Storms and things

When we were researching Bulgaria three years ago, to see if it would offer us the lifestyle we were hankering after, in the surroundings we would enjoy, at a price we could afford we went into as many aspects as we could, using the internet, asking questions on forums, about life here and the weather. The usual things.

I have to say we did quite well, have had few surprises except for one or two things.I don't go on some of those forums any more so haven't checked, but I don't remember anyone mentioning the storm season. (Though I remember reading a blog about one really bad year)

I love a good storm and we have some stunners here, both wet and dry. They start around now and go through June and we know this now, but for our old lab, Bonnie, who absolutely hates them, they were a horrible introduction to her new life when we arrived two years ago, at the end of May. Day after day, they keep coming, usually in the afternoon. Even now, if we go out to do a bit of gardening in the evening she believes this brings on the storm and will stick close to your leg, looking worried and panting. Bella, on the other hand, will sit out with you watching and only the biggest of bangs makes her a little worried. she will, however, use a storm as an excuse to climb on the bed! Bonnie is now going very deaf and unless she sees lightening will ignore rumbles and can only hear the loud noises.

So if you are a little late sowing your seed in the garden or tying up your new growth on plants, even planting plants, it can be a while before you can get on the land as it will be slippery, slimy and impossible, sticking to your boots and tools in great clods.

Another complication of storms is the electricity supply. It gets switched off it seems if the storm is too close, to minimise damage. Not really a problem, but if the incubator is running it can cause problems especially if it goes off at night or when you are out. We have lost a lot of clutches in the past when this has been a major problem and the temperature was fluctuating , sometimes going off a few times a day. We did consider getting an emergency generator but the cost would have never been recovered in the few small hatches we were doing. Now, if we are going to set eggs it will be earlier in the year.

So yes, If we had known it was an annual happening, we would still have come out when we did, but would have been much better prepared and would not have spent a lot of money on hatching eggs which were never going to hatch!

So today's storm was a bit of a warm up. We needed the rain, everything is looking better already (a hose is never the same) Bonnie soon got over her belated worries and now the cat is able to go out to play it is peaceful indoors. He really doesn't like being in for long. The ducks love it, the chickens hide, only coming out of the sand barn when they want a drink or to lay. And the nightingale carries on singing!

The ducks are happy enough

Soggy Mandy

Little duck with mum Cagney and auntie Chubba....not sure whether he wants to be wet or dry

Sleeping

A couple of days ago I took a few pics of some early summer flowers, only a few. Picked some peas, salad leaves, radish and spinach. The peas are looking mostly OK, though Dave was worried that the later batch of peas and broad beans were gappy....until I explained that I had to re-sow a lot as Splash had been playing so much in the trenches that the small plants had been crushed.

Geum

Our one surviving delphinium, what it lack in stature it makes up for in colour

The peonies are out

Lots of tommies on the pot plants

The couple of bits of plant Dave 'found' and left out all winter has grown!

Thyme....

....and sage now in full flower

I have sown the strawberry popcorn into pots and they have germinated really quickly I have also potted up some sweet potato slips which have go going at last. Not sure where they're going.....

Eight slips, from one to eight inches. It will be interesting to see if we get any sweet potstoes

And Dave has checked out the bee hive and found it very full of bees and looking good (it seems). He has taken advice from our friends and added another section and twelve frames, hoping to cash in on the acacia bonanza, the flowers are amazing this year and they have several trees by the hive, less distance will hopefully mean more trips and lots of pale and delicious honey.

Amongst the acacia

That cat really doesn't know when to keep his nose out!

I have had a bad week health wise with a long bout of upset tummy. It came after getting over two colds one after the other and I suppose I was at a low ebb. It was not nice and caused me to miss a friend's 35th wedding anniversary bash. After a few immodium and some sheep's yoghurt and cheese send round from the neighbours especially to help my gut, things are at last getting back to normal. The sheep yoghurt can be a bit 'sheepy' and this was a little, but very smoothe and creamy, one lot went down with home made lemon curd and then another lot was made into garlicky tzatziki to have with halloumi, salad and some of our own beetroot chutney, sprinkled with fresh peas. A tasty way to get back into eating a meal again.

Mine was half the size!