It’s been a while. Europe is suffering from deadly heatwaves and intense wildfires. From India and Pakistan to Tunisia and the US of A, numerous countries have suffered heat waves this year. Sweltering temperatures hit much of Western Europe last week. We’ve recorded the second highest temperature ever. It’s hard to deny there’s something wrong.
Once a year I invite my close friends and family for a low profile garden party. Unfortunately, we had to stay inside because it was raining the whole day, (the only day with rain since months). Jimi was not amused because he thinks “two’s company, three’s a crowd”. Thank goodness the chocolate cakes, ice cream and fresh fruit was delicious!
The next day Jimi had a great time outside chasing butterflies and drinking rain water. But it’s always disappointing when you just have to deal with a setback: no leftovers from the chocolate cakes…
Enjoy this beautiful day, my friends, wherever you are. Peace, love and understanding.
Hands on Bowie & Jimi 
Staying inside because of the rain is not all that bad under the current conditions. You got some rain. Great looking cake. No leftovers is a disaster. At least Jimi enjoyed the aftermath.
Thanks, Tim! Actually, everybody was happy with the rainy day. It should rain for weeks to give nature a helping hand.
Too bad no leftovers on the cake. Bet they were delicious. It has been a brutal summer in so many places, including here in southeast US. Gorgeous photo of Jimi in the garden. Hope it cools down for you! XOCK, angel Lily Olivia, angel Mauricio, Misty May, angel Giulietta, angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy, Sawyer & Kizmet
Thank you so much for your kind comment! Glad you liked the post and photographs. Thank goodness the temperatures dropped down a bit the last days. But yes, no leftovers… that’s was very hard… 😉
Hello Herman,
Very happy to read this update from you and Jimi. We can relate to you regarding the terrible heat waves. In June we had 36C….even for Japan with traditionally hot/humid summers, it is too much. As you say it is hard to deny that there is something wrong.
That being said I am happy you could enjoy some respite thanks to the rain, and spend some time with good company and delicious cake. Wishing you continued health my friend.
Hi Takami. Thank you so much for your kind comment! Glad you liked this post.
I hope you’re ok and enjoying the summer. But you are right, these temperatures are just way too hot for mankind. I have always loved the summers but the past years with all the heatwaves make me think otherwise…
Thank you so much for hanging around all these years!
Well, of course a kitty should not have chocolate! But those pictures look so tempting.
We’re in the steamer here too. The Eastern US is horribly humid. I have to cut my runs short sometimes. And our youngest cat Agatha has no sense and would stay out on the screened porch all day if we let her, so we have to check the temps and chase her in when the sun gets high. I can’t wait for fall.
I kept Jimi inside on that hottest day of the year. I think I was only a few minutes outside that day, in the morning and late in the evening. I really love the summer, but this is too hard, like missing the last piece of chocolate cake… 😉
Aww, Jimi didn’t like the party! Poor boy! I know a certain other cat who would be in the thick of it all, purring, rolling and aggressively headbutting all the male guests. It’s so funny how different they all are.
Well, the 2 cats got something in common: Jimi also prefers male guests! But there were some little children present and Jimi doesn’t like little ones because they make too much noise. Jimi doesn’t mind 1 or 2 visitors, but he prefers to be alone with me.
Catorze couldn’t be more different! He doesn’t crawling babies very much because he can’t figure out what they are, and he doesn’t like toddlers because they chase after him, screaming. But he likes most kids, loud music and strangers. I have a video of him rocking out to Bauhaus last Hallowe’en, totally chilled. 🤣🤣🤣
I meant doesn’t LIKE crawling babies.
Of course, I can picture the scene… 🙂
It was the same story over here; little kids chasing Jimi, throwing toys at him, and screaming very, very loud! I got nervous myself… 😉
Oh dear! And you try to explain that cats don’t like that, but the kids don’t listen.
