As we sit on day eighteen of our thirty-five day enforced lockdown, we are missing out on the best season (and weather) of the cycle of seasons. In my opinion, anyway. The scorching heat of the summer is gone, but the days are generally sunny and warm. Best of all, the wind doesn’t blow. The chilly evenings are not too cold to completely curtail outdoor entertaining – for at least the early evening. It’s also a very pretty season.
We cannot enjoy it – other than from the solitary splendour of our homes and gardens. Inspired my a conversation with The Husband this morning, I’ve been trawling my old photographs of autumn.
Other than the prettiness I’ve already mentioned, I was struck by the savagery of the drought and how it denuded our garden. I wrote a bit about the drought and possible signals of climate change here.
We also start watching the swallows and wonder when they’ll move to warmer climes in central Africa.
This pair of lesser African swallows used to live under our eaves. The were usurped by a pair of cocky Cape Sparrows. We tried usurping the sparrows, but they just built a messy mansion in the tree aloe. Jack and Jill have had to moved.
In the same folder as all my autumn photos from a couple of years ago: Melon who left us in mid-2019. Just beginning to develop her winter coat.
This autumn, our garden is looking a little better. Thanks to a bit of rain and the fact that we now have a borehole. Given that being able to water coincided with the hottest time of the year, we haven’t made as much progress as we would have like, but at least it’s greener. The grass is slowly returning – we took the opporutnity to level off, so it’s taking a little longer. Winter and less foliage in the trees to let in sun will help.
The vegetable garden is not just messy, but it’s productive. I have herbs back and I’ve re-planted herbs that have died. The Husband is rekindling his new-found penchant for growing things and beans and carrots and, and are to be harvested.
Under different circumstances, we’d have had folk around to lounge in the garden with glasses of wine and chatter.
Until next time, be well
Fiona
The Sandbag House
McGregor, South Africa
Photo: Selma
Post Script
- I’m participating in blogpal @tracyork’s April challenge of sharing a post every day during April – on the Hive blockchain. I succeeded last year – on Steemit from which the new blockchain “hived off”…
- It seems a good way to constructively use the time during a compulsory lock down, right? For more about this initiative, please check out Traci’s post.
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