Well its spring time here and warmth has started to creep into our days. Our citrus this year is on the small side, due to not enough water I suspect. One of our orange trees has no fruit at all, which is highly unusual. There seems to have been so much wind I suspect all the flowers blew straight off before the bees got the chance to pollinate them. Our little lemon tree is light on fruit also. Normally the gnarled little tree produces so much fruit it's astounding. This year there is enough for our needs but we don't have the excess we are used too.
Everything is beginning to grow again and the warmth invites us all out to play and potter. Unless it is windy. Goodness me. There is no wind like the wind that blows a gale over the vast, flat, unending plains, picking up dust and pollen as it goes. I have never known such wild winds until we moved here.
Whilst the warmth is nice, we are not getting any where near enough rain. This certainly shows in my garden and the surrounding farmland. The land around here is good, reliable cropping country but this year the crops are stunted, some are quite sparse. If the season doesn't pick up its going to be a hard year for our farmers.
This country of ours can be a beautiful but harsh, unforgiving lady that's for sure.
I went around the garden yesterday morning looking at our ramshackle garden and took note of the flowers waking up. I'm glad I did as looking out there now I doubt there will be any flowers left by the end of today!
The dogs have decimated so much of the garden we tried to create in this house. Aggie the Scottish Terrier is the prime culprit. That little dog! As soon as she has the scent of something she goes digging. As a result simple is the look we are going for, or I'm happy to settle with alive at this point in time.
"Trouble? What on earth are you talking about"
Don't be fooled, these two sleeping beauties are full of mischief, even old Tessa who is nearly 14yrs old now still has the odd burst of puppy in her, though they are few and far between and usually motivated by food.
At the farm we will use raised beds for veggies and herbs with boarders around any ornamental garden beds like below. Without exception.
Well, I best be off. Henry is at kindy today, so its unusually (and blissfully) quiet!
Much love,
Emma
xx
