There are a few midsummer roses in the garden, all sumptuous petals and heavy scent on the warm air. The sun is glorious until I have to go somewhere in it, then it's a touch too much. The boys have had days of sports. Bottles of icy water that melts before they get to school, hats and sunscreen for the younger two, a touch of sunburn for the eldest. Me: Are you going to wear sunscreen? Him: No, I'll be fine. Boys are invincible at 14. I told him that if he wants to look fresh and young like me when he is older he must apply the sunscreen.
I bought a fuschia at the weekend. The garden centre keeps sending me £5 vouchers that must be spent over the weekend. I warrant they think I'll buy other stuff while I'm there. They are right of course. I purchased two terracotta pots for the price of one. Then I broke on on the way home. Did I ever mention that I'm clumsy? I used the broken one anyway, it was just the top that was gone and of course the boys will no doubt break it properly before long.
I haven't had a fuschia in years. The garden faces almost due south and it's just too much sun for them, but this one somehow came home with me. I've spent the past couple of days moving the pot around as the sun goes over. It's not like I've got anything else pressing to do with my time.
The boys have watched football until they feel like they are in a whole alternative universe where only football matches exist. They are not used to so much screen time, normally there is no tv in the week. We will have to go cold turkey soon and reenter reality. We won't like what we see.
The dog has taken to lying down on his lunchtime walk and refusing to go any further. This was before the hot weather really kicked in. I have ended up carrying him on several occasions. He lies on his back and hangs his head down and lets his legs go all floppy. It's ridiculous, he looks like roadkill, people stop and stare. I think he imagines he is Cleopatra and shall be carried about the place at his whim. I have stopped midday walks while it's hot though, his dear little paws aren't made for hot tarmac. Instead he ambles about the garden looking for trouble. He usually finds it.
I've been picking berries like mad and making things like apple and tayberry crumble and Eton mess and just eating them as they are. Some have gone into the freezer for that delicious taste of summer in the long dark cold days of winter. The garden is quite demanding at the moment, but it pays me back with fruit and salad and flowers and tranquil space to watch hoverflies and butterflies and small brown dogs having fun. I can't complain.
Sounds like summers finally arrive. I’ve come home to a massive berry picking spree. Loganberry jam tomorrow if it’s not to hot. Otherwise I may be like Bertie and pretend to be roadkill. Mind you I don’t have the fur for it. B x p.s. I hate football, it’s driving me insane lol.
ReplyDeleteI think Bertie has got you well trained.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sue above.. Bertie has got you wrapped around his little paw. Must be nice.. for him! LOL! Fuchsias are so picky, I hope yours does okay. They really are pretty. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteI really admire your berries and roses. I don't have much of anything--not one fruit or vegetable. Next year. I've tried fuchsia as hanging plants. They never did well; the wind would blow the blossoms off. I haven't seen them at all in the garden nurseries for many years. I wonder...
ReplyDeleteBertie sounds stubborn, but I don't think its a huge problem, the walking...then again Layla never learned to walk on a leash. :( Dogs have their own way of telling us things. Milo sometimes lays on the hot pavement and I don't understand. Then I read that dogs instinctually know when they need vitamin D, from the sun of course. Now I let him stay where he chooses for about 2 minutes. Less and less time outdoors for this old guy!
I hope you survive the heat and humidity, CJ. We have it here as well and we are in for some dangerous heat in the days to come.
Jane x
Oh dear. The words ‘rod’ and ‘own back’ spring to mind re carrying Bert when he lies down- can you take a small water spray bottle with you and squirt him when he does it next time? Of course, there’s always the danger that he’ll enjoy it in this heat, but ours respond well to a bit of gentle water spray correction 😉. Summer sounds lovely with you. I haven’t got a fuchsia this year- hawkmoths love them xxx
ReplyDeleteHow funny, Bertie pretending to be road kill. My dog used to do this, absolutely refusing to walk along the road. I used to carry him down to the canal, when he deemed it acceptable to walk. No I just set the lead down and walk on - he usually follows. Your berries look glorious! We'll of course miss harvest of our red currants because we are away next week... good for the birds I guess. Sun cream and teenagers don't mix unfortunately. They'll regret it of course once aged 40 and all weathered and wrinkly! x
ReplyDeleteYour garden look amazing!!!...enjoy summer love Ria 💜
ReplyDeleteIt is strange how life seems to take on a different pace when it is hot, which is fine when there is nothing pressing to do but not so good when you need to get things done. We've been putting off walking Hector until after supper when has cooled down but he nudges and nags us continuously from about five o'clock because he thinks we have forgotten him. Silly dog!
