Thread by @sara_hjelm

Right now 11.37am the summer solstice is 71 days or 1724 hrs away #midummercountdown
Outside it’s +7°C. Yesterday was full storm, today is better and all leaves have blown into piles, easy to move. I’ll plant seeds and arrange light for all my 19 pots of sprouts in the basement.

Right now 11.37am the summer solstice is 70 days or 1700 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s 4°C after a night of frost and rain on the way. A disappointed squirrel searches for seeds, he’ll get a few peanuts instead. Painted consoles for the new plant shelf last night - barely dry!

Right now 11.37am the summer solstice is 69 days or 1676 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +3 to +5°C, a mix of sun, rain and snow from one minute to another. April...
48 hrs before warmer weather. I alternate in- and outdoors, plant & replant and my heap of soil to recycle grows

Right now 11.37am the summer solstice is 68 days or 1652 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +1-3°C, still April weather (snow/rain, sun) and the last frost night ahead- I’ll continue inside.
Yesterday I ended up cleaning UNDER the bath tube, but at least all begonias got new soil..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 67 days or 1628 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +6°C and still rising after -6° early morning👇🏻
The weekend forecast looks really promising - spring temperatures at last after 3 weeks that have been a huge disappointment garden-vise ...

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 66 days or 1604 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +7°C and later will be even better. The basement where I’ve hung the plant lights is still too cold for small plants, so these have to wait beside my laptop, both with promising buds.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 65 days or 1580 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +8°C and rising
Depending on how I feel after a first dose vaccine yesterday my tick off list has options-all from raking and mowing lawns to simply nothing-like reading on the sunny patio.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 64 days or 1556 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +11°C after a minimum of +5° at sunrise.
Last night this sack arrived. It will have to be swiftly repacked to secure for mice in the garage-it’s only paper.
Winter 21-22, we are prepared!

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 63 days or 1532 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +13°C and a lovely day.
I long for the new net in place.The deer visited my patio pots & ate the violets. I forgot to put sticks with repellent paste in them when I protected all flowerbeds

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 62 days or 1508 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +15°C and sunny.
This morning I got up at dawn (4am), trying to catch the deer and see WHERE it passes into the garden (perhaps👇🏻?). Of course it did not show up.
Next is a midday nap🥱...

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 61 days or 1484 hrs away #midummercountdown
It’s +14°C and rising. I gather fallen birch branches and found a blue anemone-I thought they were all gone
Next is to harshly prune back the wild roses
If lucky (no frost) we’ll get blueberries

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 60 days or 1460 hrs away #midummercountdown
It’s +8°C, a bit cloudy & windy and it’s still very dry- back to April weather.
But the street was spring swept and wood anemones fill the ground. Trees are still bare with huge buds, waiting...

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 59 days or 1436 hrs away #midummercountdown
It’s +5°C with hard northern winds (4am it snowed) - an inside day so far. I did accomplish a few things yesterday though, pruning the hydrangea, gathering fallen branches ...
Next up some ☕️!

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 58 days or 1412 hrs away #midummercountdown (+6 min each day now, the sun rose at 05.42 today and will set at 20.37)
Outside it’s +7°C and sunny. This magnolia always surprises me with early bloom and has never had as many buds as now ...

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 57 days or 1388 hrs away #midummercountdown
It’s +7°C, still chilly, but the garden is now fully awake.The warmest flowerbed is slowly changing color as the bright yellow anemones take over and various bulbs are on their way everywhere🌱

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 56 days or 1364 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +4°C with fierce northern wind gusts-not very inviting.
I’ll read a bit, wait to see if it improves and tend to plants that already need new pots (cucumbers too early was a bit stupid ...).

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 55 days or 1340 hrs away #midummercountdown
It’s +6°C after a COLD morning. One more night of frost, then warmer weather. Most flowers seem to have survived winter-roses, pions, lilies, and also my 50 new tulip bulbs are on their way up.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 54 days or 1316 hrs away #midummercountdown It’s +10°C and lovely weather.
So far I’ve just been baking ... . The replanting of tomatoes and chilies has had to wait-too cold! One option is to bring the soil inside..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 53 days or 1292 hrs away #midummercountdown It is +13°C, bit cloudy, but lovely weather!
I’m definitely replanting tomatoes outside, take them to the basement, get nails out of the former pallet, perhaps paint it and assembly as a shelf.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 52 days or 1268 hrs away #midsummercountdown It is +10°C
The shelf-to-be is de-nailed, but those in the pieces that held the pallet together will need cutting.
Jack-daws will be ousted Monday (huge relief as it’s too early for any chicks)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 51 days or 1244 hrs away #midsummercountdown It is +9°C- beautiful day!My search for a hammer reviled an abundance of doublet hand tools, like saws for ex. about 20 saws of various kinds and in various state of deterioration-a bit stupid!

