Oh god it's so hot. 31 degrees today and I haven't plucked up the courage to venture into the sunshine yet. It's 3pm. Actually, I lie. I went for a wander to check everyone had water and to let the chickens out but other than that I have been cowering indoors.
Yesterday we went for an afternoon walk to the river. Marty took Dog and I rode Dino down to see how he reacted to running water. I wasn't expecting such enthusiasm from him! He walked through once with his nose to the water, went a little way up stream on dry land and when we got back to the dam he wouldn't get out. I had to force him out before he lay down in it saddle and all (and me on him!). I had thought about taking his halter just in case he did like it and wanted to have a splash but decided against it due to his terror at crossing the bridge a couple of times. I got off him and took his saddle off and he tried to head butt me into the water so he could get in too. Next time I will take his halter and let him go wild. I will take photos too. And Brother to see his reaction to water. My old horse, Shandy, used to love water and my other pony, Hogan, hated it. You never can tell. Dino is like a big Hogan but I guess the water thing is their defining difference.
I think Marty and I will head down their again today for a swim with Mono. It might be the only thing that saves us from this heat. But first on the agenda is compost removal so we will also need a good scrub in the river to remove the stench of rotting foodstuffs. Mmm...
All our fruit and veges are doing really well now the weather has cleared up. We've eaten so many raspberries already and the bushes are not even close to finishing. The grapes are growing steadily, zucchinis are just about to overwhelm us with their produce, I am terrified of all the tomatoes - they are big now and I don't know what we are going to do with them all - and the corn, I noticed this morning, has it's ear coming through. There are tons of little homemade pickle cucumbers with spikes all over them, the loganberry has finally produced a few big juicy berries (it looked a bit unwell at the beginning of summer), the chillis are coming along nicely and the capsicums are still trucking along slowly. Whether they will produce anything is unknown due to their slow progress but we'll wait and see.
As for the greenhouse I am feeling very guity about the lack of effort I've put into there. There are 4 million things that need to be planted out desperately. Great white tomatoes in tiny containers that are over 30cm tall already, the same with Aunt Ruby's German Green tomatoes, some very unhappy looking lettuce and rocket, a tamarillo that is being tortured by lack or space and heat and well as dehydrated basil and strawberries. There are more chillis, eggplants and beetroot in there too which need bigger homes. Oh dear. The only thing that seems to enjoy the sweltering temperatures and lack of water is the luffa which has suddenly taken off. It took about 4 months for it to do anything at all and now its about 40 cm tall and in need of a stake. I'm not sure whether that will produce anything either but it would be awesome if it did.
Sadie and Clyde, the pheasant chicks, are still doing well. They're not the friendliest of animals and try to escape through solid kwila everytime we go near The Ritz. But they're very cute.
Mono has just had a gad about the garden unsupervised and obviously nearly died from heat exhaustion because he is now lying at my feet panting as though he's been running all day without water. It' definitely too hot for a black pup. It has been decided that he is crossed with some sort of hunting dog. Maybe a weimeraner or a pointer. He's got really long legs and isn't nearly as stocky as a lab. And he's very long when he stretches himself out. He's going to get the snip soon. Shhh... don't tell him. He also had the last of his monthly vaccinations yesterday and put up a lot of protest about the needle. That was until the vet gave him a biscuit to distract him and then he couldn't have cared less. He definitely got that labrador trait! And he has conjunctivitis and a rash under his front legs from all the long grass and seed heads so he's got eyedrops for the next week which he's actually pretty good about.
The sheep are so hot at the momemt. I feel really sorry for them. Marley is covered under a mountain of wool and spends all day in the sheds panting. They'll be shorn soon though. I though they weren't shorn the first year but apparently they are. Spencer is ok because she's still quite little but she's feeling a bit boney so I hope she's ok when she loses all her wool. Gizmo wouldn't care eaither way, she's pretty easy going.
Eidel has become such a smooch. She's as friendly as the sheep now and loves a good scratch and a cuddle. Amazing the transformation from psychotic wild mountain goat to doclile friendly pet goat. And it didn't take that long either. Fungus is still a snob but she's not scared of us.
Anyway, I think I am going to have to start to do something now that I have prcrastinated for an hour on the blog. I don't think it's going to get any cooler for a while. Oh well. Better enjoy the sunshine while it lasts because winter will be freezing and I'llbe praying for a day like today.
Bye,
K :)
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