A CLARTY SODDEN GARDEN

I thought that I would show you this picture from last week first as that was the last time we saw the sun. It has poured down. The stream has decided it wants to go in a different direction out of the wood and I have had to return it to its proper course. I have tried to drain the water from under the pond liner with the giant bottlebrush (the one I got for getting algae out of the pond)(and is useless for that). Despite my digging and such down by the pond, it had not deterred the moorhen which came back almost immediately. 

Essentially there is just too much water in the garden. Everywhere is waterlogged and sodden.

I have tried to rake leaves off paths but they are a clarty mess and the result is far from satisfactory.

Yesterday was wet and so wet that an old man was washed away in Kendal in his car when he  crashed into the river which was in full spate.
Today the sun has come out for just a morning before gales and more rain arrive - a big storm to be followed by the remains of Hurricane Kate.

Life would be boring if the weather was the same every day - sun, sun, sun. Here in Britain we would have nothing to talk about though sometimes a little less weather would be good.

This is the abutilon with the whitefly. Though I have managed to eradicate the living bugs the backs of many of the leaves are peppered with eggs. I fear for its future. I do not want to bring it into the house for fear of the contagion spreading so it may spend the dark days out in the shed.

There is still a lot of colour in the garden especially the euonymus which just goes on flaming.

The skimmia by the back door is full of berries and, as it was yellowing a bit, I have given it a feed.

The Sedum, well there are three in a row, are splendid if collapsed, edging the paving.
They last a long time if cut and bunged in a vase.

More clearing of fallen leaves from the streams, more raking of paths, and so much to do.
I have even tidied the area to the side of the shed where stuff gets chucked so nothing is up against the shed walk to reduce the danger of rot.

Now I shall have to close as I am developing big computer screen stiff neck and it is a pain - literally. In fact getting old is a pain, literally. So, for those readers lithe of limb and strong of heart, beware, do not get old. 
For the rest of us - hard luck - just make the best of it.

(She who knows says I am becoming a hypochondriac. Well arthritic, deaf (I will not admit that yet enough to need a hearing aid), dyspeptic, dreary, etc etc - she may well be right!)