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 50 days or 1220 hrs away #midsummercountdown It is +12°C and will be warmer later.
I’ve cleared the corner where the almost 40 cm wide shelf will go.
With the amount of plants it’s def. needed - 22‼️
I’ll have to find new homes for some..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 49 days or 1196 hrs away #midsummercountdown It is +12°C, we expect rain tomorrow.
After my carpentry the mess on the patio is sorted, but needs removing. I plan to spread nematodes after the rain and need to fill pots for outdoor seeds.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 48 days or 1172 hrs away #midsummercountdown It is +9°C, after a rainy night & morning.
I sealed the fireplace preparing for the sweep.
I now read that Jack-daws eat ticks👍🏻...
I might have to revalue them, but they have to nest elsewhere

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 47 days or 1148 hrs away #midsummercountdown It is +5°C and raining. I’ll extend the space for plants in the basement (1 more lamp)
Outside the greenery takes over to slowly hide nearby houses & my flowerbeds explode outside their borders

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 46 days or 1124 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It is +9°C and the rain has ceased for a few hrs. Shrubs and trees are now full of huge buds, ready to burst. Nematodes on/under, right now, is a must for those buds to become edible apples.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 45 days or 1100 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +3°C, windy with rain on an off and tomorrow morning the forecast even predicts frost for a few hrs before it starts to get better.
Not much to do except to stay inside and keep warm.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 44 days or 1076 hrs away #midsummercountdown Sunrise (photo 2-3) at 5.05 am & sunset at 9.10 pm.
+5 min/day now.
It’s +8°C, cloudy on and off and no wind. On the other side a squirrel eats his lunch upside down. I bring my coffee outside.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 43 days or 1052 hrs away #midsummercountdown
After morning frost it’s now +10°C, but very unpredictable - sun, hail and rain within minutes - poor canoeists!
The squirrel couple try birdhouse holes with no success, any eggs will be safe👍🏻

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 42 days or 1028 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +8°C & heavy rain precedes warm weather coming week.
But, dogs must be walked and running training suits pass by, very wet. Without dog or fitness goals I wait for improved weather later..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 41 days or 1004 hrs away #midsummercountdown It’s 19°C and absolutely lovely.
Things move so rapidly it’s hard to keep track, but my rhubarbs are alive, the bird cherry will probably burst out in flowers soon & all tulip bulbs made it ...

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 40 days or 980 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 11°C - a rainy day
I prepared my 1st pots for replant of tiny sprouts (under the roof on the patio)
I’ll spread more nematodes under fruit trees & in the pallet - they crave wet conditions.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 39 days or 956 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +18°C, sunny and warm. Light green birches edge the lake & other side of the street lupines grow fast. My magnolia is now shredding its petals, lawn grass sprouts up through the thick moss.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 38 days or 932 hrs away #midsummercountdown It’s +16°C and sunny. The green explosion this week ...
The 3 squirrels get more and more tame - hardly react when I come near. And nuthatches’ bad table manner, spreading most, keeps them fed.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 37 days or 908 hrs away #midsummercountdown Already +19°C!
My patio is a mess & so are the herbs and plants salvaged from the pallet- and that gravel path, well ...
1 seeds
2 tools and rubbish to the garage
3 raking leaves
+ rain 14pm 😱

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 36 days or 884 hrs away #midsummercountdown Outside it’s +11°C, with rain that will continue all day.
I did get quite a bit done yesterday: all flower seeds, some sprouts to the pallet. Next, umbrella, boots & scissor for snail hunting...

