A good day

So happy to finally get a bit of sunshine between the clouds and be well enough to get out and enjoy it this morning with a simple blueberry breakfast and some frivolous silvery toenail painting - got to reflect every last drop of sunshine now that we have some. It's my way of pretending I've had a summer holiday. I'm not a pink cardigan sort of person, but i never say no to free cashmere hand-me-downs!

Still got some blueberries ripening on the bushes...



The Clematis/Hops is finally old enough to reach along the fence and then cross over onto the shed, creating a nice floral bower over the secret path between the sheds - which has become even more secret after this years rain made the bamboo grow like crazy...





The Clematis even creeps round in the other direction onto the back side of the shed (yes, in a 3rd shade of bluey green). I hope next year I will have some energy for gardening and can train it properly across the shed wall, I just had it tangled over a small nail this year so it was a bit bedraggled...




I just adore that clematis and grow have it growing on the East fence paired with Goldenrod, Evening Primrose and Eupatorium/Eutrochium...




Finally after 2 years without we got hold of some organic corn. The garden is in shade by late afternoon but I was determined to eat it outside anyway since there was still a lovely warm breeze. Who needs sun when you have a freshly boiled cob on your plate...

A few mid August sunsets

Sunset on 18th August

As I was taking the sunset at the top over a 20 minute period I heard a distant bang and realised that in the distance the fireworks could be see going of at Edinburgh Castle. They usually start once it's dark but on a Saturday they do 2 shows so the first one is early when there is still plenty of light in the sky. I was so beautiful. The 3rd photo is a detail of the clouds over the trees as it intensified.


August 13 2012

August 16 2012

Possibly 17 August 2012

What's happy in the back garden today...

A few early August sunsets

Sunset today (above), last week (middle), and after sunset (bottom).
It's been so nice to have a break from the rain and get some washing dried outside.

Between the rains

Between rains I managed to get photos of a few of the plants that seem happy despite the weather. It's been an incredibly wet July (and June, and May) with a whole month's worth of rain in 3 days early on, and it barely stopped after that. There have never been so few flowers in the garden in July, some rotted but many are just delayed so I hope there will be a burst of colour by the end of the month. It's not looking empty though, all the rain has ensured masses of foliar growth everywhere and an equally enormous growth of the slug and snail population....









With so much rain there haven't been many sunsets but I snapped a few...

Summer Solstice 2012

Sun setting at 10.30 on the Summer Solstice.

Sun setting at 10pm a day later.

The Soltice sunset was quite impressive, for about 15 minutes! I love the way you can see the pale blue and faded mint sky behind the more dramatic gold dusted rain clouds. I was hoping to get a nice shot at midnight since the previous night had looked bloody gorgeous (but could I find my camera? Nope). Sadly it was a bit too cloudy for a good photo at midnight but there were some lovely red hues in the north sky over Edinburgh.

Soaking breakfast overnight

Glass after 2hrs soaking in water (hard to see but the water is in there).

Another food photo for Liz (better late than never) I typically soak my seeds/nuts/grain mixtures overnight (at cool room temp or in the fridge if it's too hot) and top up with water as needed. Next day enjoy as raw porridge, as lightly cooked porridge (lovely with fresh fruit added), added to smoothies or drained of any water and used in salads. Full of goodness, particularly if you don't heat it. And packed with protein, for those who think you can't get protein without eating meat.

Reach for the sky...

This Clematis has suddenly settled in this year and is putting on a load of excitingly rampant growth which I've not been dutifully training in my usual fashion, so it is heading for the sky!

Garden snapshot May 2012

Narcissus, Clematis, Angelica

Clematis, Clematis, Solomon's Seal

Acer, Narcissus, Heuchera

Rhododendron, Tulip, Pieris, Tulip

Click images to enlarge.

My head for names has gone so I hope nobody wanted details of each variety. I'm hoping the nice weather will help get me enthused about the garden again and then the names will pop back into my head. Fingers crossed.

Floor tiles from Claesson Koivisto Rune