The skies are greying and it is a glorious sight. After two months of very little rain, watering our little vegetable plot has become a part of daily life. The watering can is almost half the size of my toddler daughter, though she insists on tending to the seedlings herself. She has found a way of heaving the can onto the raised bed and then tipping it from there. The dent in the metallic surface is a tribute to her persistence.
Our three resident pigeons always like to sit on the potager gate before a rain storm, ruffling their feathers and preening as the light starts to dim. They seem unsure of whether to chance a few more grains from the feeder or hurry off to shelter. If they look a little portly, it is because they supplement their diet of bird seed with the fallen biscuit and cake crumbs of our five children.
Two of them seem intent on digging up the silver birch tree. There has been a deepening trench just in front of it for some time where the pigeon family likes to bathe and rest. Maybe this is nature’s instinct, for now I notice there is a tiny tree sapling growing from the soft, pecked-at soil; a thank you gift from the birds.
The first spots of rain are sporadic and heavy, thudding as they thump down on the hollyhock leaves beside me. The pace quickens. Shrubs flicker and twitch in the downpour. My daughter and I retreat to the kitchen.
Later, hail arrives. In June?! I dive outside, no time to grab a coat, to catch a closer look at the beautiful swirls and overlapping circles in our tiny stream. The ice storm subsides within seconds and the hail melts away. I am thankful to have witnessed the precious, rare moment of ice chips dusting the summer flowers.
Afterwards, there is the drip-drip of the plants and that wonderful scent of greenness and life that always follows a thorough soaking.
I wonder if this year’s bees have been chastened by their first encounter with rain. They seem to slowly creep back to the garden with less confidence than before; not darting now, but warily circling the salvia petals from a distance before approaching.
Soon after, the bird song starts up once more. The day gradually brightens into the perfect evening. No watering required tonight, I pull up a chair.
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Such a beautiful post! Thank you for sharing.
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You have a lovely garden! Your daughter is so adorable. 🥰🇬🇧
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You have created a beautiful space for your family.
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Thank you very much 🙂🌿
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That watering can is almost as big as she is. So cute
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Thank you Kristie 🌿 She is very cute and very stubborn 🙂
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Wow, your garden looks absolutely divine 😊
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Thank you so much 🌿 I hope all is well where you are x
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Your post is quite refreshing–like a spring rain, perhaps? 🙂 We had a “rain” here recently, but barely enough to wet bits of the patio in the back. But it is the desert after all. Maybe that makes walking in your garden and around your area even more appreciated than it was when we lived in Illinois. At any rate, thanks once again and keep enjoying your week.
janet
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Thank you Janet 🙂 We usually associate spring with a lot of rain, so it was very odd to get such a dry spell. The weather’s making up for it now though – it’s a deluge outside! ☔️ I’ve loved all of your recent wildlife photos – quite incredible video of those bees too! 🐝
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After June weather in May, we are back to May weather in June. Layers of clothes have gone back on.
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Torrents of rain here as I write this – it’s one extreme or the other this year! 🙂🌿
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It does seem like that.
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Cheers for the happy day in which no watering is required! My favorite days indeed.
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Absolutely! Although my daughter is in a happy habit with her watering can, and is continued to water whilst it’s raining ☺️
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Oh that was a lovely time in your garden, thank you for sharing ❤️
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I would love to sit in your lovely garden for a while. What a peaceful solace. Your daughter is the perfect helper ☀️
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As always a gorgeously lyrical post.
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It’s marvellous, isnt it? I tumble dried Dog to celebrate. He now looks like an inverted marsupial but with highlights. I’m convinced the rain was linked to my cooking a quiche so flan anyone… i have a few!
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I love your child-friendly ‘stream’ – looks really good and fun too. 🙂
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Yes! Great not to have to water the garden for a few days!
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Beautifully described and photographed
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Another marvelous, soothing, serene post. Love the photos, especially of your daughter (another substitute “grand-daughter” for me.)
Hail in June – I was instantly transported to a day over three decades ago in June, a day of ALL seasons when I was highly pregnant, feeling like an elephant and living in East Anglia.
The pigeons – just like those in Haddenham this year! I was flabbergasted by their size.
Thank you!
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Glad the hail didn’t do any damage. That is one strong little girl you have.
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The images on your posts are always so engaging! I have to linger on them for a while. My favorite is the one of the large green leaves!
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Lovely post took me right into the garden with you
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That’s wonderful, I’m glad you could join me 🌿
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Watering is my favourite garden job as well – and a pleasure.
I love that red flowering tree – I wondered if it was a lantern-type flowering?
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Hello 🙂 The red flowering tree is a fuchsia – it’s meant to be more of a shrub shape but I find if I cut off all of the lower stems it happily turns into a tree shape! 🌿
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Sweet Little Girl! Love the wooden bridge over the little stream!
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Thank you very much! 🌿
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You are welcome!
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Your garden is beautiful and peaceful!! So nice for your kids to tend to it and enjoy.
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What a charming, lovely place.
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Thank you so much 🌟
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