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 35 days or 860 hrs away #midsummercountdown
Outside it’s +14°C
Compare to March 20👇🏻😊

I have lots of pots, but mostly wrong sizes for my chilies and tomatoes, so I ordered more online, but not enough & now they are sold out everywhere😱

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 34 days or 836 hrs away #midsummercountdown Outside it’s +13°C
I had barely gathered the last leaves in piles as thunder & hail struck yesterday, time to finish!
+1 bunch of red poppy seeds left to decide on- where?
(tick-off list & ☕️☕️)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 33 days or 812 hrs away #midsummercountdown
Outside it’s +15°C, dry with some sun
Time to stop pretending it’s spring-this is early summer!
Tall tomatoes & chilies + all geraniums move to out to larger pots & meadows to be mowed to lawns.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 32 days or 788 hrs away #midsummercountdown
Outside it’s +15°C and it’s hard to believe in winter.
The blueberries are back❤️
3 yrs ago severe Nov frost left bushes brown and dead
(all tomatoes and chilies made it through the night 👍🏻)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 31 days or 764 hrs away #midsummercountdown Outside it’s +12°C & cloudy.
I’ve lazed the legs for a new potting shelf. Next is the top!
Afternoon holds a meeting to plan the new fence and setting up a temporary piece to keep the deer out.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 30 days or 740 hrs away #midsummercountdown Outside it’s +13°C and we expect some rain

Light green leafs are now increasingly secluding the garden: maples, beeches, oaks, hazel, while I sit idly watching, waiting for the first raindrops.

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 29 days or 716 hrs away #midsummercountdown It’s +13°C & 3 hrs without rain ahead
My bird cherry is magical today & the pink tulips are just about to burst
(& squirrels have finally succeeded in their peanut-struggles during the night ..)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 28 days or 792 hrs away #midsummercountdown It’s +11°C and raining
My lawn looks torn but the grass is there & I don’t think it craves new seeds
If weather improves I’ll move the quarantined plants to pots (still some ground elder left..)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 27 days or 768 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +12°C, the only dry day this week, so busy
-a cherry tree will arrive=digging
-planting those herbs, seeds take time, I need some now
- .. etc.

(another 48 tulips still in bud is true joy)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 26 days or 744 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +16°C, cloudy, but so far it’s been nice. Next 24 hrs it will rain.
I’ll have to rescue the poor irises, replanted in haste & too deep 1,5 yrs ago + finish off all nematodes (more ordered)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 25 days or 720 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +13°C & the heavy rain is gone, but we expect more tonight. After that it looks like a weekend of summer
As the bird cherry shreds its petals this magnolia and the orange azalea are next...

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 24 days or 696 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +9°C, windy & grey
Someone succeeded and 1 pigeon circles the disaster, but is too stupid to tip the container over and get the remaining seeds
The cucumber is not happy about the weather..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 23 days or 672 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +15°C and summer, greenery is turning darker
I take it easy after my 2:nd COVID shot- watching, considering the space gained with fir trees gone- what to plant or move
@eyebeams had ideas..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 22 days or 648 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +16°C and lovely❣️
Patio is a mess, I’m completing things:
pots for spider plants
place for outdoor cables
moving cactuses out
watering pipe for the cherry

(worrying fresh deer traces👇🏻😱)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 21 days or 624 hrs away #midsummercountdown only 3 weeks!
It’s +20°C & will be hot later
Things to do (slowly)
-plants on their way out
-tools from the patio
-quarantined perennials to pots
-nematodes to kill ants (even my mint is ailing)

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 20 days or 600 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s +22°C & pollen in the air is horrendous. I moved the plants, but not much more yesterday
But got a reason to take out the cushions for the hammock..
Tools under the sofa?
Open that window?

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 19 days or 576 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 19°C & very still
Time between “hägg & syren” is over
Next the garden will explode simultaneously in red, pink, purple, orange, yellow
Blue plants by the hammock, red for the patio ..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 18 days or 552 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 20°C & will be cloudy. I bake a banana cake and save eggshells a s slides for the chilies. Next set of 25 tulips are on their way
yesterday afternoon I spent indoors cleaning, very needed

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 17 days or 528 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 21°C, sunny & the air full of sallow seeds
The azalea is 1:st in the color explosion, next are rhododendrons
I scan for things to do in the coming days
👇🏻 is a list of things to tick off✔️

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 16 days or 504 hrs away #midsummercountdown
21°C & not a cloud in sight
I drink coffee & consider options as sallow seeds fall like snow and pods cover the ground. It’s a huge tree & many left.
I need new coffee-mug is full of them …

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 15 days or 480 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 21°C in the shade & an other hot day. Square pots & trays arrived in a good box for paint under the sofa, but I’m out of proper soil for chilies and basilica.
Tick off list grows rapidly ..

