Bye-Bye Winter Garden

Let me tell you a secret. When the temperature rises to one hundred fourteen degrees, the vegetable garden begins to wither. The first hot days, at odd intervals, come as quite a shock to any garden and also as a shock to the many desert animals residing in the vicinity.

I pulled the remainder of the carrots and most of the beets... these are the last of the winter garden left. Root vegetables, which develop both over and underground, seem to survive better than those growing mostly above ground. Last night Golden beet tops were the green vegetable - and sliced cold Golden beets were incorporated into the salad...how's that for a multipurpose vegetable?

Lima beans and squash, part of the summer garden, are supplying us with vegetables, at present, but as soon as they start showing stress, they, too, will be pulled. The Chandler strawberries took the biggest heat hit. I don't know if they can be saved.

Meanwhile, every hot day, you can look outside the sliding glass door, which is left ajar to release swamp cooler air, and spot humming birds, Say's phoebes and finches standing on the pavers enjoying the cool air. Rabbits are again concentrating in shallow dug depressions in moist mulch under the fruit trees. All desert dwellers have a knack finding cool spots...either underground, during night time hours or near a desert oasis.

In our garden, the desert animals have found shade, food, water and safe areas for raising young... and we give thanks to our decision to install new swamp coolers. We are keeping cool and are still exiting the swimming pool shivering!