Summer ends, and harvesting begins

For those of us in Adelaide who’ve continued to grow our own fruit and vegetables through heat, dust, drought and water restrictions, the prospect of summer’s end in a few days time holds out the promise of golden sunny days and cooler mornings and evenings. Maybe even rain? The winds drop too in autumn in South Australia, and it’s time to take stock of the past growing season as harvest begins in earnest.

Things are a bit sad around my household, because Claudia’s mum in Germany suffered a stroke a few weeks back, followed by all sorts of complications. So it’s just myself and my three sons around the kitchen table while Claudia is over in Europe at her mother’s bedside as mum recovers slowly.

Fortunately for me, my three sons can all cook, and I can clean, garden, feed chickens and make salads and everyday meals, so we’re getting by. But what I really miss around here is the sight of the cook herself browsing through the garden, picking whatever’s fresh for our evening meal together, and offering a quiet word of encouragement to the gardener humping water on his lonely rounds.

So with your forbearance, and a little help from my friend Roger, here’s the state of play in the veggie patch; all to bring a touch of home to loved one’s in Europe.

And PS: I was supposed to appear in these photos… But Roger is as fit as the proverbial “Mallee Bull”, and looks much better draped over things than I do, so he gets the starring role. He’s a darn sight smarter than I am too, but you can’t see that in the photos.