Signs of Spring 2025

I love the pops of colour in the garden, the hedgerows and the parks.

The mornings and evenings are lighter and the sky is blue.

Tea is being drunk in the garden in the mornings before work.

I'm camping out in the van this weekend.

Spring is on the way.

There's a lot off work to be done in the garden. the ground is hard, the weather is still on the cooler side and there is still frost to come. 

I've fruit trees to plant in large pots, which means soil needs sifting and ground needs levelling, then we can finish off the new path and get rid of the straight paving slab path that leads to the seating area. The large parasol needs to go up. 

The new trees along with the bamboo, willow and magnolia (all in pots) will break up the ugliness of the fence and the plain brick wall, although I'm very grateful there aren't any windows that over look us.

October and Autumn in the UK and Dubai and Spring in South Africa

With 4 boys, the UK year was run around the school holidays. We knew two birthdays could possibly be outdoors if it didn't rain, but the other 2 were indoor events for sure. We marked the year also by events, such as Easter, holiday, halloween and bonfire and of course Christmas. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter taken care of. We weren't big gardeners, so things got hacked back when over grown or planted out when bought from a nursery.

On moving to South Africa our seasons turned back to front, celebrating Christmas when it was in the middle of summer and 35c was confusing. Spring and autumn were similar to the UK's autumn and winter, the rain in South Africa is in summer, not winter. Summer in SA is the UK's winter, so to some extent it felt the same. But having temps of minus 5c in June and witnessing snow in July was all very weird and for the 4 years we lived there, I never really got my head around it.

Of course now living in Dubai, it's pretty much summer all year round. They have 3 ways of measuring the temperature here, which are 'hot, hotter and 3rd rock from the sun' Nothing happens outdoors during the summer, the humidity is high, condensation forms on the outside of the windows as the hot air hits the cold of the air con the other side.

In the UK the condensation is inside the room.

So whilst it's autumn in both the UK and Dubai, it is spring in South Africa. The UK is preparing for winter, giving the garden one last tidy before the frosts, rain and snow, yet Dubai and South Africa, although in opposite seasons are preparing for the outdoor life, wlaks, parks, picnics and BBQs or Braai's as they call them in SA.

October in the UK

South Africa

Dubai

Injecting some colour into my life and trying new things in Dubai

I joined the local leisure centre. By local I mean it takes me 3 minutes to walk there, by crossing the road at the end of our garden.

There's an outdoor pool and a gym (as yet unexplored) and a cafe (as yet open when I've been there) 

There are plenty of sun beds and umbrellas for shade and the pools temperature is controlled, perfect for the hot summer months.

It takes an hour out of my day to go for a swim and is already after a week benefiting my health, I can feel I have a lot more movement in my neck and shoulders already.

I used to belong to a gym in South Africa and used it most days and we had a decent sized pool in the garden, but gym membership in Dubai is very expensive and as I now spend half the year in the UK, it hasn't been worth it. This gym costs £400 a year and for a small fee I can take visitors with me.

I've also inquired about attending some sewing classes and have finally got round to taking my sewing machine and over locker in for service and minor repairs. I did a lot of sewing in South Africa, making bags and bunting that I sold for charity to raise funds for educational supplies, but since moving to Dubai, there's a ban on fundraising and even advertising charities unless they're registered with the UAE Government, so all my stuff has been gathering dust, but my plan now is to get back into the swing of making things to sell over in the UK when I'm there.

Having spent most of 2017 in the UK I was living in Jeans and t-shirts, I was in the UK in February and March for a month also during the snow and wore so many layers I could hardly move. It's nice to be back in Dubai for some warmer weather, sadly it will be too hot soon to enjoy the outside (other than using the pool over the road) but by the time the heat kicks in at 45c I'll be back in the UK for summer and I've decided I need to revamp my wardrobe.

Peter and I have 3 weddings this year in the UK. Our eldest son is getting married, Peter is best man at another, both in the summer and Peter's niece is getting married in the autumn which is going to be a casual affair.

