What's up in the garden.................

The colors of the season.................

.......................last night it rained, really rained.  Starting after midnight, the thunder was constant for over an hour, booming continuously like cannons, the lightning bright as day, its flashing sheets framing the window blinds with brilliant whiteness. I could not fall asleep for a long time.

But we need the rain so desperately.  Although these recent images taken in the garden look green and healthy, the overall picture is not pretty.......browned out grass crunchy and chigger ridden (my ankles prove it, oh how those tiny bites itch!).  Shrubs struggling to keep putting out new growth, flowers almost non-existent.

Bumble bees seem more prevalent this year though, a good sign, so perhaps they enjoy hot, dry days.  The lantana is one plant appearing not to struggle without rain.  Funnily I saw this same 'ham and eggs' variation also growing in South Africa as we bumped across the bushveld daily.  It is most unwelcome there and apparently highly invasive, although I thought it pretty among so much green.

My flat-leaf parsley was growing well and, as usual, the Monarchs laid their eggs on this favorite.  The caterpillars munched continuously day after hot day until only the stems remained.  This is fine though, I love to see more butterflies in the garden, can always pick up a bunch of parsley from the store!

Yes, at long last I have some figs coming along on my two small trees....well not 'trees' quite yet but the bushes are now starting to get tall after three years since planting.  Perhaps I'll harvest enough fruits when they're ripened later this month to make at least a dessert or two!

Still also picking tomatoes and cucumbers - making frosty gazpacho and cucumber Vichyssoise for hot Summer dining.  Other fresh veggies and fruits we pick up at the market, enjoying them while we can.

Today, here in our part of North Carolina, the heat index is expected to hover around 110 degrees!!  Yes hot, dangerously hot, so I'm off to make chilled soup right now......a bowl of fresh goodness from our garden, a glass of chilled rose, all that may be required by the end of this unbearably hot day!