Good Wednesday to everyone.  It is still cool though we should have low 90s today.  We will see how long before we have to close up and put on the air.  We prefer not to use it if possible.  I just finished watering the plants but I have changed my pattern a bit.  I have a moisture probe and I decided to use it on everything.  Usually I just use it on the plants on the fence.  The major problem I have with containers is that the surface may be dry and it may even be dry for an inch below the surface but when you get down to where the roots are they may be very wet.  I only had to water 6 of the large pots/containers and two of the pots on the fence.  I have a couple of other chores outside but right now it is the easy part of the season.  A lot of flowers but not much to harvest.

I noticed an obituary this morning: Nora Ephron has died at age 71.  I remember the titles of many of her movies but I never saw any of them.  I remember her essays more.

The fire season out west is already one of the most disastrous on record.  Out our way it is very dry.  We got a good look as we drove around on a full day of errands yesterday.  The grass along the road sides and medians is brown with only small streaks of green.  The corn, in those fields that aren't being built on, is looking better than the corn featured in some of the news stories from Illinois.  The news has carried warnings in various areas canceling 4th of July fireworks shows, cautioning against (or banning outright) private fireworks.  The news last night said Chicago might be moved into a drought category officially as early as tomorrow.  We, here in northern Indiana, are classified as extremely dry and not far north of moderate drought.

Morford has a very good take on the whole notion of 'having-it-all.'  That seems to be a peculiarly American disease that is spreading worldwide.  It is especially widespread among the young, whose ambition and appetites have not yet encountered serious limits, and older adults who are emotionally unable to make serious choices.  As Morford says, let's define our terms starting with 'all.'