Sunny days

Here we are, in sunny England.    And it is hot, with temperatures high into the 20's, which feels more like 35 degrees in London.    Not quite a heatwave, but definitely holiday weather.   And what is more, the children are on holiday, and those who have not disappeared to hotter climates are enjoying the long awaited sunshine..  

We are even wearing our summer clothes, at long last, which luckily have not faded, due to hanging in dark wardrobes or folded up in drawers for so long.   We can sit outside and sip our coffee, or linger over a lovely glass of wine,  or a very cold beer.    We could even get out our Australian stubby holders, but unfortunately they are in the caravan, down in the south of France, because we foolishly thought in June they would not be needed in the UK this summer.

And now I finally have the opportunity to sit in the garden, with a book in one hand, and a glass of sparkling water  in the other hand.   No, I have not given up alcohol or coffee, but I have become sensible.  I am a pensioner now.  Too much alcohol or coffee makes the head spin and the heart palpitate in hot weather.  

The garden is looking magnificent, due to the over supply of water falling from the sky, for months and months.   And just enough warmth, in between the days of rain, to make the plants and trees grow.   Everything is so lush.  Even the weeds look good.  I am also tolerating the slugs and snails as there is so much to eat, they do not seem to be decimating individual plants.   And need I say, we are currently mole free, so the grass also looks lush.

The first job when I returned from Holland was to pick the rhubarb, so have enough in the freezer now for quite a few rhubarb crumbles during the winter.   Just when we need something to combat winter depression.       And the hot summer days of late July (and maybe August too) are well past.

Cabbages, nearly there.   I must make sure that I do not include the slugs in our meal.   They are feasting well on the outer leaves.

The roses love the wet weather.   This is the first time they have bloomed so profusely and the rambling roses are actually climbing over the arches now.   What a growth spurt this year.

Green, green and more green.

The fruit and vegetable patch.   So lush.

Even the straggling ornamental grasses have made a comeback, and actually look like the pictures that were on the labels when I bought them.

And I must not forget, it was Scott's 18th birthday on the 2nd July, nearly a month ago now.    A very special birthday for a lovely grandson.    It seems like he was born only yesterday.    Just where does the time go to, and now we have this handsome grandson who is about to go out into the world.    All the best, Scott.    I know you will be a success.