Dappled raindrops

Ok, this is entirely subjective, but having spent seventeen days in the often blistering dry heat of Portugal, the green and the rain are utterly delightful to me.

We do "No Mow May" here, but only in the front gardens. I was fortunate enough to be able to get the back garden mowed and the mower stowed just as the rain began again - it had hammered all through the night, too.

I smiled at the soggy bluetit hiding under the shrubs around the pond. He didn't smile back. I put that down to the inflexibility of his beak rather than surliness, and disinfected and refilled the feeder for him.

Charlie is off on her travels again, and Ivy is due shortly. I really wish I'd got more sleep since we got back. Where's that brake again?