Rain and more rain

It hasn’t stopped raining for the last two days, places in Scotland have had as much rain in a day as they usually have in a month. I’ve kept inside and kept my sore throat and sniffles to myself. I think the weather has bought the bad bugs out. Plus with travelling last week I’ve probably come into contact with other people who have had colds. I did a lateral flow test this morning that was negative, but instead of my usual poor sleep I’ve been totally exhausted. Anyway at this rate I’ll be building an ark!

Ukraine power cuts

Russian missiles continue to bombard the Ukrainian infrastructure. They are being used to damage and destroy power stations and water works. The Ukrainian population are being asked to accept regular power cuts so that there will be enough power for hospitals, and drinking water is becoming increasingly scarce, with people queuing to collect enough water to survive, and where can they get food. With the damage that has been done to the buildings in the country it means that as winter begins to bite in Ukraine the population will have to try and cope in such dangerous situations. I hope that they will survive, we have not forgotten the fact that Russia continues it’s cruel war on its Western neighbour.

At the lake

At the lake my hubby sailed his radio controlled speedboat. All was fine for a while. He sent it round a little bouy a few times, although he did come a bit close to some ducks though. But then the battery started going flat, he kept sending it out and it started to slow down. He got it back but sent it for one last run and… It stopped and stuck by the bouy! What to do? We threw a couple of stones but it drifted outwards. Oh no! Hubby took his trousers off! No! Waded into the lake with his shoes on! No! Used a branch to get the boat, almost fell over into the foul smelling water and waded out. Then he put his trousers back on (with black and green coloured legs). He had to squelch a few hundred yards to the car. It was brave but silly, people have drowned in the big lake, luckily the small lake was shallow at that edge. But after all that’s happened recently, well I wasn’t happy.

Fairies

When I was a little child I used to look out of the window at the rain falling in our back yard. We had blue brick paving that became shiny as it got wet. As puddles began to fall the raindrops would splash up in circles. I decided that they were tiny fairies dancing in the rain.

When things happen in life you remember things that you haven’t for years. I’m glad to retrieve this memory.

Garden in sunshine

A less blurry shot of the yard. People asked me why its not as dried out? I think we have a microclimate. The yard is enclosed by bushes and the houses. The sun comes round in the afternoon but doesn’t stay on it for too long because we are on the ‘wrong’ side of the hill so it gets shady at East an hour before sunset. I also think because there’s a wall and we cram plants together everything stays moist. I have trouble drying my washing because it gets quite humid. Also because I put one hanging basket under another when one gets watered it flows through to the bottom one. And as they are underneath they are a bit more protected from the hot sunshine. Each pot has a bowl or a saucer underneath to catch and keep the water and I make sure each pot has crocks or broken polystyrene in them so the roots don’t get swamped.

Wet web

Water spray on a garden spider web caught in the sunlight.

I’m happy I got a reasonable photo as I had to use my zoom on the phone because I couldn’t get close enough. The spider was absent, probably taking shelter from a splash of water.

My phone memory is full so might not be posting much for the next few days.. I will try and post when I can.

Drought?

It might rain today, but most of England is parched. The south east, south midlands, and eastern counties look dry and brown from satellite images. We are in the same heatwave that has affected the rest of western Europe. Forecasts say the weather is due to break soon. But with thundery showers due there is not the persistent rain for many days that would replenish the ground water and because the soil is so hard and dry it is compacted and heavy rain could cause flash flooding…. Oh well, Brits always discuss the weather!