A Welcome Break

 Yesterday was hot, sunny and humid. Nell and I found some baby cows on our early morning walk…

I’ve see this happen before, where one Mum cow seems to be running a crèche for all the babies, whilst THEIR mothers have a break. I wonder if they take turns or whether one poor Mum becomes the permanent Head of Baby Sitting Services? 

In contrast, today some rain arrived. Not much but it broke the heat and heavy atmosphere and freshened up the air. I haven’t needed to water the vegetable garden, so that was a nice. We are due another week of the dry and sunny. We could really do with some more rain but I bet I won’t be saying that in three months’ time! 

The garden, for the most part, is looking a bit dry. The shrubs have stopped flowering, except the myrtle which I bought earlier in the year and is just starting to put on some buds, so that’s good, given I was worried it didn’t seem to be putting on much growth at all. It has suddenly found its form and has pretty much doubled in size. The vegetable garden is looking greener because I’ve been at it with the hosepipe every day. Fortunately, we don’t have a hosepipe ban here and I’m damned if I’m going to lose my veg crops now. The French beans have been magnificent and are almost done; I’ve left a few pods on the plants to over-ripen and dry so I’ll have some seeds for next year. But, like in a cunning bean relay race, the runner beans are ready to take over the baton…

There will be a few to pick later this coming week. The two structures I built have merged into a weird bean arch, partly because of the weight of the foliage and partly because of the prevailing north westerly winds. But it seems rock steadyish so I’m not anticipating any form of collapse…

I do like these purple efforts. They look like miniature flower people leaping into the air with arms and legs akimbo, shouting, ‘Wheeeee! Look at meeeeeee!!’ They are joyful and exuberant and if I can remember what they are, I shall plant some more because they make me smile. 

The squash are doing okay. The seed packet says they are yellow, like this one…

 And yet this has made an appearance…

Is it a rogue green one? Is it unripe? Who knows? 

And the sunflowers are beginning to develop their flower heads…

Looks like a little face wearing a bonnet, doesn’t it? Most of them have achieved a height of between 5 and 7 feet, but I think they are now putting their energies into flower power. They’ll look amazing as a group when they are all out. 

That’s all I have to offer, I’m afraid. I’m spending a lot of time writing in ‘Darling Buds’ and have almost completed a patchwork project to add to her decor. I have also come up with a plan for her garden and will start working on that this Autumn when the ground has a bit more give in it. Nell met her match in the form of a black ‘n’ curly cockapoo who was even more wild and energetic than she is, if that can be believed. Lord M has achieved his first Etsy sale - hurrah! After all the sport on TV I am very much enjoying the new series of ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ and the inaugural series of ‘Ann Droid’. 

Here we go, then, into the final week of July. Can you believe it?