I must say the last wedding excites me the most. No pressure on what we wear, attending as guests only with no responsibilities. For the first two weddings Peter is wearing suit hire and forms part of the Groom party with formal wear, it's not stressing me out what I'm wearing but I do feel a little out on my own when it comes to my choice of outfit, particularly with our son's wedding as I have to avoid the brides colours (red and yellow) and avoid clashing with the Bride's Mother (still don't know what she's wearing either)

Due to ill health over the past year, I've lost a bit of weight, as in I'm now back to the weight I was a few years ago, which means I've been able to wear so many more of my favourite dresses I've hung onto and I've had fun buying new outfits for the upcoming weddings, all of which are suitable for the occasions and for day to day wear in Dubai for popping to the malls, out for brunch or dinner.

I do need to invest in some new underwear and sort through my accessories

Dresses I've been wearing around Dubai and upping my expat game. It's so much easier to wear dresses in Dubai, teamed with a pair of sandals and I'm good to go. No need for jackets, coats or sensible shoes in case it rains over here.

Dress - Jasper Conran

Dress - Mr Price, South Africa

Gap

Dresses I've purchased for the weddings, as yet undecided what I'll wear for which yet and I'll need jackets and a hat and possible water proofs although the first two are summer weddings, they are both in the UK. Shoes are already sorted.

Jacques Vert

The Collection at Debenhams

Debut

M & Co

Dress Sea Salt, Jacket Quiz for the Autumn Wedding, need shoes but have yellow Hunter wellies should it be wet as the reception is in a barn.

However the dress I'm looking forward to wearing the most is this one, but I'm not sure for what occasion it is best suited, but we do have brunch this Friday.

Cheryl Arthur - South Africa

My Sunday Photo - Week 130 O is for Outdoors

'Bring some of the sun with you Suzanne when you come to the UK please'

I was slightly disappointed to arrive at Birmingham Airport on Monday to a heat wave, I left Dubai to escape the summer, I did find it very hot this week, but it's a different kind of hot, one you can get a respite from when you stand in the shade, one that carries a cool breeze from time to time, one where cold water actually runs from the cold tap and one where the max temp of 32c that I experienced here in the UK is the minimum temp in Dubai right now.

I spent today in Stratford upon Avon. I had a picnic by the canal and a walk around the town. Something I can't do in the summer in Dubai. It's so nice to be able to be outdoors and actually enjoy it. I know a lot of people have found it too hot, but it's only been a week. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather forecast for the rest of this week, there was a bit of rain today and I was like a child in a sweet shop, it was exciting to actually have weather for a change rather than none stop oppressive heat and I intend to spend the rest of the UK summer outdoors as much as possible, come rain or shine.

Spring in the UK - Bluebells, views, woodland walks and daffodils

Malvern Hills

I love every season in the UK, I love the greenery, the landscape, the weather. The UK is my home, but I now live in Dubai. 

Spring in Dubai marks the end of a life outdoors as summer and temps in the high 40s get closer.

The River Monnow

I'd forgotten how colourful the UK was in Spring and I loved the displays of Bluebells, daffodils, lilac and tulips, literally popping up in pockets colours in gardens and on the side of the roads.

Bluebell Woods, Malvern Hills.

Lilac over looking Malvern

Daffodils on the side of the road.

Flowers in my mums garden

Even the hedgerows, paths and walls looked pretty

Dandelions, weeds and nettles.

But what I miss the most are trees and greenery, woodland walks, walking through fields and enjoying the landscape.

I'm looking forwarded to returning to the UK the end of June and seeing how much it has changed in summer. 

What's your favourite season and why?

Creating a garden in the desert - February 2016 with HDYGG?

