Catch-up

Our elder daughter and her partner were with us at the weekend. They lead busy lives, often out of the country, so it was lovely to sit down with a cup of tea and have a really good catch-up. On Friday night all the family were together under one roof - what a treat! (Then the Bournemouth branch, but not us, went off for a half-term holiday in the sun.) On Saturday we went to the Dorchester Literary Festival where I was delighted to speak to Kate Adie whom I have admired since her days as a fiesty war correspondent for the BBC. What an elegant lady she is! On Sunday we had a birthday lunch in town. Yes, another one, but my last for this year.

Life is back to normal now - no cake on the cake stand and a low autumn sun hardly visible through the trees.

We've been living here now for a year and there are no more surprises to find in the garden. Now I know what I can clear or move and what I shall cherish. There is only a little colour to see at the moment but there will be another shout in a while when the maple leaves put on their display. There is a repeat flowering of clematis and the jewel-like berries of the American beauty berry bush look lovely when a slant of filtered sun shines on them.

The outdoor furniture has been put away and a number of potted plants pulled under the cover of the veranda. Wood for the kitchen stove is all undercover as well.

I could wish for more sunlight to fall into the house and garden as it really is very dark. It is, however, rather magical - and private - to be living among trees that were part of an old and large woodland. The whole area has a blanket tree preservation order. There are big limbs that threaten the roof of our house! The sun filters through and shines for a while on the small greenhouse. My auriculas are not in good shape. They are outside but I might have to reconsider their position as we move into winter. By contrast the lemon tree is laden with fruit and the blossoms always smell beautiful.