The test of weather

 

Well, we survived two named storms in one week. Storm Eunice made landfall as a category 2 cyclone in Kerry and West Cork today. We had northerlies against which we are protected by the hill behind our house and vineyard. We were spared by track. But a Category 2 storm that they are now tracking like hurricanes and the NWS in the US tracking the storm's progress for us? Where is this heading?  Are hurricanes now the norm for us? Bloody hell. 

We did not get the snowfall that was projected for this morning. Just a dusting of sleet, snow and hail, but the hail showers continued through the day so it was hard to go up the hill to see what was going on. The squalls were ferocious. 

Croagh Patrick was stunning dressed in white against the whiteness of the storm.  Very flat light all day. Fierce, cold gusts. Alex is in Dublin for an event but I stayed home to tend to the homestead. I've experienced a bit of anxiety after exposure to lots of people and decided this event was not that important. 

Meanwhile, the seed hatching factory has been up and running for the past few days. First time trying seed propagators. I'm sorry to learn that I haven't been gardening by the moon. Right. Another thing to learn and plan for. Sometimes I feel like I am gardening on Mars. I hope to be able to walk to the top of our hill in the morning to get a view of Nephin before the snow melts. Hopefully, I won't get blown off. 

Spring is trying, then retreating

Several weeks ago it was warm enough to be out in T-shirts. Alex noted that the new chardonnay vines were sprouting and quickly planted them out in the field. Then he planted out the Pinot vines. There is still a batch of Albarino bare root vines that are heeled in to plant and trellises to build. But he was off buying cattle for his mother today so it will have to wait. Tomorrow, we're doing a webinar about sailing in Galicia, so it will have to wait again. Oh well, we have a few days open next week I think.

The bumblebees were out in force, feeding on the heather during the good weather. I counted 13 queens on one bush one day, mostly Bombus leucorum. It was good to hear their buzzing in the garden. The heather bush was the first thing I had planted when we were building the house. So glad I did. But I was also glad to learn that grapevines are not dependent on bees for pollination. The news about the collapse of the insect populations last week was alarming. More about that another day.