ReplyDeleteHey CJ,
ReplyDeleteDid I mention the time that I bought a mug from Rockpool café in Mousehole for a friend's birthday, stepped outside the shop swinging my paper bag with gay abandon just outside the entrance and promptly smashed the cup into the wall?
Leanne xx
I did that with a lovely green jug once. You've just reminded me.
DeleteA nice post and good pictures. Your comments about Bertie made me smile, and I don't blame him with the weather being like it is. xx
ReplyDeleteI've read about your summery weather and was wondering how you felt about it. It sounds like it agrees with you, but might be spoiling Bertie just a little too much. :)
ReplyDeleteWould love to have seen a photo of the road kill...... regards, Robyn
ReplyDeleteah yes, this heat - we wish for it so but when it comes it over does it and is just too much! We can't win, I've been melting for days now and Toby refuses to go outside during the day (unless it's for a pee pee). I love fuchsias; a lot of our natural hedgerows are made up of them here. I want £5 gift vouchers every weekend - that's a fab deal you got going on there, hahaha.
ReplyDeleteP.S I just added you to my 'fellow supportive bloggers' list on my blog - big love
ReplyDeletehttps://astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com/
It is hot here too, but we are used to it. Well actually today it is raining and I am loving every drop. It is a nice escape from the intense sun. My boys are finding trouble everywhere and are frankly tall enough to get things off the counter, yesterday I found Hank with scissors in his mouth. At least he had the sharp ends pointed down. You made me laugh with the visual of you carrying the dog, mine are too big to carry now.
ReplyDeleteCJ, you know I love the heat, but I'm done with it now. Today has been so warm and humid, everything is such an effort. And poor Ziggy is not coping with the heat at all. He just patrols the house, looking for a cool spot to flop out, somewhere we we can all trip over him usually, and then wants to go out in the garden at 2am when it's cool. So tell Bertie that we all sympathise.
ReplyDeleteI've had fuschia every year since we moved here...courtesy of girl-child's elementary school fundraiser. Then, of course, she went and aged on to high school where they do no such charming things as supply plants at wholesale prices. So this is the first year I've gone without...and it'll be the last as I love them so. They do wonderfully on our north-facing front porch and the hummingbirds just love them.
ReplyDeleteAh, Bertie. I'm only smiling indulgently because it's not me carrying you. :D
oh, the glorious berry bounty! i often don't love summer, but the berries make it bearable. We're 'between berries' at the moment...having just gorged for weeks on strawberries. *happy sigh*
xoxo
I'm suffering from endless football too, oh, how I dislike the beautiful game! We have to wait until six to walk the dogs, even then they struggle. Sadly I can't even let them out in the back for a run. At the rescue there has been much talk of dogs suffering from heatstroke, apparently dogs have being dying across the country, poor things. People, animals and gardens seem to be struggling with the heat. Lovely post, as always.xxx
ReplyDeleteLike your boys I have succumbed to the football madness as well. I will tell you that I wish that my consumption was more than it is, alas there are grown up things to do. I took a dance class on Saturday and my friend said, let's go get a Mimosa and I said, can we go to a bar with the match on so I can catch the 2nd half. I'm going to have the shakes when the Cup is over.
ReplyDeleteThose berries look delicious! I dug ours up on the allotment as they were getting out of hand, but they are still springing up all over the place - in amongst the beans, the squash , the beetroot .....
ReplyDeletePoor Bertie, poor you- it's the heat!
Beautiful!
ReplyDelete