Yes, we talked to the kids and advised them to approach Jimi silently and slow. But in a way, kids are like cats, they both have a mind of their own and will not listen to you…
After a while, when they were playing with their iPads, Jimi approached the kids and they didn’t noticed it… 🙂
And … those cakes look absolutely splendid!
Hahaha… yes, the one on the left side was chosen as one of the best cakes in Belgium a few years ago. Unfortunately, my guests knew this story… 😉
I can very well believe that!
I’m definitely going to hide the last piece the next time…
Good plan!
Is that Bauhaus video online on your blog?
Actually, I think I might have TWO videos of him rocking out to the audio original and the Massive Attack video live version! I’ll see if I can email them to you …
Thanks! Looking forward… 😉
Just sent! Hope they don’t end up in your Spam folder!
Just got them, thanks! The Bauhaus video is great at the end when you see Louis pointing up his ears… Hahaha… 😉
Yes, I think he was saying, “Go away! Let me enjoy this in peace!”
You got rain? You’ll have to celebrate that with a party 😀 More chocolate cake… Keep cool Jimi.
Yes, last Thursday, rain from 7h until 19h. Thank goodness we had chocolate cake to compensate our sad feeling… 😉
You have the best cakes! I think often of people in Europe suffering with the heat and fires. Cats like to be warm but I think they too have a limit! Poor Jimi…some of our cats are very leery of strangers (one is even still afraid of me after 5+ years!) But we also have cats that are very gregarious and interested in new people: “Hey! Who’re you? You got food?” Mercenary they are! Best wishes to you and Jimi from all of us.
The chocolate cakes were so delicious but unfortunately no leftovers the next day… Thank goodness there was still some ice cream!
It was too noisy for Jimi and the kids were chasing him all the time. After a while, when the kids were playing with their iPads, Jimi approached the little ones very carefully. Jimi doesn’t mind 1 stranger or 2, but a house filled with a lot of strangers was just too much for him.
Mmmmm taart…
Jammer dat er geen stukje over was… 😦
Nice to hear your summer update – the hot and humid situation seems to be very prevalent this summer all over the planet. We have strong storms frequently too which adds the “falling trees” danger since we have woods all around us. Those cakes look AMAZING – lucky you and your guests!! Teddy loves rainwater – prefers it to “inside water”….I just love rainy days even though the humidity that follows them can be horrid. Summer is wonderful but I am thinking I’ll enjoy Fall more than ever this year after this HOT! Keep cool dear Herman and Jimi…..cold chocolate smoothies do the trick!
Hugs, Pam and Teddy too
Hi Pam. Thank you so much for your kind comment! It seems the whole planet is on fire… Just look at all the extreme weather situations all over the world. I love summers but the last years has been so, so hot!
The chocolate cakes were delicious but unfortunately no leftovers for me the next day. But we had a great time, even inside although Jimi wasn’t amused with the kids running around and chasing him…
Wishing you a wonderful weekend, my dear friend! Jimi sends his regards!
I love the photo of Jimi, lavender and the butterfly. I’m so glad you were able to get together with all your friends. It sounds like a wonderful party.
Thank you so much for your kind comment! Glad you liked the post.
It was fun to have this party since we had to be very careful the last years due to the COVID situation. It was a shame we had to stay inside but thank goodness we had delicious chocolate cakes! 😉
Yes something is very wrong. We see the news from your part of the world and other parts, and it’s all very frightening. I remember you got AC maybe last year, when your area never needed it before.
Your party must have been great fun, with chocolate and lots of other good things. And rainwater for Jimi, and butterflies. It’s good to hear from you; write when you can. And take good care of yourself and adorable Jimi.
I still don’t have AC, I want to buy it every summer but actually I don’t really like AC, except in my car. So there’s a ventilator blowing in every room… Thank goodness my neighbours have swimming pools and they invite me for a swim on these hot days…
The party (my birthday actually) was fun, although we had to stay inside and Jimi wasn’t amused with the kids running around and making too much noise. And yes, the chocolate cakes were so, so delicious… 🙂
Glad to see your garden is looking so beautiful. The tomato plants are so big!
