OF GARGOYLES, LUGS AND SO ON

Just back from Suffolk and a farewell to my Aunt Peggy, the last of her generation - it's us now. For your info Scott she was your grandfather Jack's second cousin. (That makes me your Dad's third cousin!) (It is a generation thing.)

The gooseberries are enormous, half the black currants have been scoffed by the blackbirds and the raspberries are a disaster. (The new canes for next year look strong and healthy though so here is hoping.)

I have had to tie up the Lilium regale in the pot as they had flopped - beware the stamens as they dye your clothing. The lovage has also developed a many direction lean and may have to be trimmed.

The swallows under the roof outside the kitchen have fledged and sit on the top of the open door and chatter. They do not seem to mind us too much.

The banking bed by the path to the lawns has thrown up some surprises - how well the stachys (lambs' lugs) goes with nasturtiums.

The garden is full of strident colour - not just Crocosmia lucifer in its ultimate redness - but the blue of borage, a self seeding herb excellent to adorn a Pimms or gin and tonic.

The brachyglottis (see I remembered the new name) or senecio as it was, is clothed in golden flowers. I know this shrub is not to everyone's taste but the boss likes it so it joins alchemillas in being everywhere.
We have a small sculpture of a falcon given to us by L and this nestles in the alchemilla by the decking.

I would have more sculpture in the garden but it would have to meet two criteria (at least) - go where it is put and be liked by both  of us.

 When we were recently down in Herefordshire we went out for an excellent lunch at the Kilpeck Inn and then wandered up to the church only to find a sculpture of R and I as a gargoyle at the eaves. Actually that would make us rather old in a Wandering Jew sort of way as the gargoyles date from about 1140 A.D..

 A wood pigeon has just hit the window with a great thump leaving white feather dust behind. It was such a large bang I thought it must be dead but it flew away.

Today has been mainly mowing paths, watering gardens, deadheading roses and the crambe, tying up droopy tomatoes, picking a few weedy raspberries and generally mucking about. I have picked a big bunch of flowers for the house - crocosmia lucifer, a rudbeckia, buddleia, anthemis, a lily an so on. I stuffed these into a vase in true flower arranger fashion (you must be joking)(yes I am).

I also picked a small bunch of pinks and the kitchen smells of nothing else.

Here's to a small can of Heineken (it is empty - I must have already drunk it).

Here's to a cuppa tea.