Heat, House Construction Update, Vivero and Birds

thermometerThis summer is hotter than I remember last summer to be. Last year we didn’t have a thermometer so I never knew exactly how hot it got here. During the past two weeks I have seen the temperature several times go up to 104 degrees fahrenheit. Just the other day I read 106 degrees. It’s hot, but luckily not very humid and cools down rapidly in the afternoon. This summer has also been drier than last. Last year the grass stayed green throughout the summer, this year the grass is mostly dead brown. We did receive one tenth of an inch of rain yesterday and the same one day of the previous week, but other than that there has been virtually no rain for several months. Our neighbors, that live down the hill from us, say this is the hottest summer they have felt since moving here about eight years ago.

Earlier last week we met with a custom kitchen cabinet manufacturer. We spent several hours designing my ideal kitchen drawer and cabinet arrangement. This week we should receive a price estimate and determine if my ideas are realistic and affordable or not. Later that day we spent many hours at EPA picking out ceiling fans, light fixtures and faucets. It was a productive yet tiring 10 hour trip in town.

New House in PuriscalThe construction crew has been busy painting the outside and inside of the house. They are also sanding away at the wood for the interior walls. The armadillo continues to make its presence known with new holes around the yard. Luckily he’s not causing harm to anything precious to me. My latest bug challenge in the vivero is with aphids. I’m still not 100% sold on the idea of having a totally enclosed garden space. If I understood Mario correctly I think he told me he ended up having severe bug problems in his enclosed vivero and hasn’t been able to grow any lettuce for several months. After our house is finished I will start to design and construct, what I hope will be, my ideal vegetable garden near the house. 

I have recently had a few cool bird encounters. When I walk through certain parts of the property I often disturb a bird on the ground. This bird is camouflaged so well I never see it until I'm about a few feet from it when it decides to fly out of my way. I think the bird is either a Common Pauraque or the Chuck-will's-widow. Both are types of nightjars. The other day I came upon one which was about two feet from me when it flew away, leaving behind two small eggs. That was the first time I saw her eggs. I waited several weeks before walking by this spot again because I didn't want to disturb her not knowing how long it takes for the eggs to hatch. This week I went back past the spot and she was still there laying on the same two eggs. I also spotted an owl flying in front of me through the spring area. And, just now as I write this I saw a Laughing Falcon fly overhead with a snake in its talons. How cool is that!