Autumn work...

 In the Hump Garden.
Autumn Leaves!

Thinking about how much Autumn work there is this year in my garden. Shrubs and trees are huge, paths don't quite fit. But how lucky am I to have a big garden?

Never boring...

It's never boring. If I get annoyed with one area I can move to another a million miles away. Well, sort of.

Tuesday 26th March

Today is my family-first day, where I visit the baby, do some light gardening at his house, reconnect with big brown dog Escher(and spotty house-sister Frida), then do the ballet run and eat sushi in the car with my smallish friend.

So I am dressed properly, so to speak, but I can still do a spot of Hypericum pruning before I go out. Hypericum is a tough shrub which bounces back from any sort of pruning, be it an annual light trim or a once in a decade ankle-chop.

Yet again my dogs have been naughty and pushed their way next-door through the boundary fence. Yesterday Winnie brough me a huge brown deer pelt with semi-detached feet. Gross, and so stinky. Went to talk again to the neighbour. Please bury your dead things!

 By the side of the Island Bed.
Dogs in the Rain

Wednesday March 27th

This morning I was naughty. Speckles had spent the night on the cottage doormat, staring in, indicating that his dinner (three bowls - milk, wet food, and dry cat biscuits) was inadequate. By morning I was feeling sorry for him, so returned with breakfast, plus my cup of tea. We could sit on the verandah together and be friendly.

 He is so nervy, just can not stand still.
Speckles Gone Wild Again

My hands are apparently OK (they put the food into his bowls) but my elbow has suddenly become the scariest of threats to his safety. He struck out at it three times with his paw, viciously, claws out. Ouch! I smacked him. Oops. And have felt guilty ever since. But if it's the only naughty thing I do today then things haven't gone too badly wrong. One way of looking at it!

 Beautiful dahlias.
Autumn in the Hump Garden

No gardening today, because it's raining rather robustly. So I am going to go back to bed with a book and listen to the Women's cricket.

 Autumn beauty!
Compassion Roses

Thursday 28th March

Took Speckles his breakfast again. He smooched my hands, bunted my body vigorously, then gave my elbow 'the treatment'. Pretty disappointing, since I've been feeding him for nearly three years. But I was prepared, elbows covered in layers of merino.

Am going to ballet today and then I promise to do some good gardening.

Later...

Well, I might not. A southerly has blown in with cold wind and raindrops. I have just taken some autumn photographs, and now I am making peach jam instead.