Highlight of the summer festivals this year was undoubtedly the Island's 19th annual Garlic Festival held in August at Newchurch in the centre of the island after the garlic harvest. I usually manage to find some delicious honey and exotic plants or succulents for my garden.
The centre of attraction is of course the massive Garlic Pavilion. There I found enough garlic to satisfy the all lovers of the Island's 'Golden Clove'. I enjoyed sampling some superb garlicky relishes, sausages and seafood, but balked at sampling the proffered garlic fudge and garlic ice cream.
Wight's garlic festival now rivals the older Californian garlic festival held each year at Gilroy - which claims to be the "Garlic Capital of the World". The rustic inhabitants of Newchurch dismiss such Gilroy assertions as misplaced of course!
The long hot summer has had some interesting effects upon Britain's wildlife. The house martins, which provide such spectacular aerial displays above my cottage at dusk during the summer, have found supplies of insect food so plentiful that they have been able to rear three broods.
My garden has seen more butterflies and moths than ever. They feed on nectar from the mauve, white and red buddleia, and the many different varieties of lavender that I planted three years ago when I came to live on this peaceful island. I have particularly enjoyed watching a humming bird moth which came every day to feed on the lavender.
The heat wave has in fact helped a number of butterflies on the endangered list to thrive. Rarities such as the Adonis Blue, the Wood White, the High Brown Fritillary, the Silver Studded Blue and the Silver-spotted Skipper, (this latter not seen in these parts for 35 years), have been seen in sometimes spectacular numbers. Those like the Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell that do not migrate to warmer climes but hibernate here, are taking advantage of the warm September days to feed longer before winter finally sets in.
We shall see the bonus next year when ever-greater numbers of butterflies and moths flutter into our gardens to delight us with their colourful presence.
At the request of my friends, I am preparing some pages of my favourite tried and tested country wine and liqueur recipes which I look forward to sharing with you.
Photos of Stuart MacWatt courtesy VisAble People
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