We still have not had any significant rain here.  A couple of days ago it sprinkled heavily for literally one minute and then it was over.  Today is overcast, dull, and hopefully will bring rain.  I no longer trust watching the weather forecast (not that I put much faith in it anyway) as they say we'll get rain and even show it on their radar, then it never comes.  I spent a few hours yesterday working on weekly lesson plans for Tiger Cub's studies this coming homeschool year.  I think the drabness of today merits curling up on the sofa and spending a few hours doing the same thing.

The okra continues to do well.  I sowed between 48 and 52 more seeds this past Sunday to see how they'll do this time of year.  They are the one thing I've been told can be sown here right now.  I admit I've become a lazy gardener.  I haven't kept up my garden journal and I didn't even accurately count how many seeds I sowed ... I really must snap out of this.

The sweet basil is so beautiful and yummy!...

Lots of San Marzon tomatoes are growing (I never can get a pic of these without it blurring)...

Still no bees, butterflies, or other insects to be seen.  We did have a few bumblebees hanging out by one of our sheds, but they are all dead on our back porch now.  I'm guessing it was the smoke from the wildfires that did them in (and yes, good homeschool mom that I am, some are now in jars being kept for our Zoology 1 studies this coming year)...

Box turtle (we see these pretty often around our property)...

One of our most adorable visitors (although this is one reason why it's very important to have a fenced garden!)...

One of the firefighters told the Big Kahuna that it would be a good idea to cut down all the pine trees and palm trees on our property because they provide so much fuel for fires.  The Big Kahuna is taking this to heart, but I am not so thrilled about the suggestion or the Big Kahuna's desire to follow through with it.  I enjoy the privacy they all provide and I love the pinecones.  The Big Kahuna keeps reminding me that pines are a haven for rattlers and they are easily uprooted by hurricanes.  The palms are native and this is Florida after all ... I can't imagine not having palms!  I'm holding my ground on this one with the Big Kahuna.  We'll see what happens.  I did a quick count a few days ago to see just how many trees we're talking about.  Thirty-one pines and fifty-one palms...

Mama Cat