Summer...

Hurrah... It seems summer is really here this time... (hopefully that hasnt put a hex on it) we seemed to go from winter, to summer over night, a few days ago I was still taking a hot water bottle to bed, yeah , yeah I know... but it wasnt cold enough to light a fire, but by the time we've sat down for the evening, it was chilly and by the time I went to bed I was really chilled... so there...
Then over night it turned warm, all the screens are in and the windows fixed back open, and hopefully will now stay that way till late sept early Oct at least...
It was 83dgs here yesterday and doesnt look set to change for a while...

The garden is picking up, its amazing what a few days hot sunshine will do, the peas that did germinate now have flowers and tiny pods on, and we'll hopefully have a succession of them during the summer as Ive kept popping new ones in everywhere in the hopes of getting at least a minimal amount to freeze for the winter..
The beans are doing good, popping up everywhere now, as are the spuds, we've dug a few more the other day, they are so gorgeous... you just cannot beat potatoe salad made with your own new spuds ... yummy... we just cant resist...

We are eating lettuce all the time now as we've loads ready and Ive planted more seed to bring on more, the onions seem to be moving a bit now too, and the carrots are a little sparse but I can see definite rows now, as with the beetroots...
The caulis are the worse hit with the wet we had, we've probably lost at least half the plants we put in, but the cabbage is hearting up nicely and the broccoli is looking good. The toms are starting to flower and the peppers wont be long, the corn is again a little disapointing, it was a packet from uk, a sweeter variety, but less than half have come up... the chickpeas are popping up now so high hopes there...
Ive planted 24 good strong butternnut squash plants so hopes of TONS this year...

So all in all the veggies are improving, just have to keep hard at the irrigation now.
Its hard for rik, he is working a few days at the moment so gets up at 5am to irrigate before he leaves, then eats dinner and does it over again in the evening and its generally almost 9pm before he's finished all his chores at home... this is a very busy time for us both and we seem to fall into bed shattered at night...
Im busy working in the veggie patch, getting up early to get as much done before it gets too hot, Im picking and drying herbs for winter, trying to get our caravan ready for Helpxers who are coming soon plus walking the dogs etc, and all my normal house work.. not that , thats a priority with me.. and taking as many odd jobs off of Rik as I can to ease his load... phew...
But the pool is almost ready, this year we had to empty and refill it, we use water from our well, and can only pump a half hour in the morning and the same again at night... and its a slow job...
I have my most HATED job to do any day now, I keep putting it off... defrosting the big chest freezer... ready for all the new produce coming soon... its just takes so long, and I have such trouble as I cannot reach the bottom without overbalancing and falling in...

Good News! Our lovely old lemon tree that suffered so badly two winters ago, that we thought it would never recover has a few flowers on ... not many but its a start...
The tangerine tree Rik 'pruned' three years ago has gone bonkers this year and is smothered in blossom which is so strong its scenting the whole garden and house with its beautiful fragrance... the whole area is sweet smelling , the grapes are flowering and smell lovely too, as are all the wild flowers all the place... its a beautiful time of year...