Smoke and Rain

 The Canadian Wildfire smoke is back, laying heavy in the valleys of Western NY, burning your throat and eyes.  Even on our high hill I could smell it last evening. This morning the air quality is very bad, also damp and cool.  The air starts to burn your throat within minutes. Both my husband and I decided not to do our morning walks and I haven't tried putting my contact lenses in yet either.  I closed up the windows, turned up the air filter and put some beef tips in the crock pot.  Another day for laying low. The sun has just begun to try breaking through the fog and I hope it will stay and dry the leaves in the vegetable garden that are susceptible to mildew and rot.

We have had rain seven days straight.  That's not to say we have had no sunny days, but this unsettled low pressure spin keeps bringing either storms or driz from the north.  Personally, I love a good summer storm with thunderheads building through out the hot afternoon then passing, leaving a sunny evening with fresh breezes.  So, Mother Nature, if you are listening, I am placing my order for the upcoming weekend.  Rain should be followed by sunshine.

Daylilies beginning to bloom

The deer spray is doing its thing although it does seem a little futile to spray each evening when you know rain is on its way.  I also went around and gave all of the perennials a dose of Milorganite fertilizer and the combined malodorous funk has now permeated every corner of the landscape.

There are also a whole lot of mushrooms in the lawn.

Echinacea ("Sunset"?)

Echinacea Prima Ginger
The mature height of these is 12-16" and they were just planted from mail-order this spring

Happy Returns reblooming daylily

"Hello little firefly"

I've been out for a daily survey, and sprinkled slug bait around all of the Hostas.  It may be time to consider dosing the cucurbits with mildew treatment, although I hate to start that until I see some actual mildew somewhere.