You know it's summer when ...
- the wallflowers are only still there because you want to save the seeds.
- however long you spend deadheading the surfinia, when you turn round two minutes later there are more to do.
- you spot the first flowers on your tomato plants.
- you suddenly realise you're under attack.
... and the hot humid afternoons are punctuated by low growls of thunder and sudden, torrential rain.
Summer has arrived. Temperatures last week were up to about 28-29°C (82-84°F) on a couple of days, and though it's now down to about 23°/24° (73-75°F - average for the time of year) it already feels as if the humidity is starting to rise - 61% this evening. Not a problem yet, but I've already warned the family that the annual "oven strike" is about to start - no more roast dinners till the autumn. It's been a shock - two weeks ago I was saying that we still had the heating on and it was teeming with rain. Well, it still is - but we've changed from constant cold, wet downpours to hot, humid storms. Early this year - they're par for the course in June and July, but less so in May. Oh well, at least no-one's going to be worying about water shortages this year ...
