Back in NJ.

9-4-26 SHORT HILLS: We got back here Tuesday afternoon. When I got out of the car, I was blasted by the heat and humidity, mid-eighties with wet air. Summer is not over here, and it’s not pleasant.

It’s been a very wet summer, the ground is soggy and spongy. Most of the trees seem to have loved it, but a few are looking stressed. The Norway maple hybrid, Crimson King, which are street trees on our block, have lost lots of foliage on the top sections. Our linden tree is also thinly foliated. The diseased ash trees look great. Some things love the wet conditions, but others not.

Speaking of wet, on the last three nights we have had T-storms giving us 0.75, 0.25 and 0.15 inches, and another storm is showing up on radar for tonight.

Judy and I have both been out in the yard weeding and pruning. It’s hard work in the heat, but we’re getting a handle on it. Today it’s 86º and 60% humidity, we’re hiding inside in the AC.

I filled the bird feeders when I got back here and the first customers were the grackles, but all the regulars soon showed up.

In bloom: white snake root, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, wild strawberry, hydrangea, abelia. 

Rose of Sharon also comes in lavender, it's a relative of hibiscus.

White snake root is really a weed, but under control could be an OK flower.

Crape myrtle is a reliable end of the season bloomer.

The 'Crimson King' has lost a lot of foliage, but the surrounding trees--dawn redwood, sweet gum, southern magnolia, elm, viburnum are all doing very well.