Sizzling Summer and Wet Winter Days

Summer showed up this weekend with a bang, but as I opened the door this morning, what do you think greeted me?

Not...

A Summery Weekend

I was convinced that summer was here to stay this weekend, and I would have packed my winter woolies away, but, I know exactly how unpredictable the weather has been of late especially here in our subtropical climate!
Cherry Tomatoes shining like jewels in the bright sunlight!

It was the perfect weather for gardening; we had started sprucing the garden up last week, as some of the old plants had seen better days and were looking really scraggy.
Our lady was admiring the new colourful plants at her feet, but it seems like the water fountain has dried up. so we'll have to do something about that soon!

This built-in flower pot was looking really awful, but now is showing new life, and the smaller plants around it will soon start bearing clusters of orange flowers, like the ones in the image below that.

Another section of the garden next to the cottage also needed some replanting - it was just a matter of pulling out, adding potting soil and replanting the new young plants, and these all bear 'off-spring.'

We love having morning tea on the verandah in between our duties, with the garden all around, and views of the gorgeous valley that is becoming greener by the day with the new season.

Our friends the monkeys have been showing up more often, and while I was sitting there looking down at my phone, a big male came up behind me as I'd left a banana peel in front of me, not expecting any monkeys in the middle of the day. Needless to say, I got the fright of my life, as an Alpha male can get quite aggressive!
This nosy little rascal was looking through the kitchen window the other day, likely hoping I would give him a treat.

Feeding wild animals however is a definite no-no, as they could then approach other humans in the hope of food, and could attack.
We do throw out fruit peels and fruit that are past their sell-by-date, but only when they're not around.

This is what greeted me this morning...

A Wet Wintery Day

Yes, you were right, I was greeted with a wet, gloomy and cold wintry Monday and I immediately knew what we'd have for lunch - Soup!
I wanted to watch at least some of the Queen's funeral, as the pomp and ceremony have been spectacular, something that only the Brits know how to do!

Simple Vegetable Soup
I always look in the pantry first, as a real homemade soup needs dried legumes or a bean of sorts, at least that's how my Ouma taught my mom, who in turn taught me :)
I found some Cannellini and Borlotti beans as well as Green Mung Beans, and soaked them all in hot water in the instant pot while getting the vegetables together.

What veggies were in the refrigerator basket?
Leeks, Carrots, Potatoes, Parsley from the garden - chopped up coarsely and popped into the food processor till all the chunky bits were smashed.

Grated veggies were added to the soaked beans, enough vegetable stock to the maximum level, set the instant pot on the soup menu, and let it do its' thing.

Delicious thick vegetable soup with homemade sourdough bread - I'm still not making pucker sourdough bread as I cheat by adding instant yeast, it nevertheless tastes very good.

At least this time, I was not in the soup as I'm ALWAYS late with breakfast, lunch, and supper, unless there are guests to cook for!

A bowl of comforting homemade vegetable soup was served in time and I could watch at least some of the solemn pageantry on the telly.

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Original Content by @lizelle
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