July in Our Lemnian Garden

July in Our Lemnian Garden



For Tourists but for me?
(quote from the internet)

 

Tourist may write, dreamily, of warms seas and blazing sunshine, especially if they come from colder parts of Europe. For me July is a mix of things I enjoy and the problems the summer brings. First of these is mosquitoes!
 

It has taken a few years to achieve this lolly-pop bay tree I now enjoy



A late magnolia bloom



 

 



We have just begun picking the pears





And collecting the tomatoes





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midsummer Night Itch 

 

Mosquito is out,
it's the end of the day;
she's humming and hunting
her evening away.
Who knows why such hunger
arrives on such wings
at sundown? I guess
it's the nature of things.

N. M. Boedecker, 

 

The butterflies are visiting the lantanas





 But it is a joy to see the bees, and even the bugs – so many in so many beautiful colours, and of course the butterflies. I also like the occasional trip to the beach!

 

 



The Agapanthus is in bloom. (a weed in Australia!)



Lantanas are another plant that are considered weeds
in parts of Australia









Answer July


Answer July —
Where is the Bee —
Where is the Blush —
Where is the Hay?

Ah, said July —
Where is the Seed —
Where is the Bud —
Where is the May —
Answer Thee — Me —

Nay — said the May —
Show me the Snow —
Show me the Bells —
Show me the Jay!

Quibbled the Jay —
Where be the Maize —
                                                                                      Where be the Haze —
                                                                                      Where be the Bur?



But in Lemnos I love their summer colour

                             Here — said the Year —



                 
                        Emily    Dickinson                                                   
 
                                                                                                    































And July means more watering. I have to water the pots everyday, keep the bird bath filled, and give the vegetables a soaking every third day at least. This year I’ve set up a shade cloth area to try to keep a few salad greens throughout the summer.

 

The grapes will be ripe in September





And the figs too will be ripe in September





 

 'A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.'

 

James Dent

 As I said, a mix of good and bad, no the wrong words – a new mix of joys and worries!

 

 

And one more plant, that appeared and has never been watered!

'Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.'

 

 Russel Baker