It was unusual for us to have rain in September, but greatly appreciated, and the plants responded with sudden growth appearing everywhere after being stupefied by the heat during the summer months. It's now October, and we have lovely warm days that have found me planting numerous seeds and preparing the raised veg beds for new crops, and taking cuttings of 'Myaporum' which is a fast growing evergreen providing a superb dense hedge in a short space of time. The almonds that I left on the trees are now sun-dried enough to shake from the tree and eat or add to recipes. Chicken in almonds is a popular dish here.
Alistair has finished my beautiful Spanish shed which was my 50th birthday present, only nine months late but he has been very busy with numerous jobs that needed to be done before the rains arrive properly in November. So I have found myself setting up in my new domain and moving in tools, books, chairs, plants, and have thoroughly enjoyed a glass of wine on my little verandah while looking through my gardening books and planning my choices of seeds and plants. As I write this the wind is howling and the rain is pouring down, its quite nice once in awhile to get cosy in the kitchen and have time to do my writing, without being lured outside by the sunshine (people in England will think I'm mad saying this). Tonight I think we may bring in some olive logs and light a fire and make the most of it.