The day started warm and humid, the sort of day that cannot remain that way, and turns nasty with a grey threatening sky, whirlwinds, a thunderstorm, hailstones, vertical rain, lightning flashes and big claps of thunder in the garden. Fortunately I'd arrived at Janet's in Querum from the English groups in Gliesmarode, so was not out in the open when the heavens opened. We watched the storm from under the patio roof, where it was so noisy as the rain and hailstones beat down, that we couldn't hear ourselves speak. The little frogs around the pond (not real ones) and the meercat managed to put on a brave face, but got a torrential soaking from the rain and marble sized hailstones.
Janet had left the greenhouse door open, and needed to brave the weather in her green raincoat to go to the bottom of the garden and close it. The hail pelted down, and she was somewhat worried that it would punch holes in the plastic sheeting. We survived, greenhouse, frogs and all, and later Janet served up a nice plate of apple pie topped with ice cream, and all washed down with a good mug of English tea.
I came home on the tram and bus, and in Weststadt tree branches were on the pavements, and the streets and gutters were strewn with leaves. The porch over our door had leaked, so the doorstep and mat were soaking wet, and at the neighbour's house opposite, the thorn bush had been torn away from the garage wall, and was lying on the path. It was a wild storm that lasted maybe 20 minutes, but long enough to cause some damage.
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| "Janet the intrepid gardener" closes the greenhouse door. |
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| Janet makes her way back to safety against the power of the natural world. |
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| Hailstones cause turbulance on the surface of the little pond. |
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