A quick dispatch from a very hot garden today; temperatures continue to hover in the very high 20's - though today we were at least blessed with a light breeze for a few hours, during which I was able to get out early onto the 'Mediterranean terrace' to water the pots and sit in between at the little mosaic table which is hidden deep amongst the shrubbery, bamboos and fig tree.
Plenty of shade there - and the breeze wafting the gloriously heady scent of the white lilies towards me, which are now fully open. They are the scent of high summer for me and I cannot drink in enough of them to sustain me through the dark days of winter. I am storing the memory of that scent as fast as I can - but somehow it never quite seems to last!
This afternoon, as the heat rose, there was little to do but retreat to the summerhouse; all the fledgelings have departed now, so no entertainments from them by the side of the pond. A visit from a beautiful Thrush, though - dipping its beak into the water and then throwing its head back to swallow. Over and over again - dip. swallow, look...dip, swallow...look - checking to see if all was safe. i think it knew that I was watching - but as long as I did not threaten by movement, I was tolerated in the greater necessity to top up on water.
Up on the eaves, more visitors - we now have a flock of white doves visiting (from a dovecote further up the road) - these two are the 'scouts' - after which twenty or so others arrive to first sit on the wires, then dive down in the late afternoon, to glean what the pheasants have left from their breakfast.
As for residents - this large, green, gold, brown and yellow frog is often to be seen hopping about in the bog garden - isn't it just beautiful - and what a privilege to live alongside these creatures.
And of course, the most permanent resident of all - feeling the heat in his fur coat so snoozing all afternoon on the chair outside the summerhouse - while I followed suite - briefly - inside!
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