WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Friday 2 August 2013

Poor garden

I have taken to just re doing my imitation flowers. A little fresh wash in dishwashing liqid and back in the vase again.  Our weather here is now back into the 40's.  No sooner do I cut the roses, many of the blooms just dropping in the heat of the sun, than they are dead. So like this I have some color around.

                        Within my 5 hectares ..i have made what i call "my inner garden". I started it about 10 years ago. I never planted grass.  What i allow to grow here, and only in certain places. Is  "Grama" , its a kind of wild Buffalo grass.  If let be, it will take over everything where there is water.
         These last couple of weeks , I have had problems with my water well. The electronic pump box that draws the water to serve the house and for me to water the garden with , has given in.  Three men here this week to see what could be wrong.  The 3rd man..Mr. B finally cut off the electronic connection and has put me onto a normal flow through the pump... we will be giving it a try, as I might have to put a lager pump in there.     You can imagine what its been like. Water for 1 hour, then off. I run down to switch it on again, then it was on for a day..wow !that was great.. next morning again no water.. This has been going on now for more than a couple of weeks.   I thought it might have righted itself ..but not so.    Due to this problem, i have not been able to water the garden as i normally do. Its been a drip here and a drop there.  ..
                     You can see how the "grama" is green in some places and others there is nothing. It will come up again during the Autumn and winter months, but it looks so droopy.
                             I have some large patches. Have to just close my eyes and  do my best.
                 This morning , I was out for more than 3 hours and watered and watered and watered.  I only hope I haven't dried up my well.!
                                Even my poor Lemon tree , the leaves were turning yellow..and you can see I had to cut my daisy bush completely down.. it was just about dead.
The droopy pepper tree leaves falling onto the gravel. They seem to survive any kind of weather.   I really was in my element watering this morning. In fact, I thought i could hear the plants gurgling and saying thank you with a big smile.  I will be out later tonight , when the sun goes down.  My wine is in the freezer.!!!
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I couldn't resist taking these photos from the tv this morning after coming in.  I put my camera as close as i could to the screen.  You will all have probably seen it on you own news channels ..  This restaurant knew there was a thief , coming during the night, but didnt know who. So they installed a cttv camera.   Here is the thief..):- ):_-
                                        He doesn't look too adult..but its a black bear.  I took the shots very quickly. I will watch the news later to catch up.
                        Here he is on his hind legs pulling the rubbish bin just like a human..and then he tips it over.
,                                                           Caught in the act.    Isn't this just incredible.


 Wishing you all a happy weekend.


Thank you for all your good wishes and comments on Miguel's upcoming wedding.

Val

25 comments:

  1. I feel exactly like the flowers -wilting in this heat. Believe it or not, so hot here today!
    Di
    xxxxx

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    Replies
    1. I am glad you are having good weather Dianne..
      enjoy it while you can..
      glad you are back with me..

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  2. BTW Val, managed to get you back on my blogroll. I seem to have lost a few from my list somehow.
    Have a great weekend.
    Di
    xxxxx

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    1. I had a blogger glitch a while back... glad to see you again..
      wishing you a good weekend too. Dianne.

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  3. You are so right, Val. As gardeners, we sometimes have to just close our eyes to the realities around us. Things have a way of making a comeback and in some cases, I have just adopted the policy of letting the strongest survive! I thought the thief was going to be a raccoon, but a bear! HAHA

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    1. Dear Sanda.
      I am learning that that is just what i have to do.. keep going with the ones that need it and let nature do her work..they will come back.
      The thief..was in America.. it was just shown on our sky news.. so incredible.. i was killing myself laughing.. I mean..he was walking like a man backwards.

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  4. the bear makes me laugh - but glad it's not at my place.

    i hope your water well troubles are over! that must have been very frustrating.

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  5. Isn't it just hillarious.. it was somewhere in America..
    very frustrating having to rely on a borehole and motors..

