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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