viernes, 31 de octubre de 2014

Hot Stuff!

The report today was that we have just had the warmest October on record since 1965.  I can't complain, though, because we did get some rain at the beginning of the month.  Today, Halloween, we hit the upper 80's, and the boys went trick-or-treating in t-shirts.  Much different from my childhood in New England when we sometimes had to wear ski pants under our costumes!

With such good weather, my garden is still full of roses and wildlife, but all that is supposed to change in just a couple of days.  So, here are some photos to wish the warm weather farewell.


Pat Austin

Benjamin Britten

 Honeysuckle

La Sevillana

Mantis


Versigny

Wasps doing whatever it is that wasps do

Gecko in the kitchen

Abelia and my little porch napper


The warm weather has been nice while it's lasted, but I can't wait for the rains to come to soften up the earth for some digging and planting.  There's so much that needs to be done!


6 comentarios:

  1. Dear Lady of LaMancha, Last week we have spent the weekend in Malaga. Everybody was wearing flip flops and shorts! We loved the old city and of course, the sunny weather. I have been thinking about you! Living in Spain during the winter months must be great. The flowers in your garden look fantastic. Enjoy them as long as you can. Groetjes from (also sunny) Holland, Hetty

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    Respuestas
    1. Hetty,

      I'm glad you enjoyed your stay in Málaga. I haven't been for about 15 years, but I remember that the beaches were clean and the fish really good.

      There are great temperature differences between the coastal and continental regions of Spain. Since Málaga is on the Mediterranean coast, the temperatures are stabilized by the water temperatures. Here in Toledo, our temperatures are lower in the winter (average low 2º) and higher in the summer (average high 33º).

      Next time you come to Spain, you'll have to visit Toledo! Our old town is mainly medieval and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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  2. It is funny how we long for the rain when we live in a hot dry climate; I think it is hard for others to understand. In Italy we had a wet summer so I don't feel the same this year.

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    Respuestas
    1. I have a mental plan to install gutters on one section of the house to collect rainwater in tanks, but we have several other projects that take preference. Almost everything in my garden is on a drip irrigation system (will take it off the trees when they are better established), and our summer irrigation is quite expensive. It rained last night, though, and now the temps have dropped, so I think we're done watering until next spring!

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  3. Dear Lady of LaMancha,
    You asked me about the containers with the bulbs. When the containers are flowering, I put them in all kind of other pots, buckets and baskets. I can use them to make the garden interesting. For instance, either sites of the bank, or on the table. I also use these containers to manipulate Nature. After all you never now how harsh the winter will be. I can put the containers on a sunny/ or cold spot so I have flowers at the right time. (When the garden is opened.) A little cheating ….. Groetjes from Holland, Hetty

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  4. So, do you leave them in the black plastic pots and put the entire pot into something else? Or, do you take the bulbs out of the pots? I am guessing that you leave them in the pots so as not to disturb their roots, right? It's just that I am thinking that this could be a good way for me to enjoy the tulips in higher, protected spots where the rabbits can't eat them (although the partridges still could).

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