The weather has been so mixed recently it can be a struggle to know what to wear. One minute we are seeking minimum layers and the shade and the next it seems we are looking out winter woollies and contemplating putting the heating on. We have our heating set on a constant low temperature and in June there were a few mornings when we found the radiator in the bathroom was on, and I have to admit there were a couple of days when, sat in my study, I was longing for the heat of the radiator, but instead I added another layer of clothing and even a blanket across my knees one day. We all know it is climate change which is messing with the normality of our seasons and the scientists have reiterated that this is not only a future event, but a here and now occurrence. We only have to watch the news to see the effects around the world. We really do need to make changes.
Fortunately, the garden is coping better than we are, with care and nurture from Norman. We have already had a good crop of courgettes, the spherical variety this year, a good crop of cucumbers, and even the yellow raspberries are fruiting, although the red ones should have come first.
The beetroot and the beans are also bearing fruit. This year we have managed to get some flowers in the flower beds and so we can sit and gaze at their colourful heads nodding in the breeze. Last year I bought two hydrangea plants, which are in pots, and both have flowered, and our Heucheras are also flowering.
I love sitting and watching the bees visiting the flowers, they have loved the lavender and the sage, and now our cornflowers and antirrhinums are offering food also. We all know we need to care for the insect life in our gardens so ensure the balance of the ecosystem is maintained, and it is an added bonus when we get to share the beauty of flowers and fruits. Norman is busy trying to create a space for wildflowers next year, but it is heavy going with the clay soil and of course the hidden rocks, but progress is being made. Meanwhile I get to take my camera out and create photographic memories for the colder days.
Read more Thoughts from the Manse on the archive page