Holy Crap, is it HOT

We've had something like 20 days over 100 degrees so far this year, and it has only officially been 'Summer' for just over a week. I don't usually go outside into the heat of the day, but today after my baby shower, put on by the gals at work, I was loading stuff into my car at about 1:00. It is sweltering. The sun bakes you like cookies in an oven. It is unrelenting. Now, I live in Texas for a reason - the climate. I like a hot summer and cold river. But whew. We are in a crazy drought, I happen to have a heater like aparatus for a belly these days, and we're having record setting heat. When I was first pregnant, everyone said "due in July? Oh you're going to be sooo hot" and my (silent) reaction was "gee, you think? July in Texas? hot?" No foolin'. I likely won't have to worry about my baby catching a chill wind, but I may have to worry about it melting away, like chocolate or butter.
There is so little life around the house this year. I have seen one walking stick that looked as withered and brown and scrawny as any stick you might see around these days. The cows all huddle in the shade. But good news - I did see the buffalos out in the field the other morning, before it got too hot, and I saw all three of the babies. I had only been able to see two of them lately, and I was worried. But there they all were! Three little cinnamon fuzzy beasts, lolling on the dusty ground.
We have a piece of our lane where the roadbase has been pulverized into a fine soft powder. I have been taking particular pleasure lately in standing in the soft powdery spot, in the cooling evening when the rocks are still warm. It's right by Charley's parking spot, so as he arrives home in the evening and unloads the equipment he used that day, I can stand there, wiggling my feet around in the soft powdery dirt and chat with him. It makes me really happy, and I feel really at home. I am definately enjoying my country life. It has not been such a nice thing to do to the white rug in the house, but a little spray off with the hose never hurt anyone on a warm Texas evening. Last year, that powdery dirt was usually a mudpuddle.
I had my last baby shower today, and I must say I have wonderfully generous friends and co-workers. We have many months of diaper service gifted to us, and lots of adorable and practical baby stuff. We have everything gathered for the birth, and after a few hours of diligent oven sterilization of a few things tomorrow, we will be completely ready. I have four weeks left - two of those left at work, and then two glorious weeks of lolly gagging around, going to the pool, cooking good food, hanging out with Charley, being hot, and waiting for the wee one to make an appearance.

Spider Mentoring Program

I found three more Banana Spiders today. And a walking branch - it must have been a female. She had the pinched look to the end part of her abdomen, with some poop hanging out. She looked really fat, possibly gravid. I wonder if they lay the eggs? Dunno. I say she looked gravid because when I saw some walking sticks mating recently, the male had the female in these clamps in the back... it looked uncomfortable. The female I saw today had a crimp in that same place, like the female had that was being clamped, although now I have to admit that I don't know if they are shaped like that to begin with, or get that way in the clamping. hunh. But back to the spiders...
I went to visit the big banana spider on the eaves of the back of the house. I noticed a very tiny replica on a web about two feet away, on the wall Now the big daddy on the eaves is about the size of a pecan in the shell in the body. Overall diameter is about 5 inches. Junior, in the background, is about two inches diameter, and the body the size of a black-eyed pea. They looked like buddies, but who can tell. While I was standing back there, I turned my gaze to the over-grown acre up front, now filled with blue day lilies hanging out very close to the ground, and the green mystery plant that has taken over. I think it is a milkweed, I wonder if it will flower? It looks like milkweed now, and is about 6 or 6.5 feet tall at this point - about two meters. I was staring at it, trying to figure it out, and my eyes caught a huge web, as big as a framed 8"x10" piece of art, hung off the mesquite and the milkweed. In the center is another gigantic banana spider, resting on her fuzzy hammock. Just below her, my searching eyes found a partner, a little bit smaller, a little bit closer to the ground, on a 5"x8" in a mat. I became conviced we have high participation in the Spider Mentoring Program in our yard.