Carpet of gold

We woke to a dull day but both dogs and I were anxious to get out to our regular haunts to see what changes there had been to the autumn foliage while we had been in the warm south. As I suspected most of the leaves had fallen but the valiant Beech holds on to so many that, where it stood tall and proud, it provided a magnificent backdrop to the golden leaf litter. A warm and wonderful sight especially as the whole 'carpet' was glistening following the rainfall last night. The seat beckoned today as never before because it doesn't actually have a view...but today that didn't matter.

Try viewing it in Large and you may feel yourself actually on the leafy carpet ...

This afternoon, after a bit of admin and unpacking, I ventured outside into the garden to start to tidy up plants which had still been in flower before I left. I had been unwilling to send anything too early to the compost heap, particularly the bedding geraniums as they were still in good flower and it had taken ages for them to get going this year. Anyway today was the day and I pulled them up and in their place sunk baskets already planted with daffodil bulbs. I use containers really designed for ponds, with holes in them, so that once the bulbs have finished flowering I can heave them out and leave them somewhere out of sight, but in situe in the containers, so that their leaves can die back naturally. This provides open areas for fresh planting. The early darkness forced me inside so I hope to do more tomorrow.