In the summertime... by Cathy Ace

Life: Here comes the summer! Are summers a distinct stretch of the year for you? What's this one got in store?

Summer? Love it! Normally it’s the time when, as a gardener, I get to enjoy the fruits of my labours – visually speaking – by sitting on the back deck, writing, and enjoying the view, or sitting indoors at my desk – looking out to enjoy the view. 

Where I write in the summer (taken July 2018)

 This year I’ll have to wait a while to indulge in those particular delights, because I’ll be away for three weeks in July, so my “summer schedule” won’t get started until the end of that month. 

But…living in the Pacific Northwest our summers are supposed to be temperate, not scorchers. The past few years, however, have been searingly hot, with almost no rain – not good when you live in the middle of a rainforest and all your water comes from a well, not the city. No rain means the evergreen trees we’re surrounded by suffer and, essentially, become ominous pillars of kindling; the ornamental trees, and other garden plants we’ve grown from cuttings or seeds, which thrive in sunny and damp vs baking and dry conditions, need extra care and attention; the water we rely upon from our well dries up and we have to get it brought in by tanker. 

Some of the ornamental trees we've planted, with the natural evergreens behind them - as you can see, it gets dry here

 

It’s not good when you’re entire life is set up for a climate that no longer exists – but we’re keenly aware that we have it better than many…we've never (yet!) suffered a forest or grass fire, flooding, or drought situations that cannot be alleviated by phoning to order a delivery of potable water (which we have pumped into holding tanks above ground, which then gravity-feed into our well, FYI). 

A delivery of water - they fill our tanks from their tanker!

So the idyll isn’t quite as idyllic as it used to be when weather patterns were more “normal”. But the principle is the same. Generally speaking I’d live outdoors all the time, if I could. Since we have a dog, there’s usually a door open all the time when it’s not freezing or snowing…I like being cold and bundled up – quite often there’s no heating on in the house until about 4pm even in the depths of winter. 

Recently added honeysuckle...taken June 2019

So the summer allows me to have all the doors and windows open, or to be out on the deck…or tending to the five acres which need all that attention. JOY! 

Now for the Blatant Self Promotion - as you enjoy YOUR summer, why not try one of my books? You can find out more about me, and them, by clicking here.