Boy was it a wild and windy night at VC last night. The night before we had the loudest thunder I’ve ever heard in my life. Our usually complacent cats and dogs were all climbing up the curtains and barking madly.
Last night the wind and rain whipped through like a tornado. Meanwhile in the city, there was a tornado damaging a lot of the water front area and destroying lots in its path. What a mess. Luckily we have survived the worst of it. The magnolia flower petals are lying discarded on the grass and the endless branches littering the driveway and grounds will be scope up and added to the ever increasing wood pile for the fire place. Our wonderful Joe announced last week we needed more wood for the cottages as we would run out if the weather was bad for the next month. It has certainly whipped around us like an unwanted smell, but thankfully it’s been a milder winter. Being an English girl at heart I miss the crispness of a frost and relish in the roaring fireplaces and a good book. So I will admit to having the fire on in my office and a window open – I know, appalling.
Our supply of fire wood last year was greatly increased by the large storm in April which smashed its way through the region. Long limbs of trees fell around the property and were gathered and chopped into our Swedish log pile to cure for the summer season. Yesterday on facebook, I saw an arborist advertising huge lumps of trunks for sale and by 6pm there there were on the grass by the driveway. Barry came home and announced he wasn’t chopping them up, so lucky Joe will have a great job when he’s back from Fiji. We’re set for the next winter I think!
It’s so mild here that all the daffodils and blossoms are already out filling the vases in the cottages with gorgeous perfumes. It’s only August! Pruning has started in the vineyard and if the current weather is anything to go by we’ll have a very early bud burst. I’m off to the UK for a couple of weeks in September to meet the latest member of the family so part of me is happy that the blossoms have already arrived, the other is hoping the rest wait until I get home! For now it’s a clean up and a cup of tea.
Come and stay soon!
Elle
