Not Much Going On - August 24, 2023

 No, there's not much going on.  While the temperatures are down to tolerable levels, it's been too smoky to go out.  Yesterday was a bit better, only orange, the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" color.  I'm one of the "sensitive groups" by virtue of my age I think, being what I figure they'd call "older adults."  I'm not sure how old is "old" in this case.  The air stinks, and makes me and Mickey sneeze, and my eyes sting, so we stay in.  

Here are a few garden photos.

This is Pink Panther catmint.  It's a Japanese catmint, Nepeta subsessilis, and likes it damper than other catmints.  I grew it from seed this past winter, wintersowing.  The flowers are larger than my other catmints.  It's not as pink as I'd expected.

I'd cut back some of the butterfly weed and it's blooming again, although much less than before.  No butterflies, but the honeybees love it.  

A chunk of Ponderosa pine bark.  I have no idea where it came from, I don't have any Ponderosa pines.  It's a pretty big chunk, and while it may have come in a bag of bark chips I would have thought I'd have noticed before now.  When I was a little girl you can probably guess what I called these trees.  "Jigsaw Puzzle Trees"   I'd see them on vacations in the Sierra Nevada and other northern CA areas.  The bark also smells yummy, like vanilla.  Not this old piece.

Usually the cats are not in my room at night.  However with the poor air quality I have to leave the windows closed, so for circulation leave my bedroom door open.  The cats love it!  Mickey gets a little treat at bedtime, which I leave prepared on the top of the dresser.  While I was getting ready for bed Benny jumped (or somehow transported his 25lb bulk) up and ate five Charlee Bears and mangled one of what we call "Doggy Newtons" (because they  look like tiny Fig Newtons).  Mickey gets four Charlee Bears and one Doggy Newton at bedtime, three Charlee Bears when we get up. 

I'll have to go out and water the front yard this morning.  The overcast, clouds and smoke, have kept things from drying out too quickly, but I'm pushing it in front.