Continuing our time specific theme for Summer it struck me the other day how life changes with the weather. Here at La Pasera it has been very warm and muggy for the past few days with little relief from the persistent heat and overwhelming warm humid air. Unlike the rest of Spain and Europe it seems, where constant sunshine has been the order of the day, we have had short bouts of strong sunshine followed by low overcast skies which have felt equally oppressive. Not only has it had an effect on us, it has changed the entire dynamics of life in the garden.
Wentworth and Gawber are to be found in deep shade either in amongst the thick carpet of honesty and crocosmia, too drained by the heat to contemplate chasing a bathing Jay or Finch. The blackbirds scavenge dangerously close to the snoozing cats who from time to time open an eyelid when a scurrying lizard whisks by.
The birds roost in the bushes with an occasional sortie for food or water. The insects come out in force making the most of the wide and inviting flowers and nectar within. The ants march onwards in their regimented manner to their cool underground tunnels and the spiders await their pray, ready to pounce and wrap, saving the bounty for a later feast.
The lizards take advantage of the warm limestone rockery and with their flattened abdomens, soak up the heat...Whilst the grasshopper takes shade in the cavity of a Calla Lily.
The plants throughout the garden wilt, especially the young broccoli and pepper plants. The ruby red-veined leaves of the beetroot almost touch the earth and the onions leaves begin to turn golden yellow and become brittle. The harvest continues with large juicy blackberries, ruby Swiss chard and sweet, sweet beetroot whilst freshly harvested Lemon Verbena perfumes the air as it is strung up to dry.
As for the humans at La Pasera in the heat of the midday sun? Inside a cooled house or workshop, enjoying the chores of the day and taking time to enjoy the heat of the midday sun. Learning from the cats that it is best enjoyed... from a distance.
Wentworth and Gawber are to be found in deep shade either in amongst the thick carpet of honesty and crocosmia, too drained by the heat to contemplate chasing a bathing Jay or Finch. The blackbirds scavenge dangerously close to the snoozing cats who from time to time open an eyelid when a scurrying lizard whisks by.
The plants throughout the garden wilt, especially the young broccoli and pepper plants. The ruby red-veined leaves of the beetroot almost touch the earth and the onions leaves begin to turn golden yellow and become brittle. The harvest continues with large juicy blackberries, ruby Swiss chard and sweet, sweet beetroot whilst freshly harvested Lemon Verbena perfumes the air as it is strung up to dry.
lovely pictures, as always. No blackberries here yet, but lots of loganberries and raspberries.
ReplyDeleteThanks CIG - no logan berries here but plenty of raspberries.
DeleteWe are way behind this year, we had such a very cold May, the elderflowers are only just coming out two months late and only a few blackberries are showing any bloom. Lovely to see the cats doing what they do best, relaxing in the shade.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anne - the cats have recovered well but Wentowrth is always getting beaten up - back at the vets this week due to abscess. We were a bit behind this year also but it seems to have caught up.
Deleteyour pictures reminded me of my childhood, blackberry picking and looking for bugs. I love the blue insect! Very beautiful but not sure what it is! Angela x
ReplyDeleteAngela recently posted Yoda’s Antics Week 8 http://wp.me/p5XRN6-1SN
Hi Ian, love all your pictures and as much as spiders make my skin crawl, I can appreciate the beauty of the spider you captured. Fascinating!... I also can't believe the greenness of your grass. Here in Greece it's so difficult to keep grass looking good in summer. Your secret is?...
ReplyDeleteThe cats certainly do know what to do when temperatures rise. Ours lounge on the cold marble on the back balcony, I have also tried it myself and it works for keeping cool.
xx
beautiful photo of the dragonfly and the grasshopper
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely feel the heat from your photos and love all the different ways the animals cope with the high temperatures. If only I were a lizard who loves it where-as I want to be a lazy cat hiding away in the deepest of deep shade!
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding more of your fabulous photos to #AnimalTales and sorry I am so late commenting.
PS my cultivated blackberries are just coming into fruit now.