[Paul R.]

Our forecast heat index is 105 deg. F today. That’s not gonna be very comfortable, esp. as a lot of it is humidity. At least it is / will be breezy though.

I had a pretty fair amount of cleanup this morning, after last evening’s storm, but it was all little stuff and leaf litter - no major damage. It would appear we got about 1-3/4” of rain in an hour, most of it in about 15 minutes. Then in the early A.M. we got ~ 1/4” or so at a more moderate rate.

Just after the heavy stuff ended, we heard the chickens clucking: I’d left the “run” door open as some birds go caught outside and took shelter where they could. I ran out and discovered the biggest opossum I’ve ever been close to, in the coop. All the birds that had come back had exited, with a modest batch of black feathers in one spot - evidently the opossum momentarily got hold of one bird, then decided the few eggs in there were easier fare than chasing down birds on the loose. I ran and got my .22 pellet rifle - one shot to the head and Mr. ‘Possum stopped breathing in seconds.

So, after getting small branches in the driveway cleared, and so on, I went in back to check to see if all that run’s birds had returned. (Many overnighted on our back porch.) Gut and boil Mr. ‘Possum for the chickens, or bury him?

He was gone! So, it appears we still have yet another significant varmint visiting. :-(

[Liz]

CARAMEL HEAVENLINESS / makes a lot
Layers of grahams, marshmallows, caramel, almonds, coconut, sure to be a family favorite.

ING 12 graham rectangles 2 c mini-mallows ¾ c butter, cut up ¾ c br/sugar 1 tsp ea cinnamon, vanilla 1 c ea sliced almonds, flaked coconut

METHOD Parchment 15x10x1" pan (or greased foil). Add single layer grahams. Sprinkle w/ marshmallows. Spread Caramel over evenly. Sprinkle w/ almonds, coconut. Lightly brown 350 deg 15 min. Cool on rack. Liftout, cut into 3" squares; halve squares diagonally.

CARAMEL cook/stir butter and dissolve brown sugar on med. Offheat, stir in cinnamon, vanilla.

Stores airtight in fridge a week. Makes 30 cookies.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Its hot here too. I know they had a ton of rain in Louisville and will have lots of heat. My lawn should be brown and dormant now but I still have to mow. Not normal! Good luck keeping your chickens cool! Paul.... If you dispatch your Possom, you have catfish bait.

If verified as dead, Immediately fix a heavy duty treble hook secured to a 100" of 100 Lb test, store him in a plastic bag some where in a far away outbuilding. You do not want to do the hooking after he starts to swell up. A couple days in 90F + heat will age it nicely for a channel cat! I do not fish, but have had to deal with possum roadkill near my house!

(I used to golf but stopped after we had children. A round of golf was the equivalent of a trip to the grocery store.)

[Paul R.]

Today was another warm one, but with just enough breeze to not be really oppressive. Evening was actually worse, as the wind went calm. Ugh.