The last days of summer

It seems scarcely possible that only two weeks ago we were driving through France with the temperature steadily climbing to 38 Celsius - just 100 in old money. While in France for a week we didn't experience those dizzy heights again but it was pleasantly warm with temperatures up to 26 or 27 most days (80-ish). Since coming home, however, we have been lucky to see 20 (68). The short-sleeved shirts are washed and hanging in the cupboard, not to be seen again until next year, and the leaves are falling from the trees. Oddly, several plants in the garden that had finished blooming and been cut back, have burst into flower again, albeit it with only limited numbers of blooms. I have been picking plenty of raspberries in the garden. It is very pleasant to have a bowl of freshly-picked raspberries and cream for desert when it is starting to feel like autumn but that is the benefit of the autumn-fruiting varieties. Than this morning the news on the front of the paper caught my eye. "Dust off the barbecues," read the headline. The forecast is that we shall have the best Indian summer for decades with temperatures rising during the second half of the coming week to the mid 20's. I'll believe it when I feel it.

I am very pleased to see that Blogger has reinstated the picture control allowing enlargement by clicking on them. (Uncle Skip knows what I mean even if you don't! It's the second comment down if you follow that link.)