Autumn is around the corner by the look of the apple tree. Mr. Swiss says the harvest will begin in a week. At the moment we have nice sunny weather, quite cool, but ideal for the picking apples. We are no experts and eat them as soon as they leave the tree. Of course, Mr. Swiss makes his famous apple tarts which we all enjoy. Some of the apples on the lower branches serve as a snack for various insect babies, but they also have a life.
Talking about plants, I have now discovered what the strange growth is on my basil plant, the wiry growths that resemble something from an Alien film, but they have not yet engulfed me or my computer. It is now sitting in a high place where no-one and nothing can touch it and will be tranported to the large plant container some time today, after I made a few goodbye photos – blog follows.
And now to the next exciting news in my part of the world. It is unbelievable I know, but the Odyssy of the renovation of the block where I live is now approaching the end.
Half of the building is now reflecting a slight shade of green. Here you can see one of the painters putting finishing touches to a window frame perched on the scaffolding. He even asked me what I thought about this new shade of green. I did not want to disappoint him, so was careful with my choice of words, omitting profanities. Of course, he is just following instructions. It seems the forumula for this shade of green somehow got lost, amongst the other 50 shades, but it was found, probably illuminating the surroundings with its green reflection. We were told it was a very light shade of green, hardly noticeable. It now seems that in the sunlight it could become very noticeable. Note that when I took the photo the sun was not shining on the walls.
I informed the painter that I am not really a “green” fan. I wore a green uniform to school six years of my life, and it is not really my colour. It clashes with my blue eyes. For me green is an institute colour. In my younger days hospitals were painted green, asylums were green and my school was green, all usually with a corresponding off white contrast. Even government offices were painted green. Perhaps it was a special offer for pots of green paint. And now our wonderfully new renovated building, with new cladding isolating it from everything including radioactivity I hope (are you listening Mr. Kim and Mr. Trump?) has been painted green. Wait until we get the green sun blinds. I have seen a sample and that will really knock you off your computer chairs. As soon as they are put into position, a photo will follow.
Next week the new metal blinds will be mounted, the painting should be at the finishing stages and there will be nothing more in the way for the scaffolding to be removed – we hope, but you never know. It seems there is a slight miscalculation with the size of the new steps to the outside world from the windows. On our ground floor it does not make such a difference as they are firmly anchored on the underground surface, but the balconies have problems. They tremble if you tread on them. However, we are now confident that the work will be completed by Christmas after almost nine months of work and a life shared with builders from various nations. Yes, we have been quite international this year.
I am still busy cloud spotting and found this one quite interesting as it hovered over our local Jura mountain chain.
And now to the normal daily work of a golden oldie housewife. The vacuum cleaner is waiting and it will be an adventurous day. Mr. Swiss is already planning his release to visit the local supermarket for a few last minute buys. Enjoy the day, it might even be the beginning of a relaxing week-end.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 
Mmmh, fresh fruit from the tree – aren’t you lucky! And öpfelwähe….. I’m going to make an apricot tart later in the day, AND since the oven will be heated, I’m going to make a Greek Apero of feta/cream cheese/flat parsley/green onions in filo pastry packages too. Be prepared!
I understand your green dislike BUT it does look rather nice on this photo 🙂
I have a feeling the basil intruder is some vile, totally unwanted visitor – and I’m not sure I’d be happy to learn about it…. yet I wanna know!!!!
Have a calm, sunny, warm (at least in the heart) weekend
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Since I have become a cyber golden oldie I don’t bake so much, only on the computer where I am always cooking up something.
As far as the basil intruder is concerned. I have it under control and it will be sent to the parasite hunting grounds this afternoon. I wonder where the Migros get their plants. Perhaps it is better when I don’t know.
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Maybe it is the angle of your photograph, but the paint color looks pretty. A nice complement to your gardens, maybe? Ah, Mr Swiss’ apple tart–it always looks delicious. Might you bake one for your constructions workers as a ‘good-bye and don’t come back’ treat? I do hope Tabby likes the new paint color. That is all that really matters, after all.
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I am more a blue sort of person. Our builders left a week ago. Now we only have three guys that are painting and if I had treated them to a cake, i cannot confirm that they would have survived. Tabby is colour blind and only interested in things that you can eat.
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It will look very nice when it is complete, and though I do not adore green at least it is so light that maybe it won’t look too bad in the sunlight. Can hardly wait to see the new blinds! I have two apple trees in the yard. One became diseased last year and we had the arborist trim it back practically to the trunk. No apples this year but the branches have grown back and I bet we have a bumper crop next fall. I always make apple butter and applesauce from them. Not a good tree for just eating the apples.
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I have a Fiorina apple tree that I planted about 18 years ago. At first there were no apples, but now we get at least 100 every year. My second apple tree is a special one as I grew it from a seed. I never really expected any apples but two years ago the first apple appeared and now they arrive every year. Not so many, but edible. I am so proud. We will be the only green building in the village, so at least it will become well known and famous.
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I haven’t had an apple tart in forever! What a grand memory! Now, I’m hungry!
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Neither have I, although you can have too many. Eventually we had to stop, but now it is that time of the year again.
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Late September and October is Apple Picking Season in New York. Mostly Upstate New York but the local Farmers Markets offer some delicious apples of all types. One of the names for New York is the Big Apple.
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I know about the big apple, but never thought about why. Here the apple time for picking is now, in the eastern part of Switzerland, Kanton Thurgau. This year it is not such a good harvest.
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Maybe next year harvest will be better. I hope so.
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I don’t get the whole “green thing.” On the up side, that’s a beautiful apple tree. Win some, lose some.
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It was the colpur our wonderful committe of 4 people chose to have our appartment buiding painted. As far as we are concerned it was not necessary to pain anything, but there are always those that know everything better. I wonder how this green will look in 20 years, but then I will probably not care. The apple tree is doing well.
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