Indian Summers

Two chatty riders clip-clopped past my house at 6.45am, rousing me from a vivid dream and deep, deep sleep. As I emerged from the bath half an hour later and threw open the window I could hear their conversation as clearly as if they were in the garden, but they were a good 500 yards away in the bottom field. Wonderful air, and another beautiful, still day. Another horse, one pulling a couple of people in a trap, deposited a load just along the lane which I spotted as I was going into Fram. I hesitated, then decided to collect it when I returned but, lo! it was flattened by the time I got back.

I zoomed in on them with my new camera

The garden is really taking shape now, though it won't really all fall into place until the planting has been done. I've got my tree, and several new shrubs, and all I have to do now is to work out a plan and get them planted. Luckily Nick seems interested in being here and putting my dreams into reality, so that's a huge bonus. I want to get it right first time so things don't have to be disturbed again.

This just doesn't do it justice

Yesterday was baking hot, and I toiled for several hours cutting down echinops and eryngium from the front, and clearing weeds from around the pond. I also hauled down the wisteria from where it was climbing into the guttering and the roof, climbing the ladder higher than I wanted to but exhilerated when I got the job done. At 3pm Sarah and I were meant to be cycling down to the Old Rectory where Patrick was going to take us to a prime patch of sloes. But by then my knee ached so much I had to cry off and resort to ice instead, so it was a lovely surprise when she appeared an hour later with a big fat bag of juicy fruit for me. I'm getting the gin today, and come Christmas there'll be a couple of bottles of prime sloe gin to help keep the cold out and the cheer in. I'm licking my lips at the thought.

Euonymus Alatus

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