A busy autumn afternoon in the garden raking up leaves. It is dry, but cloudy rain, yes rain is forecast.  This year there has been so very little rain I have almost forgotten what it feels like to be out in the rain (just watch this space I now feel within a short space of time I will be bemoaning the superfluity of rain, however much it is needed)

Barrow load after barrow load of leaves, Jenny burying herself in the piles as Milo looks on astonished.  It seems the more I rake the more leaves fall, and the trees still have leaves in abundance!  Amongst the leaves are lots of acorns fallen from the two grand Oak trees on the west lawn.  They too had to be raked up, this time not put on the compost heap but into three enormous containers to be carried to the hill with the coniferous plantation that in twenty years has not managed to grow.  I will sow an oak woodland instead – if the wild boar allow!

Then at five o’clock just as dusk fell the toot of a horn announced the arrival of a van with two pallets of pellets for our wood and pellet burning boiler – need to keep our feet toasty warm with our delightful underfloor heating, and guess what….  140 bags had to be unloaded and then carried to the pellet store, opened and tipped into the store.  That is two tons of pellets!!  and as the rain started I have just finished, exhausted! phew!

I think it is now gin and tonic time and a soak in a nice hot bath!!