The milkweed (and there’s way too much of it!) is blooming. The scent is so lovely.

As I type this, I can hear the call of a mourning dove. My favorite bird.

And the bee balm has started to open.

But the bee balm is getting crowded out by the milkweed, so I’m going to have to be more diligent next year. I’ll have to pull some of the milkweed at the beginning of the season. There are at least 30 plants in the big garden bed. I remember the first time I saw some milkweed on the property. It was up in the back forty. Then it gradually migrated down to the big garden bed and the bed in front of the porch. After it finishes blooming I’m going to check each plant to see if any eggs have been laid, If there is no evidence of any eggs on some of the plants, I’ll pull them. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of milkweed left.

The high today will be 97. We are under an extreme heat warning with heat indexes of up to 110 degrees. Tomorrow is Don’s birthday and the high will be 99. Yikes! Luckily we had no plans except to have some sugar-free ice cream and that’s already in the freezer.

I won’t comment on the felon’s actions this weekend, except to say that we’re already discovering giant holes in this story. I think it will backfire on him.

For all of you coping with this heat wave, stay indoors, and stay cool.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Yours truly is tuckered out today. Since Sunday, we’ve been working outside for several hours every day – mowing, weeding. working on some areas of the back forty, cleaning gutters, weeding some more, clearing the trails in the woods, etc. Today, I’ve opted for some rest, though I do have clean the tub and floor in the bathroom. On one hand, we love that we are strong enough for some physical labor, on the other hand…we’re sort of tired.

Yesterday, we spent all morning on a self-tape audition that Don had to submit. It was rather complicated  but it went fairly smoothly and Don was happy with it. The rest of it? You just have to let go because there’s no controlling the outcome. As I always say it’s a bit of a crap shoot. In fact, every potential job in theater, film, or television is definitely a crap shoot.

Control is an issue of mine as an adult child of an alcoholic. It’s also an issue for my sister. When you grow up living in an environment that can go out of control at any minute, having any sort of control is desperately needed. It’s why I don’t drink and never did drugs. It’s also why I need to feel in control of most situations, but of course, that isn’t always going to be the case. Don recognized this about me early on. I sometimes have to cede control and that is a good thing. Don – even though he’s also an adult child of an alcoholic – is more spontaneous. I’ll always opt for control, though. It makes me feel safer.

I can hear the mourning dove calling as I write this. That makes me smile.

Uh oh. The thought of mowing the back forty just popped in my head. You see? The urge to go outside and do something is back. But the bathtub! And the floor!

We’ll see what happens.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.