A Second Coming (of Fruit and Veg)

The seasons have been very topsy-turvey this year - winter was warm and spring-like, spring gave us our warmest summer days yet, and summer has been very autumnal. I'm confused myself, so it's no wonder the plants are too. Our magnolia tree bloomed for the second time a month ago, something gardeners I know swear to me isn't possible. It should fall in line that the fruits and vegetables I've been trying to grow have had more than one attempt at flourishing this season.

We have newly planted raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry bushes, given to us by MR A&N's mother at the end of last summer. The strawberries and raspberries gave about 4 fruits each in June/early July, and then that was the end of it - until a couple of weeks back. I noticed that both were flowering again, and low and behold the second cropping of both berries has been much more plentiful than the first. The strawberries aren't terribly tasty, but the raspberries are perfect and promise many more to come.

I had planted french beans in early April, and despite dutiful watering none of them had come true; there wasn't even a green sprig poking out of the ground, as far as I could see. I wrote it off to a bad batch. Suddenly a few weeks ago, one of the seedlings showed growth and shot up so quickly that I've now harvested a few dozen beans from just the one plant. For the beans, too, more is to come.

I won't look the fresh, home-grown produce gift horse in the mouth, but it does feel like there's something awry.