Blue skies over Mid Wales.

Having a few days downtime in our home in Wales.  Brought lots of knitting, but it feels so good to be outside that I'm not getting much done.  Fabulous weather for this time of year, had coffee in the garden this morning under blue sky with not even a hint of a nip in the air.

Lots to do in the garden, mountains of leaves, but can't bear to sweep them away as the colours are just glorious. Still some flowers around - the odd Japanese anemone, catmint going strong, gunnera nursing next spring's massive magenta buds, few bright blue salvias and gay yellow Welsh poppies soldiering on, tiny campanulas and herb Robert dotted around - but the best displays are from fuchsias and the hydrangeas which are just phenomenal and a real bonus.  There's something about the equinox light that makes the garden glow, especially at dusk everything looks luminous.

Not many birds around when we arrived, swallows and cuckoos have definitely left for warmer climes, so I've filled the bird feeders to tempt back the overwinterers. As yet only tits and finches spotted, not even a buzzard circling overhead, but as it's so clear, maybe it's just cosier tucked into the nest today?

The cats are loving it.  Django's revisiting all his favourite haunts, places in the garden where the mice hang out, and in the evening he lolls around indoors dreaming about catching them.  It's Arlo's first time in Wales and he seems much more of a townie, following Django around, but stopping short when it comes to leaving the terrace and galloping back to the safety of the cat flap.

You can just see Philip with saw after the felling!

For the past few months as the days get shorter we've been getting less and less light on the terrace, as a dense oak tree on the edge gets bigger and bigger.  Starting to feel like we're in a cave!  So... today Philip is taking down the offending tree to hedge height, but not without first apologising to it as we both feel bad about cutting down any trees.  However, it's got to the point where it's either the tree or us, so sorry oak tree, this has gotta be done.  There'll be much clearing away afterwards so I'm hoping the weather holds tonight so we can light the chiminea and watch the sun go down with a glass or two before supper.  

Blue skies!

Haven't thought about food yet though, it'll have to be something quick and simple as we'll probably both be knackered.  As I'm writing this baked potatoes thrown into the Rayburn are sounding good, with a Greek salad of tomato, feta, onion and cucumber and some hummous from the fridge made yesterday.  Decided then, now I can get on with the sweeping and clearing up.

Can't believe it, whilst I've been indoors the sun has set over the mountain opposite and it's only 3.30.  There'll be another couple of hours of light though so I'd better get a move on.

PS  Tree clearing done, had a lovely sundowner on the terrace by the chiminea, even if we had to bring out the blankets!