Hot. Hot and cloudless. The past few days have been murder, especially for Mom since she's been exercising outside in the oppressive heat. And it only going to get worse, at least for the tomorrow it is. The temperature for tomorrow is supposed to reach 100°F (37.7°C). I'm hoping that it's hot now but by August it will cool down and the rest of the summer months will be comfortably warm, somewhere in between 67°-77°F (20°-25°C), maybe…? One can hope.

The burdock (gobo) is growing nicely, and next to it the lemon balm is growing like I'd hoped earlier this past spring.

The mystery cucumber/melon has stretched it's vines to the butterfly bush and is slowly creeping up it. It also has flowered many times over, so perhaps a lot of whatever it produces in August/September? Glad I didn't pull this one out during weeding.

The roses are somehow holding their own against the beetles that feast on the flowers. Most of the blooms have been skeletonized by the incessant feasting. 

The butterfly bushes have shot up. When we planted these bushes at the beginning of June, they measured a couple feet, about 2.5 feet (0.76 meters) and now look at them. If they stood straight, the flowers at the ends of the stalks would be over my head.

Th butterfly bush's flower.

Nettles! Stinging Nettles to be specific. It finally sprouted above ground! They are an incredible medicine for sharp pain.

 Finally, the tiny flowers of the Basil plant. Usually we pick the flowers off so that the plant continues to form the fragrant and spicily sweet leaves used in cooking, but since it's been blisteringly hot outdoors I've been a little behind on that front.

じゃあね！