For some reason yesterday’s tweet didn’t make it, anyway 11.37 am the summer solstice was 14 days or 456 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It was 21°C in the shade & an other hot day. Did some pollen dusting and went inside. Here are the pictures

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 13 days or 432 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 18°C & it’s cloudy + rain expected❣️
With hesitation I replanted basilicas-snails already found it
Container for tools: a wash basket, I even have 4 wheels
Getting the new sacks of soil ..

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 12 days or 408 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s down to +17°C (as usual, our school’s summer-break is due this week)
Patio is finally looking more like recreation than workshop👍🏻
Today is mowing, planting & recycling-better get going!

I’m posting this early as I have an optician appointment in town‼️at 11 am.
So, 11.37 am the summer solstice will be 11 days or 484 hrs away #midsummercountdown sun & 18°C says forecast
Made real progress clearing space for the grass mower-2 full wheel barrows!

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 10 days or 460 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 19°C, cloudy
Partial solar eclipse started 11.34 & time between sun’s rising & setting is now 18 hrs
I’ll water pots & go to a (long overdue) dentist checkup
New circle saw arrives Friday👍🏻

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 9 days or 436 hrs away #midsummercountdown
It’s 22°C & another hot, dry day
The whole garden smells of lilies of the valley & honey suckle
I prepare pots to finally replant the chilies … next are the cucumbers & planting beans

Right now 11.37 am the summer solstice is 8 days, 19 hrs 36 minutes away #midsummercountdown
It’s only 14°C & VERY windy
I sit under the bean tree & consider my new tool box & new staple gun that (surprise👍🏻) takes nails
Box needs something to keep bits in place at the bottom

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 7 days, 19 hrs 36 minutes away #midsummercountdown
Improvement‼️18°C & full sun👍🏻
With chilies, new cucumbers & 1st tagqetes potted (more to come), I’ll move remaining vegetables to the pallet & divide small flower sprouts 🌱🌱
More coffee …

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 6 days 19 hrs & 36 minutes away #midsummercountdown It’s 18°C & cloudy
Time for clean up!
Boxes for winter planting 👉🏻 dishwasher
Paint & tools 👉🏻 garage (making room😱)
Raking up last sallow pods

Rain tonight, the date of those nematodes …

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 5 days 19 hrs & 36 minutes away #midsummercountdown
It’s 15°C & clouds/sun, hard winds, but lupines are ready for midsummer celebrators.

My lilacs do need some serious cutting action-soon!
Bushpruning was too late, Oct = no flowers this year

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 4 days 19 hrs & 36 min away #midsummercountdown It’s 20°C & sunny.
The garden looks faboules, but lawns need cutting & I MUST get to the dreaded sorting/sweeping in the garage.

Some flowers though, wild & grown, tend to take over whole areas

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 3 days 19 hrs & 36 min away #midsummercountdown It’s 22°C & no wind, it will be HOT
Some weeds on the patio survived acid vinegar=1 more dose
I find the nob to press to load trimmer thread is gone=have to call the seller
I need more coffee …

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 3 days 19 hrs & 36 min away #midsummercountdown It’s 25°C, more expected later, BUT a cooling breeze😊

Nothing got done yesterday in the heat, so I decide to be sensible
-am rest in the cool basement
-late watering
-salad meals

Slow, easy..

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 2 days 19 hrs & 36 min away #midsummercountdown It’s 26°C & cloudy
Heat will peak tomorrow followed by thunderstorm

Bean-tree petals fill the air like soft rain & my patio turns yellow
I go to hang washing outside - finally no tree pollen👍🏻

Right now 11.37 am summer solstice is 1 day 19 hrs & 36 min away #midsummercountdown It’s 21°C & the forecast, changing every few hours, now says the rain will pass us by 😱
But it’s cooler ..
I will have to do some support watering before anything else.

2 lily bugs killed 👍🏻

The solictice passed at 5.32
This longest day, 18 hrs, 3 min sunrise to sunset here, is followed by the shortest night. My #midsummercountdown ends here

It’s a cloudy morning & +15°C
Calendar day for midsummer celebrations is Friday
No “midsommarblomster” will be left by then..