Gatekeeper Time

July and August always sees a flush of Gatekeepers.  C & I saw many as we walked in our woods again today, these woods so little known that even in high season it's possible walk the dogs away from the madding crowd.  The morning was cool and dull, a keen wind when we sat on the high bench for a while, the temperature nearly 20C lower than  the hottest UK places today.  

The afternoon was much brighter, some hot sunshine for a while.  Typically, this was when I was outside clearing all the weeds and other things from a high raised bed that Jamie and Tim made soon after we moved here.   A wheelie bin full of arisings and a bed that I can use to plant out some of my bulb collection and reduce the number of pots.   Late afternoon, C brought friend Keith, a builder, round to look at a wall that needs repairing which was very helpful as it should be sorted before the autumn weather turns colder.   This evening was mostly about a long family conference call to talk about Mum and her care.  It's going well but we're aware that she's slowed down a lot in the last few months so regular sharing of thoughts is both useful and reassuring.