...The weather's a bit cooler now, and my 'working vacation' has come to an end. It feels good to be caught-up with the garden work and have a clear vision of the continuing work that still needs to be done in a few days. ----big streeeeeeeeeeetch---- Ahhhh... The late afternoon sun is richly pinky-red with tones of purple and blue. There is a slight haze in the air as the cooling currents settle over the hot vegitation and ground. The lighting is magical at this time of day, I repeat to myself. Leaning back, my legs propped-up and stretched out onto a vacant chair, I can see the result of many hours of sun exposure on them. Brown looks healthy, I think to myself. -----I crunch-off a corner of the bikkie----- From my vantage point on the central patio, I look left, over at the old veggie plots and see that there are still some courgette plants putting-out. I can see the green foliage of the tom plants through the chalked-over panes of glass in the greenhouse. The pastel green mass is decorated with red toms sprinkled throughout, like balls on a christmas tree. I can also see that the strawbberry plants have runners and their small plantlets are getting bigger every day. Runner beans are hanging off the racks and wigwams. I wonder when they will stop producing--they just keep making beans. Down below them, there are still more beets getting bigger since their neighbours have been removed and they have more room to expand and more nutrition now. The onions drying on the chicken wire frame are almost ready for plaiting and hanging-up. In front of me the lovely sight of the Reina Victoria plums are a sight to behold. Reina Vic's have this swollen and pinkish quality to them that just says, "JUICY". ----I take a sip of tea---- Gazing through the sigmoid curl of the tea's steam, I can see the remaining colour and smell the the perfume of the fragrant flowers that wind through the air like invisible strands of braided hair. When I close my eyes and concentrate, I can isolate and recognize some individual and familiar fragrances. It's not just the flowers, the watered soil has it's odor. The smell of heated foilege has its odor. The late afternoon/early evening has it's odor. I am thinking that there are some people who do not know this little detail of life on earth. Some are too busy, some are not interesteed, some simply are not aware....I feel pretty lucky. I hear a bumble bee making a sort of zizzing sound as he wiggles to get deeper into that closing blue hibiscus bloom. It reminds me of that little adrenaline rush that I got a couple of days ago. I was over by the arch belonging to the path between the flower garden and the old veggie plots, giving much needed water to the Clematises that are planted there. I was stepping carefully but heavily, with my toes in-between the Day Lilies and Monardas to get to that awkward place where I must get to in order to give them water. Whilst tip-toeing about like Tiny Tim, I saw a puffy little mouse nest on the ground, made ever so neatly from dead plant material that I had clipped-off and let lie to compost on the ground there. "Ahhhh", I murmured and went on with my watering and creeping. When I was finished, I set the watering can down and kneeled onto my knees to have a closer look at the nest. I gently pokes it twice and felt nothing and nothing ran out, so I imagined that the brood had gotten big and left the nest, so my curiosity drove me to explore further. I pulled up one layer--nothing, I pulled-up another layer and saw movement. I leaned over to get a better look in the fading light. What I saw quickly jerked me back to reality and out of the lazy, idyllic mood that I had slipped into. I saw the movement first, then simultaneously I saw them--about eight or more black and yellow heads came wiggling up out of the brown debris-- They were BUMBLEBEES!!! I folded the top two layers back down onto them, and pressed as I catapulted my self upright laterally and bounded away like a gazelle that was being persued by a pride of lions. It was like a scene out of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or something. I surprised myself at how quick my reaction was. Nothing like an unhappy swarm of bees to bring out the best of one's athletic abilities. The next day I took some fotos: First, you can see this innocent-looking nest. There are so many bees in the garden this year--the most I have seen for the past 3-4 years, or so. Bumblebees are the most numerous--there are several different ones. Here are a few on a leek plant that I let bloom-out. ...and one on the Oregano. I caught this one napping in the dark red Hollyhock. The honey bees are less numerous, but more than there have been for quite some time. There are other pollinators in the garden too: ...and this lovely Painted Lady. It's not just the pollinators that tweek my interest, the blooms themselves really are looking nice too. I can see a few from the patio. The first one is this lovely stand of Echinacea paradoxa. As it gets darker they seem to glow brighter. I like that lone Cleome there. It seems to work, in my eyes. This double Ipomoea is a flashy one that can be easily seen from afar. They last to well past mid-day, unlike many of it's relatives. These two favourites like eachother's company, it seems. The bees sure do like them, I'll tell you. This Cistus is showing-off today and really can be stunning. I am hoping that it will grow taller. No trip to the gardens would be complete without a harvest. Here is a partial harvest takes to juust show the Chocolate Paprikas (capsicums). These are new for me this year. I am not really happy with their size, but the colour is ...well, different. I can't wait to taste them. I have eaten some when they were in the green stage, and the flavour was typical; now, I shall see if the flavour of this mature fruit will be different from the red ones that I like so well. My partner is flicking through the pages of her new book as I sit and dream. It has been a good season in spite of it's unusual traject. The freezer is almost full now. I have left a little room for some more beets, beans and corn. I will have perp. spinach, Swiss chard and Purple Sprouting Broccoli to eat fresh this winter. -----Streeeeeeeetch----- I wonder if I look like I feel. You know that look--smiling eyes, squinted, a gentle grin and slightly raised eyebrows. It's one step away from a yawn... it's contentment.
You are such a great story teller and your pictures are amazing. Especially the one with the bees. I really like the one with the bee in the dark red Hollyhock. That picture should be a contender for the picture of the month!
I really enjoyed your post Sjoerd, you DO sound content! Your double Ipomoea really caught my eye ... I've never seen anything like it! Wonderful photos
Is it just me or can anyone else see a 'baby penguin' sheltering underneath the bees nest? I can see the head, eye and beak. OK on to other things before you all think I'm crazy. I loved reading your story Sjoerd and looking at your wonderful photographs. The shots of the bees are especially terrific. You can see almost every individual grain of pollen on the one in the hollyhock - fantastic!! :-D
Superb as usual Sjoerd both the story telling and the visual story. Eileen, I saw the eyes and beak too but didn't even think of it being a penguin but looking back at it I think you are right.
Thank you very much, CC. You say such nice things. I'm glad that you liked this one, Stratsmom I'm pleased that you liked that double Ipomoea. I like that one two. They were easy to raise from seed. I can see the penguin head too, Eileen. I enjoyed taking the bee fotos. There are periods when the wind dies down a bit, and it's nice if it stops at the moment that I depress the shutter--I don't always get it right. What a kind thing to say, Jewell. Thanks Toni.
Sjoerd, thanks for reminding me to take time and smell the roses. I am always so busy doing gardening chores that I never just sit and watch. I told my DH earlier that I want to get up and watch the sunrise tomorrow, your story just reinforced that. Is the Ipomoea Sunrise Serenade? I grew it one year and it is very vigorous, I loved it. I love the Cistus and the bee in the hollyhock.
dr and Chance always watch the sunrise. Maybe I should start getting up and watching it, too. I generally sit out in the evening with Chance. I love the butterfly and even the bees but keep away from the bees if I can. I love seeing your garden as the heat has turned my yellow and brown. I'm thinking of pulling some things out and seeing what I can plant for fall now. dooley
Yes, C'belle--that is indeed "Sunrise Serenade". It is a beautiful thing, isn't it? Good luck with your endevour to get up early. I am sorry to hear that your plants are burning up. That is such a shame. I hope that you can find some new stuff there to plant for the fall.
What a relaxing read! And I laughed a lot too. (Sorry.) I saw a penguin before I saw the bee's nest and thought it funny. Your flowers, bees, veggies and everything looks lovely.
