Preparing for the winter months is actually quite hard work. It's like living a life of two halves - winter and summer. Coming into the winter usually late October or early November we reluctantly collect all of our outdoor cushions, throws, furniture, solar lights and trinkets and bring them in for the winter until the weather is good enough for them to go back outside again - usually in April. Over the years as we have developed our garden we have made quite a lot of seating areas and I really miss them in the winter months. I just love having the choice according to the weather and the time of day. We have covered areas for sitting in the shade, enclosed areas to be out of the wind on windy days and of course full sun spots for morning and evening as the sun swings round.
We were told when we bought fruit trees that lemon trees would not survive up here. I know that a few people have managed to grow lemon trees successfully in very sheltered areas down in the village, but we are a fair bit higher than the village itself and we do have winds that cut across our garden which is not conducive to being successful with the more tender plants. We are now on our third attempt at growing one and now every winter we wrap it up. So far we have got it through three winters, but it is getting harder as it gets bigger and bigger!
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Our lemon tree wearing it's overcoat, hat and scarf |
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All the pots are collected up and covered up for winter |
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Pump in a sump to prevent any flooding |
Previous years we have also cleared everything from the terrace where the driving rain and winds cause havoc. However, a friend of ours had the awnings on her terraces replaced and the old ones were going to be thrown away. So I asked if I could have them and clever David has managed to put them up on the corner of our terrace that suffers from the wind, and in front of our patio doors and this has made a huge difference, meaning that we have been able to keep the furniture on there, it's somewhere for wet dogs to dry off, offers protection for our patio doors and we have somewhere to sit. We even have a zip up door where our gate is.
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Our makeshift terrace covers |
As I've mentioned before most houses are built here for summer living and are somewhat lacking in comfort in the winter. We learnt a few years ago that putting bubble wrap on the windows makes a massive difference, so we now put them up on all north and east facing windows. We change all the sitting room curtains for heavier winter weight curtains and all the rugs go down on the floors.
We sort through our wardrobes and put away all of our summer clothes and replace them with the winter clothes which we store in the top cupboards through the summer.
Now I count the days until we have our summer back, at least here that is assured. I hate the cold, I hate having to wear loads of clothes, I hate that the house seems cluttered with all the outdoor bits and pieces.
However, even I have to admit it isn't all bad. We have the car boots through the winter, and we all know how I love them! Earlier this month on a lovely sunny day, we headed up to the mountains for a BBQ, and it was actually warm enough to sit in T-shirts. We have started playing in a pool competition one evening a week, which we really enjoy, and I don't have to go into Fethiye Centrum at 8.00 am to be able to park, if I need to go to the bank. Also I can use the cold as an excellent excuse to need lots of comfort food - stew and dumplings, apple pies and crumbles, chocolate, promising myself that when spring is here I will eat more sensibly again.
However, even I have to admit it isn't all bad. We have the car boots through the winter, and we all know how I love them! Earlier this month on a lovely sunny day, we headed up to the mountains for a BBQ, and it was actually warm enough to sit in T-shirts. We have started playing in a pool competition one evening a week, which we really enjoy, and I don't have to go into Fethiye Centrum at 8.00 am to be able to park, if I need to go to the bank. Also I can use the cold as an excellent excuse to need lots of comfort food - stew and dumplings, apple pies and crumbles, chocolate, promising myself that when spring is here I will eat more sensibly again.
In spite of the perks I still yearn for summer and the warmer weather. Winter is just not for me. I can't wait to be reversing all of the above chores and getting all our summer stuff out again. Trust me it is not at all the chore that putting it away is. It's absolute pleasure!
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Striking up the BBQ ready for a lunch in the mountains |
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We never tire of the stunning views around our village. Photo credit Chris Tatam |