A rather bad start...
Pot colours
Me and July - we've got off to a rather bad start. I understand that it is a mid-winter month, but I sincerely and lovingly welcomed July to my garden, and asked he/she/it (them?) politely for a little weather kindness. That was four days ago.
Rather nasty...
Since then the cold July wind has roared around and splattered everything with cold, stormy rain. No kindness shown at all, instead he/she/it (they?) has (have?) been rather nasty tempered. You will have noted how careful I am trying to be, not wanting to give any offence with an incorrect pronoun.
In my garden it's just been bleak, cold, wet, and windy. I've only gone outside briefly, to walk the dogs or collect another barrow load of firewood for the log burner. I've even been cold inside my house.
Too stormy for the cottage...
It's been too stormy to sleep in my cottage. My property doesn't flood, but other places haven't been quite as lucky, as rivers have broken through their stop-banks.
So it's been a dodgy start to July, garden-wise. Not totally unexpected for a day or two, but going on longer that that? No thanks. C'mon July. You can do so much better than this.
Dog alert...
Pebbles the dog has been sitting outside on the top patio in the rain. Why? Because I'd hung up a lard ball bird feeder, and she is rather hoping that the string might break. Haven't seen any birds arriving, so I've taken it down and thrown it in the bin.
Oops...
Oops. Now I've counted five disappointed blackbirds hopping around on the patio pavers, looking very disappointed. Sorry birds - I don't trust my dog. Sliced apples and apricots only.
Thursday 9th July
Yet another day where my soggy brown and green garden waits patiently. Five degrees again. Oh well, at least my house is warm. All that firewood I helped process last year is burning merrily. And outside the bellbirds are very noisy. They love the wet weather.
Green and Brown Winter Garden
But wait! Sun! Amazing. Some shadows on the patio pavers, shining water drops on the plants. Wow. Hang on a minute. Must have been a mirage. It's gone.