Oh I thought you were getting AC a year or so ago. Swimming pools are good too!
Well Happy Birthday late. You had a good party.
Several tomato plants are now taller than me, but I’m short. 😜
Take care dear friend.
Thank you so much!
It looks like you need a ladder to harvest all those tomatoes… 😉
Looks like Jimi knows how to chill in the heat. It has been miserably hot all summer. Today it is 93* with a feels like 105* note. I am missing my walks!
Hi Patricia. I stayed indoors too, it was too hot for a walk. I kept Jimi inside on that hottest day of the year. Glad the temperatures dropped this week and I can enjoy sitting outside in the garden. I love summers but the past years has been too hot…
Jimi is so lovely…as are those cakes! Thinking about you both and hoping the intense heat is less 🥰
Hi Christine. Thank you so much for your kind comment and concern! The temperatures dropped down this week, thank goodness. It’s again fun to stay outside and have an espresso. I kept Jimi inside last week on that hot day, but now he’s having fun outside…
The absolute horror of no leftover chocolate cake!!! The tiramisu we bought for last night’s dessert, we only have two slices left from the second cake.
It has been an unusual summer, record heat and floods. Luckily, we haven’t had to contend with serious weather on tour. Not too many overly warm, humid days. And, only a handful of weather delays. Just think, August begins next week with autumn not too far behind. And, then …
In the meantime, stay cool.
Hi David. No leftover was, like Tim said, a real disaster! I’ll buy an extra cake next year, or hide that last piece on time…
I saw on your blog that the tour is successful and going well. But I can imagine it’s also very stressful. Like you said yourself, I was also thinking about August, and September and the other things that follow. It already made me feel a bit sad thinking we’re heading to darker en colder times… But hey, enough of this negativity, I need to buy another chocolate cake! And more ice cream…
It;s good to hear from you two ! Seeing your friends in person must have been nice too ! Take care !
Thank you so much for your kind comment! Yes, it was nice to see my friends again but we were still very careful and kept distance. But having a delicious chocolate cake together with wine and coffee was very pleasant.
Nice to see a post from you. That cake does look good. It has been a long hot summer here too. I can’t wait until fall. XO
Thank you so much for your kind comment! I love the summers but the past years has been too hot… Maybe fall is something good to look forward to…
The cake was so delicious but unfortunately, I didn’t get the last piece…
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Boy, those cakes look so yummy.
Oh yes, they were so, so delicious!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Oooh, those cakes look good! Glad you had fun. Jimi is looking good too, all sprawled out and resting. I guess it was a stressful day for him. Have a wonderful weekend.
Hi Polly. Thank you so much for your kind comment. Glad you liked the post.
The cake was so delicious but I missed the last piece… Next time we need 3 cakes instead of 2. Jimi didn’t like the party, there were too many children chasing him but I gave him some extra treats when everybody was gone.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend! Jimi sends his regards!
gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag Herman ! Looks like the celebration was quite grande (even if Jimi was absent for most of it). I’m just returning home from the US of A. Time in Denver was beyond hot. But, here in San Jose it was a pleasant 26C most days. My birthday wish for you is that seasonal summer temperatures will usher you into a mild fall. So you can enjoy your beautiful garden more often! 💗 xK
Hi Kelly. Thank you so much for your kind comment and wishes! The previous years we could have a party outside but unfortunately we had to stay inside this year. But the real tragedy was I missed the last piece of that delicious chocolate cake… 😉
Jimi wasn’t amused with all the people inside, especially the children who couldn’t leave him alone. He was glad when everybody was gone in the evening.
Hope you had a good time in the US of A! Wish I could overcome my fear of flying to visit some friends in the US, and Canada of course!
Have a wonderful weekend, my dear friend! Jimi sends his regards!
