Zinnia elegans "Zowie Yellow Flame"
For this month’s Hot, Loud & Proud Meme, the landscape is finally full of real sizzle. Not only the colors, but the temperatures are heating up, too.
I always seem to forget quite how hot a summer in the humid Southeast can be. Just now, the sun is taking it up that last little fiery notch. Despite having been raised here, these first truly sultry days of the new season are a time of adjustment.
Schedules must be altered to allow for work in the garden in the earliest daylight hours. Window shades get drawn in the heat of the day. Menus will now be planned around the desire not to make the kitchen any warmer than it needs to be — and the fact that no one may want to eat a piping hot meal anyway.
My very skin seems to need a moment to habituate to the oppressive weight of the sweltering air.
Now is the moment when sweet, gentle spring hands over the seasonal baton to her more intense, melodramatic sister. It certainly makes for some fireworks in the garden.
Asclepias tuberosa/butterfly weed, a favorite of the bees
Zinnia elegans "Zowie Yellow Flame"
Hypericum/St. John's Wort in bloom; seed pods in the background
Seed pods of St. John's Wort
PDF 
Whew, these flowers have quite a bit of sizzle. Love that Butterfly weed! Sounds like summer heat starts sooner for you. Thankfully, we’re still in the cooler days here. But soon, it’ll be salads for supper I’m sure.
Helen at Summer House´s last blog ..Hart’s Hot Hot Garden
Butterfly weed is so pretty; isn’t it?
Sadly, our lettuces have all bolted, and the last ones we tried to eat, although not quite flowering, had a weird tangy, bitter aftertaste, so that we declared them finished.
Enjoy your salad days to come, Helen!
Hello,
What a beautiful flowers the Zinnia elegans “Zowie Yellow Flame”
ellada´s last blog ..Le paillage – - – προστατευτικό στρώμα – - – The mulch
I thought so, too, Ellada. Really unique!
We’re experiencing the same transition here in Florida. As the heat and humidity rise, I start taking a bottle of water with me when I run errands, make sure I get out to the barn before 9 a.m. and try to avoid being out in the heat of the day. I tend to hibernate in summer rather than winter! Beatiful photos to remind us that hot can be good!
Kathy´s last blog ..Just One of Those Weeks
Kathy, we’ll be hibernating in the heat of the day from July forward for sure. For now, I can try and do things still — although today it worked out that I had a moment to visit the Botanical Garden at 2:00 p.m., and I thought I was going to faint after 20 minutes in the sun. (I went to see the veggie garden instead of the shade garden, like a sane person.)
Do you have to change Tank’s exercise routine, I wonder?
As a matter of fact, yes. When the heat and humidity make the heat index over 100, which happens a lot, we defninitely take it easy. I don’t ride as much in the summer for both our sakes, and when we do ride, we don’t do a lot of fast, hard work (not that we do that much anyway). We take frequent rest breaks and water breaks, and we are lucky enough to ride in a ring that has a lot of shade trees in it, which is kind of unusual.
Kathy´s last blog ..Sweet Summers
You are so right about the adjustment to the heat. We’re having a run of temps in the 90′s and high humidity (we usually don’t get that until late July and August) and it seems to suck my energy away. But looking at the color in your garden is reviving me! Beautiful photos, Meredith! Those zinnias are like a carnival!
Talon´s last blog ..Forever young…
Wow, Talon, it is way too early for those temps up your way! I do hope you stay cool and get a breeze blowing.
“Carnival” is the right word for those zinnias; their bright display is almost overpowering. But I like it.
Your photographs are exquisite.
They have such intense flaming color and clarity.
WOW!!!
gemma´s last blog ..Blue
Thank you, Gemma. I’m pleased their intense reality translated from the garden to the screen!
BTW you once gave me an Honest Scrap award. Will this do for the 7 things about me bit – http://elephantseyegarden.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-life-in-oil-spills-and-shipwrecks.html
And I am planning to do something about new blogs for Wednesday.
Definitely, that qualifies, Diana. I enjoyed the post!
not exactly the same difference between spring and summer in good old Northern Ireland though it is noticable at times
loving the flowers and berries – nice post xxx
carrie´s last blog ..Bank holiday and I’m taking a break
Well, each climate has its unique challenges, Carrie. Glad you enjoyed the post.
