No need...
No need for my gardening days to follow the same old pattern. It's quite amusing when they don't (am lucky I am not a subsistence farmer).
Autumn Colours
Saturday : Wandered around in my posh cafe clothes with Non-Gardening Partner and pointed at tree branches. Watched him chainsaw them down, then moved him on to the next place. Instant, amazing improvements. Estimated time in action : fifteen minutes.
Leaves to Rake
Sunday : Started early in grubby jeans and got the bonfire going. Chopped up and burnt pieces of tree already waiting, gathered five more barrowfuls of dry leaves, added trimmed Dahlias and Erigeron from one of the house borders. Then went on a tree branch hunt. Dragged all the branches that NGP sawed down yesterday to the bonfire. Went back to collect up the firewood logs, and dumped them at the side of the Stables. Poked at the bonfire. Improvements barely noticeable. Estimated time in action : six hours.
Mild weather...
We've had wonderfully mild weather over the last week, so (perversely) I've spent quite a bit of time inside arranging new music for my Jazz Choir. So far I've done 'Night and Day', 'Triste', and the devilish 'Four Brothers'. Felt guilty about not cranking up the bonfire, but kept using the 'just washed my hair' excuse, hee hee. Couldn't shred the Pyracantha - too many spikes, incredibly dense wood, and the shredder blades need sharpening anyway. But now it's all done. Yeay!
More contrast...
Today, in yet another contrast, I've hung out the washing, been for a swim, and walked the dogs three times. I've sat in an armchair and finished my book, the sun beaming upon me through grubby windows. I've raked up more piles of oak leaves near the cottage and filled four bags. Speckles the stray appeared on the cottage verandah to watch.
Speckles is Smoochy
I have news of a breakthrough concerning Speckles. He now body-smooches me effusively - an all encompassing, purposeful body-smooch. And he gurgles - a sort of hybrid feral purr? - in delight when I tickle his neck. This morning he almost walked over my legs. Silly cat! But our relationship is getting somewhere, and I do appreciate the smooching and bunting. No-one deserves to sit outside on a cold verandah at dawn and be hissed at.