Determined not to melt

Yes, that was me - and pretty much the whole country - this week. Waaay too hot for us Brits on the whole, but despite this, I did force myself outdoors to enjoy the weather.

Last weekend I spent a bit of time in the garden - doing the Big Butterfly Count http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/?gclid=CjwKEAjwq8y8BRCstYTm8qeT9mwSJACZGjUkhnM4SnOzUG_d3rl1H03ms8Qr5pU3kBlSrWA-jQ-vURoCtrbw_wcB, some weeding and taking a moment to appreciate the wealth of invertebrate life buzzing away.

Although my privet hedge is completely out of control and in need of a good prune, the blooms this year are amazing, and subsequently are attracting the whole neighbourhood of bees, together with several butterfly species. So far this week, I've seen red admiral, large white, meadow brown, gatekeeper and small tortoiseshell. And the various flowers I planted a couple of years ago have now really taken hold, so I'll not have to do quite so much weeding soon once they spread out.

And the produce from the garden has started too - I have 4 raspberry canes, which are supposed to flower in the autumn, but one always starts way before the others - I'm now getting one a day, which I'm freezing in the hope of having enough to do something with at some point! My strawberry - whichI planted last year having purchased from the reduced to clear section late in the season - was soon overshadowed by the buddleia, so only one fruit from that this year. The plum tree has four plums on it, but the apple has been hit hard by aphids (and probably my pruning!) so didn't even blossom this year. And the garlic has also been disappointing - just three small bulbs. The tomatoes have suffered with the wet weather of late, but I do have two (yes, two!) on their way but still very green. I'm hoping they'll turn red before the blight gets them all.

Apart form admiring the fruits of my (minimal) labours, I did manage a few quick walks. We pottered off to Langley Wood NNR on the Sunday, and I've had a couple of yomps from the flat down to the river as well. Everything is in bloom and a-buzz with life - it's a wonderful time to be alive!