Still Hot

   Another scorcher. Started the morning at 24C and has gone up since then to low 30's. I had decided to stay indoors all day but, after playing on the computer for half an hour while I watched tennis from Wimbledon and playing in the basement for an hour, James persuaded me to go to the splash pad. Unfortunately, it was inundated with kids from a local school having their year-end party. So he played in the sand, making mud with a little friend, and occasionally venturing onto the splash pad to clean off.

    After getting thoroughly overheated he consented to go back home and we had a cooling off half-hour in the pool. He loved the water even though it was on the cool side. Needless to say, he was quite ready for his nap after lunch and had a good sleep. Back in the pool when Judy arrived so they both went home a little cooler but, I'm sure, more comfortable. It's still very hot so I will cook another quick meal tonight. I may even have a late swim once the sun is down!

Hot Sunday

    It has been a scorcher of a day but now It has gotten quite dark and I hear thunder in the distance. I hope it brings the temperature down - it's 33C in the shade at the moment.

   The lavender is just coming into flower and smells delicious. The bees are crazy for it! I have managed to remove and replant a small cutting so will have two bushes next year.

   The bin of potatoes is looking healthy. I wonder what's going on beneath the surface? I also stuck in a piece of parsnip that had sprouted some leaves and it seems to be doing something. Who knows what will come of it.



   The rain has come and gone and, as predicted (or hoped) the temperature has dropped a couple of degrees.  Hopefully, if I open all the windows tonight, I may be able to cool the house down a bit.


   Time to cook some quinoa and broil a piece of salmon -  a nice simple meal for a hot day.

 

Vegetables

Garlic scapes

  

Swiss chard almost ready to pick

 
 

Lots of flowers on tomato plants

I hope these tomatoes grow a bit - they should be bigger than this!

 

A Busy Thursday

   There has been so much rain recently that the garden has been growing like crazy and requires a big cleanup. So no time for photos. Yesterday I managed to cut the back grass which had been quite waterlogged for several days. Today I tidied up a couple of borders and there are weeds everywhere that need pulled.

   Thursday is tennis morning at my local courts. Not many turned up, 7 in total, so I will have to contact some of the regulars that have dropped off. Cathy and I played singles for a while, stopped for coffee then got a third to play Australian singles - slightly less tiring. One of our regulars is injured and another couple are on a trip until the end of July.

   I was in the pool twice today, once after cleaning it (all hot and sweaty so felt refreshed in the cool water) and once later in the afternoon when it was much warmer. It is looking great. I hope I can avoid the algae of last summer.

   I have started a new book today, "The Daughters of Mars" by Thomas Keneally. It's about Australian nurses sent overseas during the Great War (1914-1918). It is a good read so far.