And not just because it’s hot, sticky, weed-choked and otherwise nasty.

That’s an enormous argiope making a meal of an equally enormous green dragonfly.  I know argiopes gotta eat too, but I draw the line at butterflies/dragonflies.  Time to get out the Lousiville Slugger.

Did I mention it’s hot, sticky, weed-choked and nasty out there?  There are exactly TWO crops doing well right now…

1.  The wonderful red rice beans:

That’s a 6 foot tall fence, and they’re reaching to the ground on the other side.

2.  Husband’s experimental tobacco:

That’s 5+ feet tall there, and being sprayed with Bt to keep the nasty chewy things away.

Speaking of the Husband, he goes in for surgery on Sept. 3 to repair the disc/remove the bone spur on his vertebra, so the backyard just isn’t going to get much attention at all until recovery is made from all that.  Yes, MY recovery too…I’m a champion worrier.

*sigh*

In the meantime we’ve been doing a lot of cooking.  The jalapeno soup was spectacular:

The Shrimp Two Ways (honey lime sauteed and cold with roma tomatoes, avocados and balsamic vinegar) was also mighty good:

And the made-em-ourselves tamales were so very tasty:

Things will get back to normal around here eventually, just as soon as all the medical issues sod off, and the heat becomes something less than KILLYOUALLYAAHHH!! outside.