I completely understand your fears about flying. I don’t actually enjoy it either. Today was very smooth sailing though in quite a small plane. We flew over the Canadian Rockies 🙂 Earth looks happy and well from up there, an illusion to dream about for a little while 💗 xK
I was having bad dreams and nightmares when I was a child from crashing plains and atomic explosions. I never got over it, apparently… 😉
Oh no! Atomic explosions and crashing !? I’m sorry to hear this. Terra Firma may be the best for you my friend! 💗
Hahaha… you are probably right, my dear Kelly! 😉
No leftover cake is bad. But at least Jimi is enjoying the summer.
So true! The most important thing in life is a happy cat… 😉
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Happy Birthday, Herman! The chocolate cakes look good. I am not surprised there was none left. 🙂
Stay as cool as possible, Herman and Jimi! Best from all of us here.
Hi Lavinia. Thank you so much for your kind comment and wishes! If I had a Star Trek transporter device, I would have send you a piece of that delicious chocolate cake. 😉
Hope you are ok, my dear friend. Wishing you a wonderful cool weekend! Jimi sends his regards to all the cats on the farm!
I had a heart attack back in early June, but am recovering.
Oh no… so sorry to read this! Wishing you all the best, a good health and a good recovery, Lavinia! I’m sure the company of your cats will do you good.
My cat has notable difficulties with hot weather. It’s like he wants to crawl out of his skin. …
As a lifelong resident of southwestern B.C., I was left feeling I could never again complain about the weather being too cold after having suffered the unprecedented heatwave here in June 2021, described by meteorologists as a ‘stalling dome’ of high heat.
Then complain I somewhat did, however, when most of the province, including southwestern B.C., suffered an unprecedently cold bunch of days in January, which was described by meteorologists as a ‘stalling dome’ of freezing cold. Ironic, yes, but not coincidental. Lord, one has to really feel for today’s children, who have to face so many bleak decades of extreme weather and its consequences!
Mass addiction to fossil fuel products by the larger public undoubtedly helps keep the average consumer quiet about the planet’s greatest polluter, lest they feel and/or be publicly deemed hypocritical. Also, relatively trivial politics diverts attention away from some of the planet’s greatest polluters, where it should and needs to be sharply focused.
Meantime, if the universal availability of green-energy alternatives will come at the profit-margin expense of traditional ‘energy’ production companies, one can expect formidable obstacles, including the political and regulatory sort. If something notably conflicts with corporate big-profit interests, even very progressive motions are greatly resisted, often enough successfully. … How do we sleep while our beds are burnin’?
Welcome on HoB. Thanks for your comment on your view on the changing weather conditions.
I bet Jimi was pleased when the guests left … Wonderful photos Herman. He is such a beautiful boy! And that cake looks divine ..
Hi Julie. You are so right, Jimi was happy when the last guest left the house and the garden. Glad you liked the post and the photographs!
Next time I will safe the last piece of that delicious chocolate cake for you… Jimi sends his regards!
Ow like the sound of a slice of that cake ❤️ Big pats to Jimi
Thank you so much, Julie!
Herman, I hope the weather has turned a bit cooler since you published this post. We’ve had areas of the country that have also experienced terrible heatwaves, but the weather in Wisconsin hasn’t been too bad. It’s not fun when the weather is so hot that you have to say inside. Isn’t that what winter is for…staying inside? Well, regardless, that chocolate cake looks like it must have been delicious and I hope you’ve had your share of chocolate since then. Sending cooling thoughts from Gibbs, Hoshi and yours truly.
Hi Mary. Thank you so much for your kind comment. The temperatures dropped a little bit from today and we’re going to have some thunderstorms. I’m looking forward to some cooler days this week…
I’m still having my daily treat of chocolate, no matter how hot is is. And occasionally, some espresso flavour ice cream of course…
The photographs of Gibbs protecting Hoshi are so adorable! I hope they will be good friends for ever.