The good, the bad and the ugly........of summer

There are plenty of things to love about summer - one of these would have to be the gorgeous stone fruit which are so plentiful. I had to eat these plums standing at the kitchen sink, otherwise the juice which dribbled all down my chin and arms would have then covered the floor. When I uploaded this photo, I suddenly noticed that the blue summer sky is actually reflected in these plums. How very serendipitous! Peaches are beautiful to eat but, for me, the nectarine wins hands down and there is no furry skin to deal with. That glistening golden flesh is like a taste of paradise and something which I dream about during the winter months when our fruit selection is so limited.
Another good thing is an early morning visit to the beach for a quick swim before the day gets too hot and then, if the sea breeze has arrived, sitting in the courtyard of one of my favourite cafes for a coffee.
Of coure, there is also a downside to summer and for me that would have to be the lack of energy I feel. Some days all I can do is hibernate inside out of the heat and read. Now the Australian Open Tennis has started and, for the next two weeks, I have even more reasons to stay indoors. I send my apologies to the garden each day as it is really too hot to do much more than water it. However, for a person who is normally energetic, this lack of activity is beginning to depress me. Very soon I will have to pull myself together, remove the dust cover from the sewing machine and get back to work.

And now for the ugly side of summer. In the heat, my cherry tomatoes have literally cooked on the vine. I know how they feel!