Clear bluebird skies on Sunday were pretty to look at, but we need some rain before the lawn and landscaping begin to wilt.  Very little breeze Sunday afternoon, coupled with 107°F, feels-like temperature kept us indoors.  The lawn has not grown under large trees and shows signs of wilting in the afternoon sun.  Zinnia flower beds wilt without timely irrigation.   But a vigorous thunderstorm made a late-day appearance on Monday afternoon around 5:30 pm dropping an inch of rain in 15 minutes and totaling out at 1.85”.  By the next morning, there was no evidence of rainfall at all.  That rain was needed as this area was in a rain deficit for several weeks.
A tiny taste of fall on Thursday morning with lower humidity was refreshing.  After waiting for weeks, the Gulf Fritillary butterflies have emerged from chrysalises in droves. Every part of the yard has butterflies feeding on lantana, tropical and tuberous butterfly weed, hummingbird vine, passion fruit, Mexican petunia, hibiscus, Turks cap, and zinnias.  Many of these flowering plants have auto-irrigation and bloom consistently because of it.