Flowers, Food for Thought

How Far North Do You Have to Go?

39 Comments

This summer, the weather in central Maine has been miserable—hot and humid, with mold growing where it usually doesn’t grow. On Saturday, it was so hot and humid that I spent the afternoon on the couch. I just didn’t have the energy to do anything else, even though there is always much to do around here.

That night, Clif and I went to the Theater at Monmouth to see Enchanted April, and my friend Alice was there. We commiserated about the uncomfortable weather and how the recent thunder storms have done nothing to relieve the heat and humidity.

“It’s just like Pennsylvania,” I said, remembering a long-ago vacation when the girls were young. After that trip, we decided never to leave Maine in the summer again.

“It’s just like southern New Jersey,” Alice replied. “That’s why my family went to Vermont for the summer.”

Heading north has been a time-honored way of escaping the heat, but how far north do you have to go nowadays? Recently I read that because of extreme heat, fires are raging above the Arctic circle. You can’t go much farther north than that.

But on Saturday, I felt revived after seeing the delightful Enchanted April, a story about loosening up, just a little, so that life can be better appreciated. And last night, the humidity broke. It was so chilly that I had to add an extra blanket to my bed. A very good night for sleeping.

Then there are the flowers of late July, the last hurrah for my gardens. I usually have black-eyed Susans to perk up August, but this year they haven’t done well, and I only have a few blossoms here and there. I have had those black-eyed Susans for many, many years. It might be time to replace them.

Anyway, here are some of the lovelies from my gardens.

My favorite daylily. What a mouth-watering red!

This one seems to glow from within.

This daylily is more delicate, but I love its pale beauty.

Hostas aren’t known for their beautiful flowers, but the fringe of purple brightens the shady front garden.

As does this balloon flower.

The meteorologists predict more hot and humid weather for the middle of the week. It looks as though no matter where you live, extreme weather is here to stay, and we just have to learn to adapt to it.

And perhaps not release so much carbon into the atmosphere?

Just a thought.

 

39 thoughts on “How Far North Do You Have to Go?”

  1. Beautiful flowers Laurie and so glad the temperature has dropped a bit for a good night’s sleep. We are grateful for a similar return to cooler nights, it has been a long hot Summer! 🙂💖 xxx

    1. Thanks, Susan. I saw the film long ago and really liked it. I liked seeing it on stage,
      too, last Saturday. I have never read the book, but have put it on my TBR pile.

  4. There is so much common ground in your post with my life. I live in South Jersey like your friend Alice. I was born in PA. I love daylilies and all lilies…and BEST OF ALL, Enchanted April is in my top ten of favorite movies. When Melarche is in the exploding bathroom I laugh every time. The whole movie is a jewel. I watch it when I can’t sleep at night or when I feel ill. Definitely worth having on DVD.

    1. So nice! I saw the movie long ago and remember liking it very much. Yes, a DVD to own. It was also great seeing it on stage last Saturday.

      1. Oh, it was on stage…didn’t know that. I’ve seen some Youtube renditions of it on stage. How wonderful!

  5. We used to live in Sydney and I found the humidity in Summer quite debilitating.
    I love all your flowers. .. they are obviously thriving on the heat & humidity.

    1. Yes, flowers thrive where people wilt. Back in the day, it never used to be so humid in Maine.

  8. Love your day lilies! I have not had any since we lived in NJ. Someday I will get some landscaping around here! Until then I will enjoy your photos!

  9. Your flowers are lovely! Every summer, I always think I need to get more day lilies – but where would I put them in my already-full gardens?

    1. We do, and over the past 8 years, it has gotten more extreme. Time was when Maine summers were glorious. Not anymore. Never thought we would need A/C, but we are seriously considering it.

  11. This weather reminds me of living in St. Louis and Kansas City. I thought I’d left the oppressively hot and humid stuff behind. Fooled me. I work out in it, but I use the a/c to be comfortable once I come inside. 🙂

    1. I know just what you mean. I never thought Maine summers would be this way. As I think you know, we don’t have a/c—never needed it!—but we are seriously considering getting a unit for our living room.

      1. A couple of our neighbors who never had A/C bought a window unit this year to strategically place in their house to just pull the humidity out. We can all survive it being a little warmer than we might prefer, but that humidity is like living in a swamp. The humidity here right now is 100% while the temperature is only 64. A/C is running. 🙂

      2. So true. Even the mid-80s doesn’t feel too bad if the humidity is low. On the other hand, when it’s high, I feel like a wet noodle.

  12. Isn’t this weather weird? And we Yankees don’t have the AC to battle the heat–we usually haven’t needed it. Your flowers look quite happy, though!

    1. You got that right! We never thought we would be seriously considering whether we should by an air conditioner. Very different from what it was like here even 15 years ago. And, yes, the flowers are very happy.

  13. Luscious day lilies – the petals would be superb on a salad!
    I have been seriously thinking of going to Scotland if the hot weather continued, but it has broken now and much more pleasant – Phew!

    1. Thanks, Sandra! Glad the heat has broken for you. Still hot and humid here. Sigh.

  14. Your flowers are lovely and look like they have survived the horrible summer weather conditions wonderfully! I have no desire for time to go by faster than it already is, but I will be very happy tomorrow that we are one month closer to fall. The cold fronts have not been cold enough and the humidity has been horrible this summer. We will be escaping to the movie theater this week to see the new Mission: Impossible movie.

    1. Many, many thanks! Horrible summer weather here, too, and this is Maine. So unlike the way it was even 15 years ago. And guess where we are going tomorrow? To see Mission Impossible. 😉

  15. Bizzaro weather alright. Seattle is 90F. Maine hot and muggy. Last weekend, in WV we had delightful 70F without rain. Now flash floods warnings hang over our heads (or along our roads). All the rain may turn our tomato harvest into mush. Hmmmm. – Oscar

    1. Oh, gosh! So sorry about the tomatoes and hope the flash floods aren’t too bad. Very weird weather indeed.

  16. Your day lilies are glorious, Laurie! We have had extreme weather this year too and are just coming out of a drought. Enchanted April is one of my most favourite books and films.

    1. Thank, Clare! Hope you get plenty of rain. I have ordered Enchanted April from our interlibrary loan system. I will be reading it soon.

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