Man at work ...

To be fair, it was also Woman (me) at work - I just popped in to make the coffee and snatch this photo, a totally bonkers photo that sums up our morning. That rhododendron bush has been growing there all the 43 years of our living here. Some years it grows more than others, and this was one such year. It was actually having a second flowering before we attacked it this morning, and it had spread far beyond the usual confines as was proved by the flower pots we found sitting uselessly under it when we began hacking at it. The compost/recycling bin sits more or less inside it, and it's been pretty difficult getting in to lift the lid, let alone empty the peel bin into it.

So the photo shows Himself, in his old red jacket, up on steps trying to reduce the height of the middle of the bush. He seems to be brandishing the long-handled loppers above his head, probably to throw cut off branches behind him. Around him on the grass is the huge mountain of cut branches. It took two car-loads to get it all to the tip.

As well we got it finished while the weather was reasonable. It's now blowing a hoolie and rain is battering on our windows. The wee ferries, on which we relied yesterday, went off about 4pm. There won't be any more gardening for a bit ... though that berberis could do with a trim. Maybe in November ...?