Oh ! My Goodness Me ! Rain !

 

 At about 4am we were awoken by a terrific deluge of rain that went on for about half an hour a short break and then again for another half an hour . No thunder , just torrential rain .

I went outside to check for damage and usually our lane is turned into water world , but as you can see it is fine .

The council recently cleared out our drain and it had worked beautifully . I just need to clear away the stones and leaves that have been washed down the hill .

When this drain gets blocked , the rain water just skips past it down to the next drain at the bottom . This time it has worked very well .

I put fresh water out for any passing dogs or wild animal who is thirsty . I change this every day .

The garden is looking much refreshed this morning . Carrots and leeks .

Leeks and beetroots .

Lettuce seedlings that I didn't think would germinate in the heat , doing fine . 

Courgettes are picking up in production again . I thought they might cook on the plant in the heat !

The Butternuts look to be doing really well this year .I love Butternuts !

Runner-beans/French beans disaster , no idea why ? Some you win ,  some you lose . I actually cried about this . . . because I did everything right ..and have no idea why /how this happened .

Anyway , the Sweetcorn is looking good and almost ready . I just wanted it to soak up some beautiful freshly fallen rain to plump up those sweet and golden kernels .

So what next  ? 

I am going to harvest the rest of the tomatoes in both the greenhouse and the shed .

I have picked , cooked and frozen tons of tomatoes now . The leaves are going yellow (the ones at the end and at the back )and I can't reach the Tomato plants that are at the back of the greenhouse . I am not sad as they have done incredibly well  .

 I want to tidy up and enjoy all my other plants that live in there . I can hardly see them for Tomato leaves .

 I'm beginning to have dreams about Tomatoes  . I don't want to have dreams about Tomatoes !

Time to clear it all away , maybe hang up some of the remaining vines to finish ripening off .

 And make space for growing some salad leaves , lettuce , coriander and spring onions to have over the Winter .We eat salads all year round .

We are going to try sowing some dwarf french beans and see if we can keep them going for as long as we can  until the light levels are not enough probably .   I have got these trays out ready to start . We will start them off in the shed and then pot them up and maybe put them into the greenhouse .  Husbands great idea ....but it will probably be me that does it ! 

More thundery showers coming today , then the hot weather is coming back . So top up those bird feeders and fresh water into the birdbath  . Keep our wildlife friends happy .

Don't forget our hedgehog friends !