Old Friend

A misty November morning greeted us yesterday, it may have been dull but there were plenty of sultry photo opportunities. I just love the way the spiders webs decorate every shrub and the skeletal remains of summers bounty. We are now getting stuck into the big clear up, which means donning waterproof trousers first thing if you wish to stay dry. I bought some new ones at the weekend, they are so thick there isn't the slightest danger of getting wet from the outside. However when the weather is mild like it is now, you are certainly in danger of becoming fairly moist from the inside, it is like being wrapped in a large plastic bag, roll on the frosts! Digging through the borders I soon noticed that we had been joined by and old friend, a robin had spotted the free lunch option of freshly dug worms and was availing himself of the opportunity. I would like to think that it is the same robin that joined us in the orangery last winter, Giles named him Fat Boy because he was very partial to Christmas cake crumbs. We know he has raised two broods deep in the climbing hydrangea by the bothy and because he came so close to us we can only assume he is our pet. He very obligingly posed for my photographs, and was good at keeping us company all day, I wish him a good winter with us.
"It takes a long time to grow an old friend"
John Leonard

Fat Boy