Paetz visit on another hot day

A pesky fly that landed on my face four times way too early in the morning had to be dealt with. After making coffee at 8, S managed to eliminate it. We savored a cup in bed before rising to face another scorching day. S attempted to troubleshoot the trailer wiring but couldn't figure out the issue and at his wits end decided to seek solace at church. Meanwhile, I enjoyed hand-watering the garden and having breakfast, delighting in vine picked fresh peas while still in my nightie, as the temperature hit 25 degrees.

J at the ol' grungy water hole

Britt and Cooper arrived after 10 o'clock to feed the mares and hose down Timba, who was drenched in sweat, before going for a ride. Meanwhile, I was manually watering my peonies and asparagus. I also cleaned out the puppy pool as getting grungy. Afterwards, I retreated indoors to the cooler temperatures to focus on tutorials, marketing, and blogging. S returned home before noon, having lingered for cookies and coffee with the Paetz family post-church. Amanda had sent over a bug net for me to attempt capturing the pesky cabbage moths ravaging my kohlrabi. It was a bit tricky at first, but I managed to catch two. S began troubleshooting the trailer's issue yet again.

Eventually, he succeeded, but not without a significant amount of sweat and swearing. For lunch, I prepared grilled cheese and bologna sandwiches, vegetables, and a salad. He watched YouTube while eating, still troubleshooting a wiring fault code being sent to the truck. Meanwhile, I chopped more peppers and prepared the beets I had picked this morning. S was sound asleep in big brown after lunch.

Upon waking from his nap, he went to unhook the trailer, only to discover that the brakes were constantly engaged and the lights were out again. This was far from ideal, especially on a sweltering 32-degree Celsius Sunday. Meanwhile, I resumed my gardening and attempted cabbage moth catching as the Paetz family sans Ada arrived. 

This little girl loves animals and has little fear.

Craig attempted to assist S with the trailer problem; S had managed to park in the shop, but the heat was oppressive. The children played on the hay bales in the loft, where it was even hotter. Later, we all gathered on the deck for some chilled drinks, freezies for the kids and conversation. They left at 6, and we returned to the trailer work. S checked the truck's fuses, which unfortunately fell into a narrow space. I tried to use the Dyson, then removed the flooring and side panel to retrieve the tiny chips with my hand. However, the fuses were not the culprit.

I went inside to start dinner, persuading him to join and leave his worries outside for a while. I prepared a large pot of chili and a pan of sautéed peppers, onions, and freshly picked beet leaves with herbs.

Look at these multiplier onions go—thriving with hardly any watering and minimal weeding.

B set out by 8 to feed her horses. I made my way back to the garden, while S continued working on the trailer. The temperature dipped to 29, which was surprisingly cooler. As I picked peas and shared them with S, the temperature dropped further to 27, a blissful reprieve during the golden hour—my favorite part of the day. B cared for Roo, then hosed her with water before leaving for home around 9:30. I stepped outside again to water the plants from pots, as the heat tends to dry them quickly. I also filled the puppy pool with fresh, cold water. Our night concluded with watching another episode of House of Dragons.