The newscasters and weather forecasters are having a field day with the heat wave.  They’re frying eggs on the pavement and baking cookies in cars and they have a new term, “heat dome,” to describe the blistering weather pattern.  The urgency in their voices reminds me of “The Twilight Zone” episode where the Earth is moving closer to the sun.  These are the same people, mind you, who whip up winter hysteria when snow is predicted.  It seems that no matter what Mother Nature throws at us, she’ll never make everyone happy.

I must admit, though, I am enjoying the heat dome — or as I call it, summer.  Yes, it’s hot, and yes, I’m spending lots of time quenching my thirsty plants.  For lots of reasons — too many to get into here  —  I like the warmth.  I like the casualness of the season.  And I like the time spent in the garden, because the days of the heat dome are numbered. 

In honor of this sentiment, I would like to share a few hot colors from around the yard, as well as a few cool thoughts to remind us of what was and what will come.

My reward for saving Canna corms each autumn.

The potting shed.

I have always enjoyed Four O'Clocks and their ability to tell time. I also love the seeds, which look like miniature black urns.

The perennial garden.

Not a "hot" color, but a soothing one. Zinnias are my favorite plant to start from seed -- easy to sow and not fussy about water.

Looking down the driveway.

This Morning Glory is a reseed, climbing up the trellis and interwoven with a double blooming variety.

Shoveling, shoveling, shoveling. (That would be Joe.)

This Rose of Sharon has been in front of the house since the late '60s -- and it still puts on a show.