06-27-12 The heat's coming!!!

I decided I better write my blog now before the "over the 100s temps" (for the rest of the world, we expect the next few days to be over 40 C) there is no telling what the place will look like after such heat and no rain. Rain has fallen heavily in a number of places the last few days but missed us. I have had 1/4 inch in the last two weeks. Not good!

Talking about other frustrations, although fun ones: for the last few days I have tried to take a decent picture of the visiting hummingbirds that flit in and out of the garden but no luck. As soon as I turn around or raise the camera, they're gone. This afternoon I had one taunt me by facing me on the other side of the glass door. It hovered there for a while, most probably admiring its reflection and even landed on a branch for a brief moment...and I had no camera handy :( but I must say the sight was worth it. Beautiful areal ballet!

Along the same lines, I have been keeping an eye on butterflies but the numbers are down and continue to be down for the last few years. Just ten years ago I could capture several of them in the same shot. Not any more; they come one at a time and the real pretty ones seem to come hardly at all.

I almost forgot, I ended up with the picture of one of my nemesis: the young rabbit that is fattening nicely on my veggies. It's less cute than the hummers but easier to take in picture.

I mentioned in a past article that a couple of my fig trees were producing their "breva", first, early flush. It is now all over; I ate my last fig yesterday and it was huge as you can tell from the picture. In another few weeks, we will get the regular crop. It looks very promising.

We have been eating some totally delicious sweet corn. I now am between two crops, the one I finished a few days ago and the one coming in a week or two. There is nothing like good, fresh corn picked while the water is boiling besides, maybe, bush beans. My crop has been less than exciting this spring with early insect damage but the taste has been just what I love about fresh beans. I usually cut them a little under size since I don't sell them by the pound but it makes them so much tastier. You will notice from the picture that I prefer the golden varieties to the green ones. Matter of taste!

I have been spending time feeding the skeeters, watering my tomatoes since nature hasn't helped, and for ever tying my tomato plants to their stakes. They grow like crazy but, on the plus side, also have started yielding some early samples of that summer taste. Can't wait to have enough to cover a good size home made pizza and even more to start drying them for an even better pizza!

I have specially enjoyed the last couple of mornings out there in a 60 temp, a major gift in this part of the world and at this time of the year. Next few days will be much rougher!

Nice surprise in the mail today: a card from a lady who came to a yard sale in the neighborhood and was dying to come into my garden. I told her what I tell everyone: the garden is always open to visitors whether I am home or not.

Cana lilies

Among my favorite flowers. I love they Italian and French name: girasole and tournesol--that turns with the sun since the flowers have a tendency to follow the daily sun run. Also, nowadays they come in multiple heads and all kinds of size or colors. My challenge, catch a picture of  gold finches as they take of from those flowers. Their bright yellow and black colors perfectly match the yellow ones on the left.

Da jungle!

Looks, light and textures!

Early morning light play on the crepe myrtles.

Asian pears growing nicely.

Two different colors of four o'clock. (the third one is white)

My "Vanity" is re-blooming, covering the arbor's top.

Glads

As you can tell, I never tire of sunflowers; even the buds are pretty. Van Gogh has painted a few gorgeous versions of these flowers, only the old variety: big and yellow.