Marvin Smith

Late afternoon: I mowed and finished mulching our bed of green beans. Jo finished up a few ikebana vases over in her studio and then began weeding a strawberry bed.

Mowing and mulching: I've almost gotten the green beans mulched. I thought I'd finish with them last evening, but ran out of grass clippings. Having to remove and reinstall the wire tunnel covering the beans slows down the process, but without it we'd have no beans. (88ºF/31ºC @ 5:00 PM)

Our cool front is wearing off. (85ºF/29ºC @ noon)

The day is moving right along without me. (Mostly clear and 85ºF/29ºC @ noon)

Nature in the Ozarks: Delaware Skipper Butterfly (Anatrytone logan) - http://elmostreport.blogspot.com/2009...

Hodgepodgery: Garden 2009: Sweet Potatoes - http://hodgepodgery.blogspot.com/2009...

Smelling a skunk and glad both our dogs are present and accounted for.

Mowed ... took a walk ... taking a break ... will return to mowing. (83ºF/28ºC @ 5:00 PM)

Phoebe still feeding chick under the porch eave. Thanks to cooler temps they haven't broiled. (78ºF/25ºC @ noon)

Listening to a pack of coyotes celebrating the beginning of a new day. Our two dogs listen intently, but don't bark at coyotes.

Taking a break and will then go out and work in the yard/garden ... clearing to partly cloudy ... 82ºF/28ºC @ 5:00 PM.

Overcast ... a piddling little shower right before noon ... 78ºF/25ºC @ 2:00 PM.

Nature in the Ozarks: Dead-Wood Borer Moth (Scolecocampa liburna) - http://elmostreport.blogspot.com/2009...

Very unusual for cool fronts to keep making it this far south in July -- unusual, but nice. (69ºF/21ºC @ 2:30 AM)

Nature in the Ozarks: Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth (Parasa indetermina) - http://elmostreport.blogspot.com/2009...

Mostly cloudy, but only a 20% chance of rain. (77ºF/25ºC @ noon)

ISP headed south for the 4th ... finally back up a couple of hours ago.

Pancakes made. Afternoon walk taken. Time for a break and them some work in the garden. (90ºF/32ºC @ 5:00 PM)

I think I hear a waffle iron calling me -- or could it be a pancake griddle? (Partly cloudy, calm and 84ºF/29ºC @ noon)

A very yellow moon is dropping below the hill to our west. (Hazy, calm and 69ºF/21ºC @ 2:30 AM)

I need to make a trip into town. Jo is out of waffles and we have no eggs with which to make more. (82ºF/28ºC @ noon)

Saw my first copperhead of the summer while finishing up out in the garden. Most years I would have seen several by this time.

A beautiful afternoon for a walk up to the gate and back. (86ºF/30ºC @ 5:00 PM)

It would be so nice if temperatures remained this cool all summer, but that ain't gonna happen. (Mostly clear and 80ºF/27ºC @ 11:00 AM)

It's finally getting quiet with only a few subtle night sounds. Earlier a mighty chorus of frogs rejoiced about Tuesday's rain. (70ºF/21ºC @ 2:45 AM)

Afternoon thundershowers became significant: Thunder, lightning, high wind and 1.5" of rain.

The phoebe is bringing bugs to her nest so evidently her second clutch of eggs hatched. As close as her nest is to the roof, I feared they might broil. I'm hoping the chicks survive July's heat.

40 drops of rainfall overnight. A few micro thundershowers are roving, but little chance of significant rain. (85ºF/29ºC @ 11 AM)

Arrived home a little after 6 AM Monday after a 14 hour overnight drive. Finding the early morning temperatures about 15ºF cooler than when we left was a very pleasant surprise.

I thought it was hot and humid in Arkansas but it's REALLY hot and humid on the Texas Gulf Coast.