Leaf Time

It really is feeling more autumnal now, we have collected our first leaves of the season from the courtyard, where they pile up into the corners and get soggy and slippery, of course it will all to be done again on Thursday after this wind today! We are making good progress in the garden and have started renovating the area behind the peach house, this involves removing any failing shrubs including this apple tree which Giles soon made short work off with the tractor. We have had to be ruthless as the whole area is covered in bind weed and white root which has intertwined with many of the plant roots, so our only option was to remove any that were badly affected, then dig out the roots by hand, a job which is strangely satisfying despite the labour involved. We must finish in the garden by Christmas to beat any bad weather in the new year so we push on and hope despite losing an hours work from next week, non of us likes working in the dark, although Giles has threatened to buy us all a head torch!

"How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and colour are their last days"
John Burrows