Saturday, first day of a three day weekend

Today is the middle day of a long weekend in Victoria. It's the Labour Day holiday weekend, which celebrates the 8 hour working day legislation in the mid-19th century. It also marks the start of autumn and there are festivals all over the state.

This year, it is also a very hot weekend. A proper heatwave, as defined by the Bureau of Meteorology. It's the first heatwave we've had in Ballarat for this summer - and it came at the beginning of autumn! I think the Weather Dogs are confused!!!

Yesterday was forecast in this area to be an Extreme fire danger day, although the weather was actually quite pleasant in Ballarat. Yes, it was hot but it wasn't humid and the winds were light and I was wearing  light clothes, a hat, sunscreen, and insect block. There were no significant bushfires reported in our region.

The annual Begonia Festival in Ballarat went ahead. It's in the Botanical Gardens and Lake precinct, so there is plenty of shade and no real danger of bushfires. Lindsey and I went early, before it got too hot, but just to the market, which is an extended version of the usual bi-monthly market. We had to go hunting for our regular stalls, although they were all there. We didn't go to the activities in the Botanical Gardens.

Other festivals around the state have been cancelled or significantly reduced. They've even cancelled the Moomba Parade in Melbourne tomorrow, not because they are expecting fires in the centre of Melbourne but for the safety of the parade participants. It's forecast to be in the high 30s and the parade participants are mostly in costume and have to walk a long way. Doesn't sound fun to me!

The unexpected hot weather has got my vegetable beds excited:

A small pumpkin
It's supposed to be small
I deliberately grew mini pumpkins

Runner beans, oh so nearly long enough to pick

and lots of runner bean flowers.
I may get even more beans if the weather
holds

Silverbeet plants, which I have been
picking from.
And that's a miniature capsicum plant
at the back. It produces very
cute and tasty mini capsicums

Tomatoes starting to ripen

Brandy, Whiskey and I took advantage of a balmy late afternoon and early evening and sat outside on the patio. I do seem to have an unnecessary number of leaves lying about. I would go and sweep them, but it's a bit windy this morning and I think the trees would simply deliver more. I shall sweep when the wind drops a bit

That's a self-invited tomato plant in with the
parsley and thyme

A lovely evening for sitting outside