A Satisfying Day.

I was at home this morning and as the forecast was for rain later I was straight out into the garden once I had my morning coffee. The plan was to weed a small flower bed and tidy up the path next to it. This job then expanded into weeding the flower bed, tidying up the path by pulling up the ornamental raspberry, (rubus spectabilis) that was growing into it and then heaving out a fair section of the rubus thicket which in the 16 years since it was planted has spread a little too far. Also removed were some brambles, small trees and a big fat root of bind weed (very satisfying to have unearthed that). There is still more of the rubus to take out but I shall ask Linas to help me with that. After a couple of hours I stopped to have my breakfast then sat in the sun working on some ideas for a staff meeting about sketching as art is my forte and I more or less volunteered to run it as a practical session. I was teaching in the afternoon, more art, and then I went into town to visit the post office, library etc. Of course I just had to check out the sales in the clothes shops. I went into a fairly cheap shop and found a top which I thought would do for school. I didn't think it was in sale but when I went to pay I was told that it was in sale so there was 30% off and also sale items were buy one get one free. It took me a while but eventually I found another top that I liked. By the time I had been to the library I found myself walking past the pasty shop at 5.00 when all the pasties were reduced to £1 each. So I bought 2 large steak pasties for our supper. My shopping still wasn't finished as I had to get some things in Tescos where I happened to pick up a few more reduced bargains; taramasalata, potato, pea & pesto salad(25p!) and some fresh cream choux buns half price.

It stayed dry all afternoon but looming over the far side of town were some very ominous looking black clouds. Coming home it looked as if it was raining over Exmoor and the news was full of yet more flooding in Wales. So far it is still dry but I am expecting heavy rain at any moment. At least I got to sit out in the garden and eat my pasty and read one of my library books. June is the month for roses and both the climbers over the front of the house are flowering well.
The old English roses seem to have come through the winter quite well this year. This one smells of strawberries.

The vibrant colour of this modern hybrid makes up for its lack of scent and the blooms are very resilient even in the strongest winds.

I am teaching for the next 3 day s so I don't mind too much what kind of weather we have.