I prefer to stay inside from July 1 until after labor day.

I agree, Rick. I really, really prefer to abandon the homefront and head for the mountains. We did that last year and came home to too many dead things in the yard. This year I've really been working in the flowerbeds and have planted a lot of new things I don't want to lose, so I'm hoping to find someway to be able to endure the heat and be able to sit out and admire my hard work!! I was born and raised here and find it so hard to imagine what that "first summer" must be like for those who move here from more temperate zones!! What a shock to the system; not to mention learning that you have to avoid snakes, spiders, thorns, chiggers, mosquitoes, etc. whenever you step outside here. I am still amazed that my mother-in-law in Iowa is able to raise perfect vegetables in her garden without use of any insect control. I have total English pea jealousy!! After eating fresh peas, canned or frozen are just not the same.

Debby

We have a roof over our back porch and so we plant morning glories, black-eyed susan vine, sweet peas and hyacinth bean vines that run up on strings to the roof overhang. We outlined the planting bed with landscaping ties and set large-head nails every 6" along them. We set the same nails into the soffits above and run continuous strings or twine to form a network from ground to roofline. Each Spring we run new strings for the vines and in fall we cut them down and dispose of them. I save all the seeds I can each year, but eventually they tend to deteriorate, so I also buy some fresh seed every couple of years.

I like to get the vines started as soon as possible in Spring so that by the time the weather gets really hot we have a green alley outside the back door. Our back porch faces full West and is very very hot without them. Having the vines to shade the back of the house keeps the whole house cooler in Summer too. This is a long narrow flower bed, only about 12" wide, but it runs the entire width of the house. The vines make it bearable to be out there.

We got a bit of a late start this year and the vines are only about 5' high right now and the back of the house is miserable in the evenings. All this rain has really given them a jump start though so another week or two and we should be 'greened in.' Cheryl

That sounds like a great idea, Cheryl. I have lots of vines planted this year; I'll have to look at how we might put in a bed to create a natural screen. I did buy another misting fan this afternoon. It is still in the box, but we'll see if it is another fan that just squirts you with water as it blows, or if it really does the fine mist I'm hoping for. I've got sweet peas growing on a grapevine archway I made. I didn't realize they could be grown in the heat here...So far they are looking fine and have some blooms. They are in shade most of the day. If it doesn't cool off I think I will be inside a LOT.

Debby

I just discovered these cooling vests (link below) a few days ago. I want one sooooooooooo bad!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm saving up for one for next year. Has anyone out there ever used them?

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooling vests

I'm going to be watching this thread closely...
Have nothing to offer, but want some ideas. Everything we've tried just ended up getting us wet and only made matters worse by raising the humidity with out lowering the temps.

We bought a misting fan at Sam's Club yesterday. My husband got it assembled last night and we'll test it out this afternoon in the worst of the heat. I figure if it doesn't work I'll just take it back. It is definitely worth a try. We already have a ceiling fan on the porch so I'm hoping that will help blow the "misted" air around. I looked this fan up on the internet and it got good reviews from the majority of the people who bought it. Will give a report after we try it out.

I looked at the cooling vests. It says you recharge by soaking in ice water for 20 minutes. Does it work by some sort of chemical reaction, like those heat packs you squeeze, or does it just soak up cold water and keep you cool by evaporation? It says something about "bio action"?
Anyone know?

Debby

Too bad they can't figure out how to make those cooling vests bullet proof. Think how wonderful for our fighting forces in the Middle East to carry on with something like that. The flak jackets that they wear are extremely heavy and hot. Our boys and girls carry what's called a 'camel pack' that is a large water reservoir so they can stay hydrated. Gee I sure wish they could all have one of these. Cheryl

Well, we tested the misting fan on the porch yesterday evening. It is a vast improvement over the cheap one from Walmart. However, it still is a "mist" not that really fine fog like I've seen at restaurants. It felt great though and if I sit a little distance from it and also use the ceiling fan to keep the air stirred up I think I'll be able to read a book or whatever I might want out there. It was especially wonderful to take a break from garden chores in the miserable heat and then go stand in front of the mist fan for a minute or two. The humidity has been high here, so I wasn't sure if it would feel much cooler, but it does. Also the fan is very powerful, with 3 speeds and a ground fault device built in. I think it is a keeper. They were out of stock at the two closest Sams Clubs, but we got one that had been returned unopened because it was bigger than the purchaser wanted. We'll see how it works through the summer.

I agree totally about the cooling vests for our military. I can't imagine the conditions there and they deserve anything that could make them more comfortable. It could help as a safety device as well because it might be able to prevent heat related illness.

You can buy patio misters, they are what a lot of restaurants use. I just saw some at Big Lots maybe? Or Home Depot? Hard to tell, I've been shopping a lot lately. Thanks for the info on the misting fans, I was trying to decide on the Walmart or Sams version. Had pretty much ruled out Walmart cause it looked so cheap.
Tally HO!

Hubby ordered some kind of misting fan... should be delivered any day now... I'll let you guys know what it is and how it works soon.