Ah June in Texas.

It’s supposed to be 103 tomorrow, did you know that? It’s so hot already I can get drenched in sweat if I wait until 10am to move 4 chickens into their run- this is not a difficult or time consuming task, just FYI.

Also I got drenched in sweat socially distancing with a friend catching up while walking around town lake in Austin . (This friend from high school, in fact! https://heytraveler.com) I was “dunked in a pool” soaked after that walk, but it was worth it as it was so nice to get out and see someone. The heat didn’t stop us, but it sure was a kick in the teeth.

It’s hard, isn’t it? To try to figure out what the right steps are as it pertains to the reopening? I don’t agree with the states levels of openness… but supplies, hospital beds, and treatment options are where they need to be… which is what we flattened the curve for after all. So still being outside and trying to be responsible while occasionally seeing friends is what I’m comfortable with… but not full on socializing. And yet, the girls (at least the older 2) are not to that point yet. The adolescent and teenage mind is very black and white, and making our own decisions about reopening and personal health practices is a real grey area.

But you can’t win either, you know? “You wear a mask you’re a sheep, you don’t and you’re a creep” as one of my coworkers said this week. (Be a sheep though, if you have to choose one or the other- though it’s honestly not the term I’d use to describe it.)

If I look at it like everyone is just trying their best it makes it easier… the hard part is it DOESN’T really look like people are trying their best though. I’m trying to have some, hmmm, grace about the whole thing? Is that the word? It doesn’t come easily though, lemme tell ya.

And that doesn’t even consider the protests into the middle of it all, you know? What a dumpster fire to have gigantic protests (which I support and am proud of the folks making a stand) at the same time as the biggest pandemic in 100 years? Our small, very conservative town had it’s own small protests around the plaza. Mostly teenagers holding signs. Good for them, you know? I’m proud of them.

theyshouldhaveallwornmasksbutwhatyagonnado.

But! Here in the garden the roses know of no disease or social unrest. Plants are good like that. Nature in general, actually, as it has no care for our paltry problems. I have always found that comforting. Sometimes in the past when I was troubled I’d stare at a tree, or (more often) the stars, and marvel at this beautiful thing that my issues meant absolutely nothing to. The stars cared nothing for me, and I, somehow, loved them more for it. I think it put my own troubles into perspective a little, they may have been important to me, but they were nothing compared to the scope of the universe.

And so here are the roses and other flowers, not batting an eye at the Texas heat, viral pandemic, and social unrest.

The garden has a pretty tight color scheme, honestly. Please know it’s through no intention on my part really, aside from buying plants in the colors I love, that is. The two purple roses perfectly match the color of a large salvia (you can see it on the right in the picture below of the dry creek), yellow, and pink. There is a smattering of white from the Mexican olives, and some purples from the culinary sage, horsemint, and Castroville basil. Then there is the concentrated shot of vibrant orange from the milkweed, pomegranate, and Mexican flame vine. That’s like… all the colors, now that I type it out- but I promise it reads as quite cohesive and not chaotic/riot of all the colors. (There is no dark purple, blue, or true red. Nor peach. Or…hmm. That’s it I guess.)

The tomatoes have hit that point where they are producing at shareable levels- and that seems earlier than in previous years. They are near on impossible to harvest though- it is a JUNGLE in there, lemme tell ya.

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That’s it- that’s all I got today. Hang in there and try to be nice to each other.