Well, a very strange film last night : Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall his Past Lives. It was a Thai film based on a dying man, a Buddhist, who, a she approached death became surrounded by benevolent ghosts and memories of past incarnations. The story was told extremely slowly - the director has no qualms about lingering on a landscape or buffalo for a full five minutes and allowing apparently nothing to happen. I couldn't decide whether it was extremely boring or extremely profound. Probably both.

Caught up with a few chores in the garden. Everything is springing forth, the leaves are greening, blossom is bursting and the polytunnel is blooming! This blossom is from a tree given to me by my friend Margaret and is meant to be an Autumn flowering cherry! Well, that's what it said on the label! It's very delicate and looked pretty against the grey sky.

Ladies' Book Club tonight. We are discussing Colm Tobin's 'The Empty Family', a collection of short stories. I recommended this book and am interested to hear what the ladies thought of it. He is a magnificent writer, very understated and it's usually what he's not saying that's important. These stories follow true to form but amongst them are some very personal, obviously autobiographical and very graphic accounts of his sexual awakening! It should make for a lively discussion. This month I'm recommending the Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty by Sebastian Barry - a truly remarkable book, beautifully and poetically written and desperately sad.

Currently reading Saints and Sinners by Edna o Brien, and listening to Iron and Wine 'kiss each other clean' - I can't get past the first track which makes the hair's stand up on the back of my neck. I haven't been able to find a decent link yet but will do so.

Weather - odd, sunny and cloudy and feels damp, the mountains are hidden in mist.
A ps to yesterday, both the otter and the mink were hit by cars, nothing to do with the burning.

Edit, with a little help from Kath Gordon you might be able to listen to the lovely Iron and Wine Thanks Kath :)