I have a little friend: he watches me in the garden, he looks at what I do, first with one eye, then the other. He is a Robin. He hops along as I potter in the garden, his interest is especially noticeable when I turn things overso he can look at what is revealed.
I suspect that he has a nest here, perhaps at the top left in the Pear tree. When he’s feeding, I back off to let him finish. One day I awoke in the hammock to see him standing on the ropes by my feet.

This morning’s walk in the new meadow.

Dawn soon, warm humid sleepless night. Trying to order new road tax but the site is down. Damn, it’s overdue now.
This is such a fine time of day, birdsong has reached its crescendo & the sun will appear in 20 mins.

Planted: the pot said it wanted a hold twice its size to go in along with fresh soil/compost, please. That would be easy if it were not for the usual problem in my garden. First swing of the spade clanged on a slab 6" beneath the surface. Getting that out took ages but did explain the large dry barren patch . There were two large slabs in all- so they propagate like tubers?
Have I got a pest crop of Pavis Slabula?

Here is the Berberis, the leaves are similar to Mahonia’s in shape, don’t you think?
Things escalated- the soil was full of gravel, but I have a sieve. I got more than three wheel-barrows full of gravel out of that. Okay, the patch I dug did grow in size somewhat so now there is a decent empty patch to plant up.

 Up early for about a month now. Wake at 04.00 and get up ½ hour later. Such a fine time of day: all’s quiet and the dogs get an outing before work; hence these photos.

It filled up fast: the water butt filled to the brim in only 1 day of rain. Problem now is that it’s tilting, the slab it stands on has given a little under the half-tonne weight. I may have to empty it and make the foundation stronger.

Hornbeam: is now planted. I raise a glass to its good fortune.

The Eucalyptus tree is now sawn logs. Some are huge, storage might be slightly awkward.

They’re gorgeous though, such nice wood. I may polish up a few and have them in the house.