It's been a strange summer on many fronts, mostly due to the very high temperatures, and the lack of rain.
This has had a hugely detrimental effect on crops and wildlife. Our Apples are all small, our Peaches dried-up, the pomegranates are pathetic, and our grapes have, inadvertently, become raisins. By contrast, our Fig crop has been huge; but they never fail.
At this time of year there is usually a constant drone from Crickets in the grass, and from Cicadas in the trees. This year there is silence. Nor do we have many Wasps, and absolutely no Hornets, about which we are not complaining.
I have not seen a single large green Lizard, and only ONE Praying Mantis (above).
In the fields, the Sunflower heads are very small, and I imagine that the crops will be miserable.
Elsewhere the Chestnuts are beginning to swell inside their husks, and, as with the Walnuts, I expect the crops will be OK; they are both deep-rooted and can probably find enough moisture.
There have been no mushrooms, so my Cèpes will, this Winter, come from expensive tins (of which I've bought several)!
The big storm of July 17th was vicious and destructive, but the short burst of torrential rain soon evaporated, and did no good. What we really need are a few days of constant gentle rain.
We've just had a small storm last night. Lots of bangs, flashes, and strong wind; but hardly any rain.
Will this now become our regular annual weather pattern? That remains to be seen.
19 comments:
It is all beginning to sound like a dismal apocalyptic Hollywood film.
I've been thinking of a post like this too. It's been a very different summer. While you've been roasting over there we've had cool breezes and still are. Makes you wonder . Is it all to do with El Nino and ocean currents. What will the next months and years be like
By the way it is a bumper year for figs here too and we've been given a bag of them. I'm making fig chutney today. Just a little. K loves those figs so I can't take too many
It's very worrying isn't it. Last year I made a couple of "bee hotels" and was delighted when they were almost 100% occupied. This year I put them out again and have been massively disappointed...there seem to be hardly any bees about apart from the usual bumblebees and even then there seem to be fewer of those. I've seen hardly any honeybees despite my garden being full of lavender and other bee friendly plants and just wonder where they've all gone? I thought bees liked dry weather but it seems not....
A lot of it has been OK, but there are a lot of disasters too. When Summer temperatures rise above 40 C, we'll know we're in trouble.
The Fig Chutney I made is delicious; perfect with a mature hard cheese.
Much the same here. We have a few of the big black Carpenter Bees, but no Hummingbird Hawk Moths, or ordinary Honey Bees. I do hope they haven't all died-out under ground.
It does indeed remain to be seen. If we get a chain of summers like this one Nature and agriculture will be utterly changed.
If you have access to The Sunday Times, it has three weeks of Eric Idle’s diary. He lives in Cotignac and had to evacuate twice due to the fires.
No bumble bees on the lavender. In the Midlands, the wheat has been harvested already, the news reports the crop about 3O% down. Milk yields down. The trees are turning brown for an early autumn.
I already find it worrying not hearing the sound of the Crickets etc. It doesn't seem right.
Oh dear. The smoke was terrible here two days ago. It was like thick fog, and the smell was awful. We were ready to evacuate, but it was from miles away.
It's still quite green here, most local trees have deep roots, and are OK. Only one cutting of hay here this year, so how dairy farmers will cope over winter is anyone's guess.
Here, on the other side of the pond in the Midwest US, we have had a lot of rain, which has led to flooding in places. Usually August is hot and dry, but not this year.
So, that's where it's all gone. You've obviously had our dose. The world must have tilted!!!
I'm about ready to dig up the young fig tree we planted years ago and toss it in the garbage! It hasn't produced a single fig. I found a farm stand yesterday selling local Brown Turkey figs for a very reasonable price so I may go back and buy enough to make some preserves. I love figs.
It's been terribly hot and dry here this year too.
Here is where reading history is helpful. I noticed you Brits have a soap opera called Coronation Street (I love that title on so many levels). It started on December 9, 1960. Think of the format. Folks just going along, and then WHAT! Some kind of unforeseen event or even tragedy. Everyone is certain the sun will never shine again (I dramatize here). But, lo and behold, this particular tragedy ends (see World War II for example - remember, I'm being dramatic, and we all celebrate and start picking up the pieces and going on, and seemingly forgetting the pattern, just like the weather. Hey! When you've lived as long as most of us, we can tell the young folks, "Well, sonny, you think this is bad. You should have lived through the Great Depression or whatever." Remember how irritating that was to our young ears? Eat your figs and lean back and tell your grandchildren and even great grandchildren the Lore of the Earth. It's our scene, kids!!!
I should think it's simply in the wrong soil, and it's trying to tell you to plant it elsewhere. I've known this happen before. Usually they are one of the hardiest, and most productive of all fruit trees. Ask it where it would prefer to be; it'll tell you!
I don't watch Coronation Street; it's a bit like our government; a bunch of squabbling under-educated northerners.
The best way to bore a young person, is to start by saying "When I was a boy...". They'd run a mile.
Post a Comment