Mushrooms

The rapid arrival of thunderstorms and monsoon style rainfall followed by hot bursts of sunshine have tempted out the hoards of mushroom pickers around these parts. 
Normally two or three cars pass our front gate. Today, not unlike any other this week, there has been more than a dozen. Our previous tranquility taken away by hungry car loads, armed with baskets. We realize later we should have laid on cream teas with plenty of the plum jam made yesterday rather than dusting off the binoculars to check where they are hunting for them!

Abundance

 

The lack of activity on here has been caused by the glut of fruit and vegetable that hadn't completely been envisaged.

This morning nearly 50 jars of plum jam, with still two buckets full and today's fallen fruit to save. After eating another dozen, a mars bar helps to break the pattern for my palate.

Scratching heads, looking for inspiration on what next to do with marrow or pumpkin. Tomatoes delicious on their own.

And in a house that still doesn't look anymore finished (in fact less so) than when we moved in last year when we took on our first 'plum fall', we still have the tricky balance of when to attend what we have here compared to what we want maybe.

Bathroom

Room with a view. Not quite what we were hoping for after over a year of living here, it's still an outdoor bathroom facility.
Whilst hot sunny days are a pleasure to soak up all the surroundings whilst in the tub, wetter ones like today means a 'no-wash' day.
We hope guests next year will enjoy the pleasure of outdoor showering that we plan to set up but as a back-up plan we must have an indoor facility prepared by then. 
If our builders are reading this "please hurry up, the summer will be over soon.."

Butt

Soaring temperatures and scorching sunshine but now the light has gone at least temporarily and the rain has found a new place to fall. 
The spectacular thunderstorms over the past few evenings have not been for the faint-hearted. Secluded as we are here, every frightening flash and majestic boom from the thunder is exagerated from the raised location of where we live.
Maco hides away under the old hen house from the slightest distant rumble leaving us with little fearless Harik.
Cat, we have no idea where she goes..
What the rain does do is save us an hour of watering the vegetable garden in the evening. The butt providing the polytunnel's needs.
A constant requirement is to check for weather updates, even more frequently than before, when the only concerns were whether to take an umbrella or not.

Tomato

Probably the best tomato I've ever tasted..
Although for the first 20 years of my life I never went near to eating one, just one of those childhood food hates which prolonged and prolonged.
But now I am making up for it with all the plants we have growing and starting to produce fruit.

30+C temperatures everyday and heavy rainfall from the occasional vicious storms have put a lot of burden on looking after all that is jungle-ly in the garden. Not a 'proper' job maybe but in today's climate it will save a few pennies at the supermarket in the on-coming months.             

Cat

Cat (Muro) is being very coy about it's relationship with Maco. It is still in its early stages but the signs are good, we still have an alive cat.
The mouse population is reducing every week, whether with a garden fork but more likely these days with the nimble paws of cat.
The new spring in Maco's feet has taken away the aged-ness he was presenting after a tough cold winter. 
As the heat now persists, and the perspiration hits the brows of all creatures great and small in Havran, Maco is bucking the trend and is showing more ignorance than usual in his pursuit of little Muro.
An extra mouth to feed is easily catered for by cat enjoying the cheeky delights from the dog bowl, usually followed by a chase into it's many out-of-reach hideouts away from Maco and Harik.
After all this said does it show that we have never owned a cat before!?