Summer is slowly creeping in, in Dubai. Only last week I was leaving the house at 6am and the temp was 16c, getting up to around 28c by midday. Yesterday at 6.30am it was already 26c, reaching 33c by around midday. We had a big storm over the weekend, and since then the weather has warmed up considerably. I'm making the most of being outdoors while I still can. A face book memory informs me, that this all happened last year 2 weeks earlier in the year.

The ground water temp is also rising, this is from the outside cold tap at 5pm, I'll take a measurement first thing in the morning and see if there is a difference.

I'll have to start putting equipment away, my gloves were as stiff as a board from being out in the sun and the seed packets that were in the cupboard underneath had disintegrated, the tools will now go back in the shed, but gloves, seeds, watering cans etc will have to be stored in the house where the air con will soon be switched on.

The tomatoes are going well, the strawberry plant is only producing one fruit a week, which is very sweet.

I discovered these mushrooms growing in the grass, this week. I'm glad I took the photo when I did as by the time I told Peter about them, the gardener had removed them from the lawn.

I've asked the gardener not to cut the bougainvillea back as far as he has down previously as it is providing shade for some of the plants.

  

The tomato plants have quite a bit of life left in them, I need to research where the best place is for them when the heat comes.

I've transferred some more seedlings, no idea what I'm growing again as the labels always fade in the sun. The geraniums will be moved into pots and moved inside once the average temps hit 30c. I need to find out what other plants should be brought inside and I'll need a trip to buy some pots for the hallway.

Our gardener doesn't actually garden other than mowing the lawn about 4 times a year, he sweeps up every day, cuts the shrubs back 6 times a year and waters the sand to stop it blowing around and cleans up after me.

I've now completed a whole season in the garden, I've joined groups, researched and recorded best planting schedules in my diary. This year I will be attempting to grow some vegetable in the sandpit now that I have established other plants in the garden and I'll focus less on the flowers as they take a lot more work and water than I'd anticipated and now I'm working full time I can't give that level of commitment to it.

What a difference 3 weeks make with the heat in Dubai

Three weeks ago in Dubai we were having hot showers from the cold water tap, we didn't need to put the water heater on to do the washing up and we were having to fill plastic tubs with water and leaving them outside so they'd cool down in the shade to water the plants and wash the dog.

The water temps in the outside cold taps were reaching 46c. The air temps were reaching 50c.

Now for some reason the water is brown again, we drink bottled water anyway but washing up and showering in it, is a bit off putting.

The water pipes in the house provided us with 30 seconds of cold water as they're out of the sun, now the shower is cool for the whole duration and it won't be long before we need to heat the water again.

June, July and August were spent indoors, apart from a 3 week vacation to Canada during Ramadan, we spent little time outside, we took the dog to the lakes in the desert early on a Friday morning and he had a short walk around the block around 8pm. I did make a point of getting out the house everyday to escape from cabin fever, but I could only manage a very short walk to the bus stop before becoming drenched in sweat. We managed the odd day on the beach in the evenings, with the sea temps around 36c it was hardly refreshing and cooling.

I've finally been able to open the curtains in the house during the day and some natural sunlight is most welcome. The sun no longer streams in through the windows in the morning, which means the house is much cooler. 

It does however still hit the front of the house and if I go behind those closed curtains it's like getting in a sauna, you can see how the curtains are being sucked backwards by the extreme heat.

This weekend I managed to finish tidying the camping equipment in one of the out buildings, although I was very hot, I wasn't drenched with sweat within minutes and abandoning the sort out like I'd done 3 weeks earlier.

The air con temp has been turned up and during the early hours of the morning we've been switching it off as it's got a bit chilly. Our electricity bill has been around £500 a month for the past 3 months.

The average day time temps are now in the mid 30's instead of the mid 40's, although the humidity can catch us off guard every now and then making it feel hotter than the thermometer reads sometimes.

I'm off to South Africa in 3 weeks time and it will be summer down there, I've not had a winter since June/July 2014. I was in the UK April/May and again in September and had some lovely warm weather. I'm looking forward to the winter in Dubai which is similar to a UK summer, but with far less rain.