Monday 29 July 2024

Summer Time

First the weather report.  Heatwave gone, new heatwave on the way. 

Flora and Fauna -

So many swallows this year.  It has been many years since we saw lines of them sitting on the wires, swooping and diving in the evening.  And K says they're eating all the mosquitoes.  That's why the mosquitoes aren't eating us.

I like swallows.  They're a delightful bird to see flitting past in the twilight with their long streamer tails.  They bring good luck, so some say.

My pumpkins have grown all over the garden, have produced loads of flowers but I don't see any maturing pumpkins.  They start to grow, get to a few inches in length, turn yellow and drop off the vine.  I've started pruning them back.  It's a waste of time watering so many.

Cherry tomatoes are being gathered by the bucketful.  Their skins are tough so I puree and freeze them to use in sauces and saltsas.

Church fiestas are being celebrated one after the other.  

Watching the Olympics. Didn't think much of the opening ceremony. It went on for far too long and we didn't understand what it was all about. The commentator didn't explain it all very well. Enjoyed seeing all the teams sailing past. So many small African States and a lot from the Pacific. I was pleased I knew so many. 

We don't get much variety in the coverage. Rowing in the morning, swimming and tennis and gymnastics later on. Greece and NZ are doing well. 

I am watching the NZ rowing with great interest. The coach of the NZ women's fours is the son of friends who visited us earlier this year. The final is on Thursday. We will be cheering for Tom and his girls. 

I had a rare, in this summer heat and madness, coffee with my best friend. It was a good day with coffee turning into a glass of wine and plate of meze, cheese pies, sausages, cheese and other tempting bites. We caught up on news and swapped books. 

The island has gone crazy.  I had forgotten how much till I went shopping last week.  Coming down into town in my car a woman suddenly opened the door of her car parked opposite the little grocers.  Her husband appeared from the other side and sauntered out into the middle of the road.  Neither looked nor cared. I slammed on my brakes.  The rude git had the audacity to turn round and yell at me.  These were Greeks.  Rude city greeks who think this little island and it's peasants are there to serve them.  I hope they're being ripped off at every place they eat and shop.

There were cars and bikes and people everywhere.  The grocers actually had a queue, the supermarket was full of yachties with overflowing trolleys.  Lord give me patience.  One month to go.















17 comments:

  1. Linda it was lovely to catch up with you my friend....roll on a bit of cooler weather....😏

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    1. Your company was just what I needed . Some civilised conversation and a glass of good wine

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  2. It does sound good, well, apart from the rude tourists.

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    1. The Greek tourists take over the island with their big cars and their demands . Unfortunately they bring money too

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  3. I haven't watched much of it as I've been working most days. As for the swallows, are they the ones that make nests under house eaves? I can't remember but at least they are eating the mozzies.

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    1. Yes, they're the ones that make those nests. I haven't seen any nests around us but they must be nesting somewhere close by

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  4. More and more entitled twats in the world. I prefer to stay home most days to avoid dealing with them
    As for pumpkins, maybe take all but a few of the flowers away and water you might get a couple of pumpkins to have for winter stews

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    1. I'm deflowering right now. Thanks for the advice. There are loads of flowers on this one plant

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  5. Great that you caught up with your best friend.

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    1. We hadn't met for over a month. It was so good to see and hear her and talk in english

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  6. It's not surprising that so may hot tourist spots are complaining. It's all too much. Here the tourists are either Brits, or Dutch. I've not seen many Brits around this year, and the Dutch are usually charming. We're very lucky.

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    1. Greeks are known to be demanding. Tavernas and cafes need their business but they make a fuss about everything. And their big cars clog the few roads we have.

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  7. Amazing how rude some tourists can be - don't they ever realise that they are the outsiders?
    Your coffee-with-friend sounded great.
    I'm watching lots of Olympics but NZ has yet to make it to the medal table. I think we have a couple of prospects though (fingers crossed!).

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    1. I'm watching the NZ rowers now. I hope the women's fours do well tomorrow. It's too hot here just now to do much else

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  8. I haven't seen any swallows lately here either. They would build their nest out of mud here under the pillars of the house. I didn't know they bring good luck and now I'm a little worried. I hope I see one or more soon.

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    1. We have not seen many in years gone by. This year we see lots of them. A good year for swallow here.
      I'd love to have them nesting near our house

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  9. The swallows fly south every winter from here and go to warmer climes and no doubt their staple insect diet.

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