Not quite a desert yet!

We are having one of the driest, hottest summers on record. The dug well in our barn has pretty much run dry, so we've run a food-safe hose down from our house's outdoor tap to the barn. We have a drilled well for our house, which is considerably less likely to run dry.

The lawn is getting fried, but I'm watering the flowers and vegetable garden so they don't all die!

The forest fire risk in eastern Ontario is now rated extreme. The only place with a higher fire risk in Canada right now is the Northwest Territories. I can't remember it ever being so hot and dry anywhere I've lived in Canada.

None of this troubles Emily...

I took a pic of her and Gordon as he was carrying her in from the outdoor kitty cage today. We have just ordered some additional components for it, and are going to move it up near the house, with an entrance from the basement window so the cats can come and go as they please. We don't let our cats to free-range outside. I know people have differing opinions on this issue, but we just prefer to keep them contained. They can't kill songbirds this way,  they won't get run over, and no predators can get at them (we have many  around here that will snack on cats). The four kitties seem quite happy with their set-up!

Actually, the grass doesn't look all that bad in this photo. I think it got some water when I had the sprinkler on the flower bed. I have lots of bee balm, one of my favourite flowers. Our friend Tammy looks after all my flower beds now! This farm came with a ridiculous number of flower beds (16) and while I love them, I can't keep up with them. Not only does Tammy do a better job on my garden than I ever did, it leaves me more time to mess around in my vegetable garden, which is what I really enjoy.

All my flowers look healthier since Tammy took over.

Above is Tammy's favourite flower bed! (Hi Tammy!)

Love the bee balm (monarda.) I have several varieties.

Meanwhile, down behind the barn...

The grass is crispier here. Gordon and our friend Bruce have just about finished fencing my vegetable garden. I need a fence not because of deer, but because of my dogs, who steal my tomatoes and raspberries and whatever else tickles their fancy!

Here is the current bane of my existence...

...Colorado potato beetle larva, eating my potato plant leaf (and pooping copiously!) In the five years I've lived here, I have never had a problem with potato beetles. Until now! I have hand-picked (and drowned in soapy water) about 300 of them so far. I generally like bugs but these things disgust me! The war continues. Go back to Colorado, you little bastards!

Here are some happier photos from the veggie garden...

Green peppers!

Beets.

Red Russian kale. I think. I have a couple of varieties of kale on the go.

A ridiculous number of tomato plants for two people (16 or so) but I do love planting heirloom tomatoes. It will be nice to have a fence this year so that the dogs aren't eating them contantly and messing up the plants.

Although I planted many sunflowers this spring, this one self-seeded from last year.

Royal Burgundy beans. They are just starting to flower. The beans are purple but turn green when you cook them.

Some variety of red lettuce.

And hooray, raspberries! I planted raspberry canes two years ago and this year I'm getting the payoff. The canes only fruit in their second year.

Black currants.

Scarlet runner beans. Thanks for the seeds, Ronna!

I think this is one of my Lumina pumpkin plants. White pumpkins!

Horseradish on the left, and the stuff in bloom is lemon catnip. The cats don't like the lemon variety, but the bees sure do!

And...

...my sunflower forest, not blooming yet! I planted several rows and about six different types. I can't wait until they are all in bloom.

Hope your garden is happy too!