Saturday, July 7, 2012

Summer Garden

The hot, dusty Tunisian summer grips my garden as I struggle to keep it watered and alive. I emerge from my comfortable house into blistering heat every evening around 6pm when temperatures begin to drop while the sun sinks in the horizon. As the countryside dries up, it sometimes feels like a losing battle... 
           Someone noted that there weren't any photos of wide vistas on my blog. The reason is simple enough: my garden is large and I can never manage to get it all looking in order at one time, so I only take pictures of the decent parts. Since my trip to the States, everything is out of control and I still haven't caught up. However, here are a few shots with wide vistas. 
                                 My front garden from the front porch.
Note that my young pomegranate orchard is green. Grass sits at the bottom of the list when it comes to distribution of water resources. Fortunately, the local grass resists high heat and makes a comeback when well watered. It will remain yellow through the beginning of September. The silvery trees against the pine trees (upper right) are olive trees. 
                      Again the front yard, sidewalks and entrance driveway.
The large trees along the alley are fig trees, which provide deep shade and marvelous fruit. I'm on the lookout for pots that will sit on top of the two pillars. 
                                                The entrance driveway
                                           that leads to My Humble Abode.
A simple structure that keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer.   
                                 Nothing fancy, but I'm thankful for it. 
                                  Here are a few shots from the roof. 
             To the South, the front garden with a lone mountain in the distance.
                 To the East, a neighbor's property and another lone mountain.
To the North, the city approaches and we're seeing more and more construction. Not sure how long the area will remain farmland. 
Of course I have avoided shots of fields and local roads loaded with trash, uncontrolled dumping, and massive unauthorized and illegal building. Because municipal authority was wiped out with the Revolution, the thug culture that developed during the dictatorship appears to be taking the upper hand while Tunisia becomes dirtier and dirtier and suffocates in its filth. 

Ultimately, the tranquil Province of MulticoloredPieces may only exist in a virtual form. That is where I take refuge... 

17 comments:

deanna7trees said...

wow...lots to take care of. love seeing it all. i know what you mean about going out in the evening and trying to beat the heat. it's the same here in texas. i just have a small garden to take care of.

Nancy said...

I loved the tour! Those trees are gorgeous. I spend time looking at my neighbors tall trees. They take my mind away. And a whole orchard of pomegranates-YUM!!! I'm so envious :)
Sorry to hear of the trash and general unruliness in such a beautiful space.

Radka said...

It is so interesting to see where you live :-)Oh, how I wish I could send you some of our rain! It is July and we have floods here and the sun doesn't show itself very often :-(

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

We take joy in what is good, change what we can of what is not good and pray about what we can't change alone here at Muddle Manor. Looks like you have some of that same philosophy there in the Province of Multicolored Pieces

O'Quilts said...

Thank you! I am sooo delighted to see where you are...helps to see you in your surroundings..fig trees, olive trees, pomegranate!! So wow!! You have a lot of buffer from the ugliness, I think. I hope. Thinking of you.

Merilyn said...

What a lovely peaceful looking oasis you have, what a shame that people have to trash the environment!!!! I love your pomegranate trees, what a lovely shaded orchard it will be when the trees reach maturity!!!!!

Kathryn said...

Thanks so much for sharing your garden. Fascinating to see and hear the stories of your life. All so beautiful!

Ms. said...

Our heat wave is finally breaking and we are headed for a week of 80+ degree days, thank goodness. It was oppressive for weeks and weeks--Your 'estate' is very well maintained as would be expected from all your previous posts, wherein, even if you say you are in disarray, I see only order. I do love the tall pines, and all those fruiting trees!!! How clever to have a roof you can use as a sundeck and observation post. I do hope the politics gets cleaner, and with it, the neighborhood.

Have you thought about Thyme..a low growing spreader that doesn't need much water. I think it might grow beautifully where there is lawn...with the additional benefit of scent and tiny flowers.

I am reminded suddenly of Isak Dinesen and her Kenyan coffee plantation stories. I think you would Like "Out of Africa" if you haven't already read it. I love her stories.

Wishing you well

Ms. said...

PS- re Isak Dinesen--
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Blixen

rtquilter said...

This is a wonderful peek into your world, Nadia. Thanks so much. Pomegranates and figs! How very exciting!! I hope and pray for you that your world stays safe and that somehow the politics manages to improve. Thanks again. Wonderful! Ps- hope you find your pots!

fiberchick said...

Thank you for the fascinating tour! It is so interesting to see the environment that inspires your wonderful work...

Cate Rose said...

Thanks for those photos, Nadia. What a lot of gardening there is to do -- it's more like a ranch, though, than a mere garden. Good luck with it all.

Katie said...

I enjoyed seeing where you live!

Stitching Upstairs said...

So nice to see your "patch". The pomegranates and figs remind me of my many years in SoCal.

The rest of what you write, in so many ways, reminds me of where I live now in New Mexico where many people, including US citizens still don't realize it is part of the US. Sometimes I don't believe it myself.

Unknown said...

Hi, Nadia - So lovely to feel the heat as I toured the marvelous and tranquil Province of Multicolored Pieces. Your gardens are beautiful, a true refuge. -sus

Rachaeldaisy said...

Your life in Tunisia is so fascinating. It's lovely to see the part of it you call home. It's beautiful!

Michele said...

Thanks or sharing your garden Nadia! Pomegranates and olives! So interesting to me! We couldn't grow anything like that here. Your home and gardens are so beautiful :-) So sad about the difficulties and trash that are all too close to you.