It’s been ten days since this area had experienced rain.  There were threats of rain , but the weather pattern has most of the thunderstorms staying to our north. Soil moisture is good for cultivation. Large container-grown flowers need water every other day. Native trees have swollen leaf and flower buds, and some have open flowers such as swamp maple, mayhaw, and bald cypress.  Loquat trees’ flowers and fruit were severely damaged by the low temperatures from a couple of weeks ago.  Midweek brought more clouds but record heat: 82°F. Wild birds are drinking from the fish pond.  Road work continued all week with work on private driveways, dressing up the side of the new roadway, and reinstalling the school zone flashing lights concrete base.