Late summer

Hillary Temmuz 04, 2022

Late summer is approaching its end, but it is still quite warm and sunny here in south east of Norway. I have eagerly been waiting for months to enjoy harvesting fruits and vegetables from our garden ( also from our neighbours, since neither one of them are living there at the moment ) I have been picking rhubarb, cherries, red currant, plums and apples. I feel utterly happy and lucky having a garden. Where I live, very few never or hardly use theirs. I don`t know why, maybe because of their hectic lifestyle, or lack of interest. I always wonder and it sometimes baffles me.

Plums, beautiful red plums. I remember, my shirt got stained. I could not get rid of it either. Now, always a reminder of that particular day I sat down eating with both hands. Spitting the pit into the grass, the cats were running after it.

Photos © Aina - Modern Country

I tried to be there first, always a battle between the magpies and me. Yes, how can someone resist something as sweet and cheerful like these?

Photo © Aina - Modern Country

I don`t own acres of land and probably never will, most of my fruits and vegetables comes from the supermarket. Although I really would have loved to be totally self-sufficient. Unfortunately we don`t have a weekly market, now and then I visit the Farmers market in a small town 45 min away. But I have enough place to grow what I like, tomatoes, herbs, chillies and lettuce. Last year I tried another two favourites, broadbeans and peas. Sadly many just rotted away. This year I am playing safe, but could not resist adding a few beetroot plants as well. I am so proud of what I have achieved, despite nearly half of the seed I planted back in February died. But rest of them came out so strong and healthy !

End of July - Tiny beetroot plants

This morning - the colour has changed. Almost there now.

I hope they will taste good. I love the earthiness, newly harvested they sometimes taste as if you are biting into clean sweet earth. Yesterday I found a beetroot chocolate cake recipe. For those who love both it sound like the perfect marriage. Tempting..