Today there’s a kind of strange, almost eerie, sight outside my window.  My birdfeeders, which are normally bustling with activity, have gotten very few hits.  I haven’t seen a lot of movement around the birdhouses, either; and, oddly enough, even the birdbaths aren’t getting as many visitors as usual.  So, the heat wave that we, along with a large portion of the country, are experiencing is, not surprisingly, affecting the wildlife as well.

Whether or not your area is now being scorched by temperatures that are nearing 100º, you’ve probably, at one time or another, been in the grip of a heat wave.  Indeed, nearly everyone knows how this feels (awful!), and that, when it gets life-threateningly hot, it’s vital to find a way to stay cool.  Although everybody is at risk, the ones who are the most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses are the elderly, the very young, and those who must work outdoors.

If you’re in that last group, it’s imperative that you take it easy, drink plenty of water, and stop frequently for breaks.  Otherwise, it’s best to stay inside, in the air-conditioning, as much as possible.  Don’t do any unnecessary outdoor chores, either; forget about yard work for the time being.  If you don’t want to stay in, take an ice-cold glass of lemonade out to a patio chair, porch swing, or hammock, and just relax.

Even if you’re in a location, such as this, where it’s going to stay dry for several days, don’t worry about your lawn.  Although it may get thoroughly baked, it will spring back to life when it rains.  However, if you can’t be dissuaded from watering it, let your sprinkler do double duty, and set yourself up in a lounge chair or steamer chair, in a spot where it will spray you, too.

During weather like this, you should also wear light, and light-colored, clothing.  Take cool baths or showers if you don’t have a pool, or have access to one.  Even if you have one, however, the water can get pretty warm under these conditions; so keep cold drinks handy on a nearby picnic table that’s shaded by a tree or, at least, a patio umbrella.  It’s also a good idea to put some ice packs and wet cloths into a cooler, in case someone gets overheated.

Of course, as the birds are reminding me today, this weather is just as dangerous for animals.  So, provide some water for the wild creatures, and, please, don’t leave your pets out in the heat – especially in a car!  They’re depending on you to keep them safe and cool.  You should also check on elderly neighbors, or anyone who lives alone and doesn’t have air-conditioning.

You know, I sure could go for a heapin’ helpin’ of some of that wonderful snow that we had last winter!  No, I’m not just saying that; I’m one of the few who enjoyed it even when it was over two feet deep.  Believe me, I’d rather see 28º than 98º any day of the year.

Yours (I cannot tell a lie – for now, I’m staying) Indoors,

Kathy

One of the things that many people love about summer is being able to relax on their porch swings, chaise lounges, and Adirondack chairs, and admire their gardens.  If you’re in that number, you know the feeling of satisfaction that comes from having created such beauty through hours of hard labor.  Unfortunately, for a lot of people, much of that effort has gone toward trying to keep pests from destroying their handiwork.  In fact, they will continue their struggles in on-going, and, what often turn out to be losing, battles.

Indeed, it seems unfair that, even as you toil in the soil, there’s a host of bugs looting the leaves, pillaging the petals, stalking the stems, and ravaging the roots, of the plants that you are trying to nurture.  It appears that the only course of action is to assault them with a barrage of sprays, powders, and anything else that’s available at garden centers.  These days, however, because people are becoming increasingly loath to use pesticides that can harm the environment (thank goodness), they’re searching for other ways of rubbing out those little wretches.

Luckily, there are dozens of organic products to choose from; but applying these will also take up precious time that you could be spending cooking on your grill, eating at your picnic table, and napping in your hammock.  Moreover, they will wipe out things that are valuable to your garden as well.  Remember, not all of those creepy creatures have malicious intent; many of them are actually waiting in the, uh, wings, to support your endeavors.

Seen and unseen, they are always there, patrolling above and below the soil, and carrying out their vital missions.  With pistils at the ready, these unsung heroes deliver much-needed supplies of pollen to waiting troops.  At the same time, special units are deployed to devour enemy insects that would cause the annihilation of your vegetation; and all of this is accomplished without the use of chemical warfare.

Therefore, instead of attacking everything that crawls, start a recruiting drive to enlist these beneficial bugs as allies.  Whether you’re trying to cultivate flowers, fruits, shrubs, trees, or vegetables, your first tactic is to strategically place the nectar-rich plants in your garden that will entice them over to your side.

These powerhouse pollinators and elite exterminators include bees, lacewings, ladybugs, flower flies, and mini-wasps.  In many cases, their larvae alone have insatiable appetites.  For example, a ladybug larva can consume up to 40 aphids per day, while a single lacewing will eat as many as 10,000 of them over the course of its lifetime.

The favorite flowers of these famished forces include Dill (Anethum graveolens), Korean angelica (Angelica gigas), Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), Poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii), Goldenrod (Solidago), and French marigold (Tagetes patula).

Add these lovely plants to your landscape, and you’ll soon have some selfless soldiers doing your drone work for you.  Of course, you’ll have to return their thoughtfulness, by being kind to them as well.

So, the next time you’re bothered by buzzing as you snooze in your swingbed or steamer chair, look twice before you bring in the swat team!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

It’s no surprise that one of the most popular pieces of outdoor furniture in the nation, the chaise lounge, did not originate in this country.  Well, to be completely accurate, I guess I should say that part of it did; the lounge part.  The correct name of the beloved patio chair upon which we lounge is chaise longue (’shAz-’lo[ng]), which translates, literally, from French, as “long chair” – and, ya gotta admit, that’s a good name for it! Sometimes also referred to as a lounge chair, or a steamer chair, the chaise longue was created in 16^th century France, as an elongated chair with four legs, and a slanted back, for reclining.  Although earlier versions of it (upon which royals, including Cleopatra, relaxed) are known to have existed in ancient Greece and Egypt, the chaise longue was designed differently, so that people could lie on their backs, as well as on their sides.

At first, the chaise longue was often made out of curved wood and woven caning, or rattan.  As it evolved throughout Europe, naturally, there was much experimentation with various designs and materials, as it was adapted for diverse surroundings and uses. The chaise longue is believed to have reached our shores, along with the huge waves of immigrants, sometime during the 1830’s.  Here, it underwent another series of changes, especially because of the many new materials, such as plastic and tubular steel, that became widely available after the turn of the 20^th century.  The large variety of rich upholstery fabrics also allowed endless incarnations of the chaise longue, which was used mainly indoors. Eventually – and inevitably – this country’s love of outdoor living led to the creation of the familiar chaise lounge that graces countless patios, porches, decks, gazebos, and cruise ships, today.  Of course, it still comes in many variations, appearing with arms and without arms, or with a single arm, and may be made from several materials, including cedar, pine, teak, and polywood. By the way, there is one other fascinating aspect of the Americanization of its name.  Besides calling it a “lounge,” people commonly pronounce chaise, as “chase,” so it comes out as, “chase lounge.”  I think that says everything we need to know about this country’s earnest pursuit of leisure.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy