James the carpenter fitted a new drainpipe and guttering on the west end gable wall this morning
while Martin finished clearing the Oval Bed,
in which could now be seen this clematis attracting a hoverfly.
Wasps and bees were also buzzing around,
and the ubiquitous verbena bonariensis provided numerous trapezes for fluttering butterflies such as Red Admirals
and Small Whites.
Dahlias and crocosmia Lucifer are enjoying their time;
lilies in the Rose Garden have survived their recently bent stems.
As the day’s temperature rose, Martin worked steadily clearing the rest of the Dragon Bed.
In the first of these two pictures he holds up one of the fruiting blackberry brambles, for the taste of which he happily vouched.
Ian returned in time to join us for tonight’s dinner which consisted of oven fish, chips, and peas with which he and Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Louis de Camponac Cabernet Sauvignon 2022.