My schedule is still messed up from traveling. I've been going to bed about about two hours later than normal -- around midnight -- and waking up later too. This morning I didn't open my eyes until 7:30. My internal clock is still somewhere over the North Atlantic!
Yesterday I saw two of these peacock butterflies (above) on our buddleia. They were a welcome sight. The peacocks have been a bit scarce this year -- as have all butterflies, or so it seems, with our damp and windy weather. Although yesterday was only partly cloudy, this has been the UK's wettest July in many years.
I spent the morning cleaning the house, doing some laundry and mowing the lawn.
It's looking pretty good, with its unmowed patch to the right. We have so many teasels in the grass this year it's ridiculous. If I wanted to save them all I'd have to stop mowing entirely! As it stands I'm going to preserve the ones in that "insect haven" but mow everything else. Sorry, teasels.
When Olga went out with her dog-walker at midday, I took a long walk myself. I hoofed it over to Kilburn High Road and then down to Belsize Road and back, a loop of several miles. It felt good to get some exercise. It was so hot in Florida I couldn't walk much at all, and as I've said, walking with the dog doesn't exactly get my heart rate up because she moves so slowly these days.
Finally, I picked a huge bowl of blackberries so Dave could make a cobbler.
I was bummed at having to go to Florida at the height of blackberry season, missing out on a whole week of fresh berries. Once they ripen, the window for picking them is pretty short. And when I got back the vines were positively laden, so I knew we'd have to do something to catch up! Hence, the cobbler.
As I was plucking them from the vines, I was struck once again by how lucky we are. Imagine, in a city as big as London, being able to just step out the back door and pick a crop of blackberries! It seems remarkable. A minor miracle.
While washing the berries I found this one with a pupating ladybug on it! I put it back outside in a flowerpot. I hope the berry lasts long enough for the pupa to mature, especially in this cool, wet weather. It seems unlikely but I wanted to give it a chance (and more importantly, I didn't want to eat it).
The rain is pounding down as I write. I wonder where the butterflies have taken shelter?
The blackberries at the field where I walk every morning are just getting ripe, but the one I tried on Sunday was yuk! Not sweet!
ReplyDeleteMy parents had a lot of " cultivated" ones in their garden and they were delicious.
What is the " tree" in the pot in your garden photo? Is it your avocado? I am growing some at the moment. One is now in soil with a stem of about 3 inches. It was 6 inches but I read that you should cut them down to allow the side shoots to grow?
Frances: Yes, that's the avocado. I didn't intentionally cut ours to make it branch -- it just did it on its own -- but it's true that sometimes they just grow a single stalk and look spindly. We were lucky. I top it out now when I move it back inside just so it fits in the living room!
ReplyDeleteThey aren't quite ready yet here. Delicious, but you have to eat them carefully so they don't stick in your teeth.
ReplyDeleteI had to look up cobbler and as soon as I saw I knew what it is but I don't think we use that name here. Yes, luxury to have blackberries to pick.
ReplyDeleteR's sister reported it has been wet up north too, so it is not localised wet weather.
Not much ripe up here yet..but the ones in Dumfries and Galloway are just ready to pick.
ReplyDeleteWell done on bug spotting. We have had hardly any thus year
Most British people do not know how lucky they are to live in such a temperate, maritime climate. When we do get summer heat it is rarely oppressive.I remember walking in Thailand - it was quite a mission but as they say . mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
ReplyDeleteWe've been buying blackberries at our local Farmer's Markey lately, mixing them with sliced peaches for breakfast, but a cobbler sounds great.
ReplyDeleteThose blackberries look delicious. We have a local farm that raises blueberries and they are open for picking every morning. Your fresh blueberries have given me the push to go and do some picking. I know what you mean about Florida humidity. I don't think I could do it. Virginia is bad enough.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge blackberry fan (seeds - ugh), but those look VERY TEMPTING! Yum!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is a not-so-minor miracle in my eyes. Those blackberries are spectacular. We haven't had a good blackberry year in forever here.
ReplyDeleteSteve- I think of you every day when I go empty my compost pot. There are three very hardy looking avocados growing up in that pile. Obviously, we are not turning our compost enough! One of them is about a foot and a half tall and a foot across.
You have quite the nature preserve right in your own back yard, Steve! It doesn't look as if you are in such a large city!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see that butterfly there. Friends and fellow bloggers have been writing how few butterflies they are seeing this summer.
ReplyDeleteThose blackberries look yummy. A cobbler sounds perfect for a summer treat.
What a great crop of blackberries. It is amazing that you have such a crop in the middle of a huge city.
ReplyDeleteThe garden really does look beautiful. You are so lucky to have such a great space.
I love that you get such joy our of your blackberries, your flowers and your snoring dog. You are a contented soul.
ReplyDeletelast photo is a good shot. we don't have blackberries here but my wife longs for them as she had them in England while growing up..
ReplyDeleteWell spotted on the ladybug! And we've been very short on butterflies this year, probably too many drenching rains. Yesterday I saw the first tiger swallowtail this year.
ReplyDeleteour native blackberry grew along the shop yard fence between it and the neighbor and then across the front. of course those were the two fences I cleared before putting the house over there for my sister. I use to be able to pick a bowl full every day for a couple of weeks. I had another area on the side of the shop but that's been overtaken by virginia creeper. alas, no more dewberries for me.
ReplyDeleteThe birds ate all our thornless blackberries that we planted a few years back. We have plenty of thorned varieties here and there on the farm but the timing and our desire to have our arms sliced to shreds wasn't lining up. So I will just imagine how your cobbler tasted and try again next year.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm glad you noticed that pupating ladybug before you ate it! Can't you freeze any that you aren't able to use up immediately?
ReplyDeleteOlga has the best back yard!
Your backyard is a thing of beauty. It's just gorgeous. It's like you're not in the middle of a major metropolitan area or anything.
ReplyDeleteBlackberry cobbler! I haven't had that in an absolute age. The last time I saw blackberries at the farmer's market, they were crazy expensive. I envy you those vines! But we've planted five blueberry bushes so hopefully in another couple of years we'll have blueberries, at least.
ReplyDeleteBlackberries are terrific and I'll bet that pie is, too! I'm glad you didn't miss the season. Remember, you not only changed time zones, you've been in more than a bit of stress mode with your mom's death, the after settling, the flight issues and all. Even though the flight worked out OK, it still takes a mental drain, along with the mechanics of jet lag.
ReplyDeleteYour garden. I'll be redundant and just say "wow." And love that opening shot with the butterfly/buddelia.
Well, where the heck is the picture of the cobbler, Steve?
ReplyDeleteHope the jet lag is soon gone. Your garden in the middle of London always amazes me, as does your kindness to the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees (and the pupas).
ReplyDeleteThose are gorgeous plump blackberries; I have some along my walk although they aren't yet ripe. Hope your system adjusts back to UK time soon!
ReplyDelete