Sunday 7 July 2013

Weather report

We here in The Yorkshire Dales have forgotten what hot weather is like.   We have had only isolated warm days over the last few years and to suddenly have a spell of hot weather is unheard of.   The tar is melting on the lane and there are tar bubbles - as children we used to 'pop' them with our feet and get a rocket from mums when we arrived home and trailed tar into the house.  I am half-watching the Tennis Championships and hear that the temperature on Centre Court is one hundred degrees.

All the doors and windows in the house are open to the elements and there is no cooking today - plenty of salad in the garden so we shall eat that.

Another side effect of the heatwave is that every rose in the garden has suddenly bloomed, after weeks in bud.   Alexander Girault, my favourite rambler, has rocketed up, around the weather vane and along the calf house roof.   Every year we cut him back to curb his enthusiasm, every year he makes his way along the roof again.   I would let him go except he would leave the wall behind and it is the wall I wish to cover.

All the garden flowers are opening their faces to the sun - it is a joyous few days; something to do with the weather coming in from the Azores.   Long may it continue.   The farmer is walking with his group today and then when he comes home he intends to bale up our paddock of hay.   Midgies permitting I shall go out and sit on a bale and watch him.

And the Greem Man watches over it all and tells us that we shall have to accept what comes.

If it is hot where you are - keep cool.








15 comments:

Elizabeth said...

So glad you are having some well needed sun!
Lovely description of your garden.
Absurdly lot here in the 90's - but at least it's summer!

angryparsnip said...

Goodness so happy to hear your having some warm weather.

I am so envious of your roses. I can't believe you have to chop back the Alexander Girault every year. And it still grows that much.

I keep thinking where I could plant a rose bush, there are some hardy old frontier roses that could grow here but...
I can only plant one inside the fenced yard, everything would eat it outside the fence, then once inside the yard where to plant it ? Because every awful critter would live in it.. so not near the house.

So far I am at a loss. Down in the valley you have a better chance of planting but up here in the foothills one needs to careful.

I will have to enjoy your roses.

cheers, parsnip

Cloudia said...

Visiting you, and The Dales has become a very nice part of my sub-tropical life :-)

Thank you, friend

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

The roses are wonderful. It is nice to have some warm weather. We are leaving on a short four day stay at a cabin on the ocean - we are packed and ready to go and the weather is perfect. Enjoy your weather.

Twiglet said...

Yes it's hot down on the Welsh border but I have been lovely and cool in my lounge with windows open, watching Andy win!! x Jo

MorningAJ said...

I've been gardening most of today. It's been hot - but the garden looks better. Stay cool!

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely and warm up here too, feels like real summer!

Em Parkinson said...

Your roses are fabulous! We have a green man too.

Barbara said...

I, too, am envious of your roses. They're just beautiful!
My flower garden is at the bottom of the priority list. Between the torrential rains and the hordes of slugs, the flowers are looking rather sad.
Thank you for sharing yours.

Heather said...

Your roses are beautiful and you managed to photograph a bee - they won't keep still long enough for me! I hope the farmer wasn't too exhausted after baling the hay.

jill said...

Love your Green Man Pat, I have 5 scattered around the garden. Your roses are beautiful such lovely colours. Its still very warm here at 1045pm I know I wont get much sleep again !! Love Jill xx

Bovey Belle said...

What beautiful roses. If your Alexander Girault is anything like my Paul's Himalayan Musk, he will still cover the wall anyway. Mine has spread right across the garden from one side to the other (see current blog post).

Let us enjoy this sunshine whilst we may - it is a rarity these days!

thelma said...

Green men are sometimes scary, they can on occasions look like people you know as well.... Roses are beautiful, the wild dog roses that filled the countryside a few days ago was glorious, as are the roses that fill our gardens....

mrsnesbitt said...

We were out enjoying the weather too Pat xxx

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for visiting and smelling the roses - nothing like sunshine to bring them out.