It's been a month of extremes, weather-wise. We've gone from heatwave to floods and thunderstorms. I prefer the thunderstorms. Especially when they bring temperatures to more bearable levels. Anything over 25oC is too hot, and even that's a bit much.

  • Hebe
  • Pied Piper

On the other hand, the summer weather has brought more colour to the balcony, with the purple of the hebe and catnip and the white of the pied piper flowers. The pied piper leaves, too, bring more than just some green to the balcony. The wildflowers haven't done as well this summer, though. Nor the herbs. Never mind. But there's an African lily in behind the hebe which we hadn't thought had grown. M scattered the seeds several years ago.

As for the regular local wildlife, the cygnets are growing bigger though they still have their grey feathers, and Mr Swan especially protective when dogs get a bit close. Or people. And for the irregular, there was a toad on one walk, and the warm evenings have brought their own visitors in the shape of moths.

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