A festival of color!!! Love it.
Lynn´s last blog ..R & R, Grace and reflection
I’m glad, Lynn.
It’s heating up here too, though I don’t have too many hot, loud, and proud blooms yet, as you do! Love that zinnia!
Wendy´s last blog ..Nora’s garden
Wendy, these aren’t all “mine,” but seen hereabouts. And once I photograph them, they kind of become mine, in a way.
Great fireworks! I love that St. John’s wort bloom photo! The heat drains me so that I am good for nothing… except being by water. Early morning and evening gardening is the thing for sure … even on our warm New England days.
Carolflowerhillfarm´s last blog ..Lilacs and Roses Lavender Pink and Mauve Tones
Being by water is so appealing as we get to the hottest part of the year, it’s true, Carol. St. John’s Wort is surprisingly lovely in bloom. Glad you liked the shots!
Sizzling shots! I really love those St. John’s Wort photos. Very nice!
Thank you, Florida Girl. I’ll have to stop by your blog sometime soon — you nearly always provide a little tropical sizzle!
That zinnia is amazing!
I don’t do well in heat, but it must be something that you adapt to. That being said, during our hot weather, I am learning that it is really nice to listen to the heat and slow down and eat light, rather than when I lived in a/c and was able to “ignore” it.
elizabeth´s last blog ..a non-touristy view of the waterfalls
I thought so, too, Elizabeth. Zinnias are lovely in general, of course, but this one — well, it’s aptly named.
We went without AC last year — in South Carolina! What were we thinking?? Nutso people, for sure. Southerners making the transition to a lower energy world will be in for a rude shock, I’m thinking. We’ve got some tolerance, but I grew up with AC all my life, and it is easy to forget what it’s really like out there.
Wow, that’s bright! I was hoping for something a little more subtle, given the state of my head this morning! Also, sorry to hear about the fate of your red mustard. This is why I eat squirrels!
The Idiot Gardener´s last blog ..Goodnight Vienna!
Sorry I couldn’t provide some hangover-soothing soft tones for you, IG. I’ll try harder after the next bender. Hope the birthday bash was spectacular!
(Do you really eat squirrels? My grandpa assures me they are good eatin’.)
aloha meredith,
i forgot how exotic and hot hypericums looks, thanks for showing that to us and reminding us that there is alot of exotic even in a non-exotic garden, beautiful pictures/captures.
Oh, definitely, Noel. Exotic things can flourish even here.
Just wait til the cannas get blooming around here. We earn our “subtropical” designation this time of year!
Those wonderful ‘hot’ flowers seem to bring to life the heat you are feeling Meredith! I’m going through the opposite seasonal adjustment right now and have very much enjoyed a little talk of heat and humidity
Heidi (GippyGardener)´s last blog ..Cheer Up Charlie!
Well, I’m glad you enjoyed that, Heidi. I had the same strange feeling, as if watching the other side of the pendulum’s swing, by visiting your autumn-themed post today. It’s good to get some balance by visiting two corners of the world!
Hi Meredith, the Yellow Flame really shoots a yellow flame! How lovely, i haven’t seen that zinnia though. They are true to the meme!
Andrea, I am so glad someone commented on that! That first picture was awe-inspiring for me, when I loaded it and realized only the “yellow flame” was in focus, so perfectly.
I guess you need to enlarge the shot to get it.
well done!
We are warming up as well, finally!
Meredehuit´s last blog ..My Love in the Garden ♥
Meredehuit, I can’t imagine you’re only just now warming up — although F. would probably volunteer to trade latitudes with you tomorrow, if you’d like.
Haute Shots …. opps sizzling shots indeed! Great entry for the meme!
Radhika´s last blog ..The Hot, The Loud, The Proud, May MEME
Thank you, Radhika! I’m enjoying the challenge of finding something to fit every month.
Those pics sure do sizzle with colour and heat! You describe what it feels like here in summer. We have the high temps and humidity in south -east Queensland and, sadly, I’ve never had the luxury of AC.
Serena´s last blog ..PHOTO MONDAY – Thing with wings
These are incredible photos–very nice.