Monday, May 24, 2010

Summer.


Now the sun is shining and the grass is growing at full speed, the lawn mower has to come out of hibernation.We have been told that the trick is to cut the grass long to begin with. That is okay by me as it means less trips to empty the grass cuttings. 
We have a thrushes nest in the garden, with 5 babies. The adults are busy making endless trips to feed the young.
The word is that the volcano is dying down, so looking as if the summer is saved. Normal flights and no ash fall.

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Spring blog



Today is the first of May and it seems by the way the sun is shining that spring has finally arrived. There is that something in the air and it is time to start in the garden.

Now the garden will be taking centre stage. We have to work first on the lawn and then it will be the turn of the flower beds. We are doing some experiments with trying to grow herbs and vegetables in a corner of the garden. We are optimistic that some of the plants will last the summer… the are some especially sunny spots which might make up for the cooler winds that we have in these latitudes.

The next major operation will be the getting the grill going again and getting the beer in the fridge.

The first quarter has been a busy time, earthquakes and two volcanoes. I have been to Haiti and then in the Civil Protection Emergency Management Co-ordination centre working on the response to the volcano eruptions. It is just amazing how vulnerable and fragile the systems in Europe can be. Now it is just a question, mainly, of wind direction and weather which will decide how the flights in and around Europe will be effected in the coming months.

Rebekka has come home from Mexico this weekend. Dad is cooking up a pot of the most famous “twice boiled stew.” Simple buts tastes so good.