PREPARING FOR WINTER

In a month's time it is Midsummer's Eve.  From then on we must be thinking about the nights drawing in and the days getting colder . . .

Those of you who look around gardens and the countryside will already have noticed that this year plants are either late or just plain confused.  My rhododendrons are still in bud; most trees are now in leaf, but one of my fruit trees is struggling; daffodils are still blooming, along with primroses and bluebells.  Five weeks ago, we walked the 8th leg of the Sussex Border Path and I took this pic

We were walking through a bluebell wood and were quite certain that, by the time of next week's leg, the bluebells would have come and gone.  But, look - apart from a few growths of ivy, not a leaf on the trees!  The bluebells are currently in full bloom and we might yet get our bluebell walk next week.

For the last month, I have been walking in N Cyprus, Morocco and S Spain.  I will try to post some pics later.  All I wanted to say here was that the temperature was 20° higher where I was than when I left UK.  It was still 15° higher when I returned.  What's going on?!

I usually spend a few intensive days preparing for my trips away, so we took a couple of days off in Devon to relax before I went.  Here is the coastal footpath 

 

It hadn't rained for  nearly a week, yet the footpath was badly eroded and still running with water like a small stream.  There weren't many people on the beach or in the beach cafe either.

 It was the same story further along the coast in the popular holiday resort of Torquay.

We've just had 3 lovely sunny days, with temperatures soaring to almost 15° and I was able to spend a delightful day in the garden, clearing the debris off the lawn.  I expect there'll be a hosepipe ban soon.  Thank goodness for garden centres.