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  6. Val, I am amazed at the garden you have developed, when you are depending on water from a well! I do hope it is fixed soon, but meantime things die when temperatures go in the 40s. It is the same here, and I give up trying to grow flowers in the summer.
    I saw the bear on TV - so funny, and quite amazing, I thought.

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    1. I think I have amazed myself too Patricia.. I do have a good deep well and usually it maintains a good level of water.
      Today the weather is cooler.
      Yes, the bear was so funny.
      Thanks for coming over.. have a good weekend down under.

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  7. Dear Val - I could not cope with temperatures in the 40s - it is in the 30s here and has been for about 5 weeks, and that is more than hot enough for me.
    In the middle of last night it rained - what a relief, but today it is back to a hot sunny day.
    I do hope that you soon get the well and pump sorted out soon - keeping the plants watered is such hard work.

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    1. Its not that bad Rosemary,
      we just stay inside during the hot hours.. but i have a pergola and a cool breeze comes up around 4. Inside I have aircon.
      One gets used to it.
      I see on the news , you hve been having good weather.
      As I am writing, the 'lavanta' has just arrived..its wonderful.
      so far so good with the pump.. we will wait another couple of weeks..that is if nothing happens.

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  8. It looks like you have the weather that we normally have, it has been cool and wet this summer so some plants are getting too much water, tomatoes are not doing well. We have black bears around our area, one got in the hospital and trapped in an examining room, the police shot it, not sure why they didn't tranquilize it. Bears usually go their way if ignored but we have to watch for rabies in the winter. Hope you get some rain.

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  9. I would imagine so, only you get snow in Virginia.. we dont get snow here in The Alentejo..unless the temp really drops..then we get a couple of days of light covering.
    That is a shame that some of your plants are getting to much water. Tomatoes usually do well.
    What a story about the black bear.. Shame, they didnt need to kill it.
    I did not know they carried rabies.
    Rain will arrive october..
    thank you for dropping by.. happy farming. val

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  10. Dear Val,OMG!!A bear in your house!!!
    And about watering the plants and the flowers,you'll so right!
    I do the same every day!!!It's so hot here in Greece!!!
    Have a lovely weekend!!
    Dimi...

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    1. No Dimi.. the bear was at the back of a restaurant and taking the trash cans to find food.
      You have the same climates.
      Thanks for coming over Dimi. x

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  11. Watering is a challenge when one is faced with drought and with watering from one's own well - as we, too, are. We have two wells - one is for the household and the other, an old one, is not potable, and is use for the garden. Every year something needs to be adjusted and I'm very grateful that my husband is handy at figuring out just what that is. We had some rain this week, after a month of drought, but won't see any real rain until October.

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  12. Hello Pondside.
    Yes, its that time of the year when there is no rain. I do have to be careful with the well i am using. I too have two wells. Well actually the second one is the secret garden pond it is never without water and i have an old pump house there. Only the other day i was thinking to check it out and use that water for the garden.. a little difficult when living alone.
    lucky you had some rain.. it would be welcomed here.

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  13. I would look both ways before taking our the trash in the evenings! EEEEE! This is scary! Sweet hugs!

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    1. I took this photo from the tv..news channel. sky.. the bear is in America somewhere.. Thank you for your wishes for Miguel and Sasha.. Very kind comments.

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  14. Oh your poor garden! It hurts to see plants dry up doesn't it? I hope you have your water back.

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    1. Its mainly the grass as i said..but some of the plants really needed water.. i am back on track and going crazy watering now.

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  15. Okay I have to admit - it does look a little dry there - I hope you get some relief soon. Sandie

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  16. yep.. thats true.. but i am watering like mad now that i have the water sorted.. (i hope)

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  17. You are indeed having a very hot summer, Val, and your garden looks like it's bearing the brunt of the heat. I do hope you get your pump sorted out soon. After the hottest day of the summer last Thursday, it's cooler and fresher here this week, but still not cold. My kind of weather.... :-)

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