Early starts.

Early starts, lazy afternoons and late finishes - that seems to be the pattern at the moment.  Up and out with Monty and Pip by 7 o'clock for a good long walk before it gets too hot.  Even at that early hour it's about 22° but still fresh feeling.  Usually manage to pick some capers and then when I've a jar full and they've been brined for a few days, they get put in a 50:50 water and vinegar mix for storing. 

The fuente at Montenegro is still in full flow and so far this summer we haven't had to open the deposito tap to water our land as the overflow has been enough.   Instead of dumping the excess water down to the river as sometimes happens, we leave it flowing through the acequias and then it's always available if anyone needs it.  Plus, as our neighbours said, it's nice to hear the sound of running water.   And as the deposito is always full, if anyone needs lots of water to reach far away olives, there is plenty to provide a good whoosh.

Some of the fruit and vegetables are getting watered twice a week, especially the strawberries, borlotto beans and cauliflowers.  The aubergines, chillies, peppers, cucumbers and courgettes are done first thing every morning while they're in the shade.  The lettuces get done every evening as that is their shady time.  And in between times, we refill the storage tanks from the running water. We use pipes from the tanks to water the vegetable beds as the acequias run mostly round the edges of the terraces.  In some places we have diverted the water to fill channels around raised beds but  it's not always possible due to the slopes on the land.  Not huge slopes but it's easier with hosepipes. 

Picking, freezing, drying and bottling fruit and vegetables is an on-going job  now - picking and weeding while we water just becomes a habit.  I have an old paint tub with string, trowels, scissors, tiewraps, carrier bags, secateurs, labels, pens and all sorts of bits in that I take with me whenever I go to any of the veg patches as you never know what's going to need doing. 

Afternoons are relaxing times, for a couple of hours after lunch when it's really too hot to be doing much, we  take time out to swim, read, just chat and do nothing till the evening watering session followed by a drink or two and dinner.  And then after the last dog walk about 9.30, that's it for the day. 

Yesterday we were invited out for lunch at a friends house in Cadiar.  "Can I bring anything.....a bowl of strawberries for dessert possibly?"  Yes, still picking about half a kilo everyday.   So we had strawberries and cream after lunch but also they had a pot of melted chocolate to dip the strawberries  in first -  so yummy.

Lots of house martins still flying around.  They come swooping in one end of our terrace, hover around the beams and swoop out again, sometimes coming down very low.  But they haven't nested here yet.  Don't know if that's a good thing or not.  I don't want all the mess they make, but aren't they cute!   John took this photo today when he was down at a friends  house in Yator.  The nest has been there all spring but today was the first time he's seen any chicks.