the extremes everywhere, be it hot, cold, tornadoes, or hurricanes. So far it is the 6th wettest July on record, and we have a week to go.Thanks for stopping by, Sandi
DeleteI totally understand about the rain - Florida is in it's rainy season. Frequent rain and everything in the garden is exploding with growth. I envy your flowers that I can't grow.
ReplyDeleteYour flower photographs are beautiful, but the rain . . .! I thought we had a lot of rain here in NC, but we've had nothing like you have. I hope you dry out soon. I'll be checking back for pictures of dry land. My prayers are with you.
ReplyDeleteI could take pictures of the mounds of weeds and clippings I hacked away at yesterday. Our burn pit has water in it...so i can't stash anymore there. Lol, pray for all the 'real' victims along our rivers, it's really sad. Sandi
DeleteWhat an ordeal! Way to much of a good thing. I hope you all find relief soon. So nice that you found time for a visit to me. Glad you liked the Guy Wolff pots!
ReplyDeleteAh but Nature does so LOVE and Show Out with all that rain and moisture... I recall in England how very Green everything was where it rained almost daily... and Hawaii too... so lush, but in different ways! Thanks for Sharing your Garden, it's Lovely even tho' the rains have caused some carnage on the man-made things, those that Nature provides are just thriving aren't they?
ReplyDeletePS: Had to grin about the 3 foot Lettuce! Ha ha ha
DeleteI've seen photos of the flooding, I'm glad you didn't have to deal with that, too. You do look like things were saturated there...then when the sun comes out things grow like a jungle. Last week we had 7" of rain and tree branches down...and we look so overgrown and messy. One of those years. I can't complain though, as we've had no damage to speak of!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are safe Linda, here it is August 21, and we are still dealing with pounding rainfalls every couple of days. Thanks for stopping by, sorry to be so late, missed this comment.
DeleteGlad you are safe Linda, here it is August 21, and we are still dealing with pounding rainfalls every couple of days. Thanks for stopping by, sorry to be so late, missed this comment.
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