Sunny.

I was woken up at 6.00 by golden sunlight streaming in through the window. For once I didn't go back to sleep but made myself a cup of tea (downstairs so the kettle didn't disturb Peter) and sat reading in bed. A lovely start to the day. Unlike yesterday the sun has been tempered by a brisk wind but it's always possible to find a sheltered corner in this garden.

It  was too nice a day not to do any gardening and it was also too nice not to simply enjoy so I did a couple of hours of gardening followed by a couple of hours sitting and reading. My main gardening job was to cut back all the alchemilla around the pond. It's a vigorous plant so I also pulled out at least half of the plants. While I was there I weeded the gravel path on that side of the pond. A follow on job was to clear all the weeds from the rill that flows into the pond. Every time I go up to the hens' run to take peelings to the compost heap or hang washing on the line I get diverted into weeding around all the new plants in the propagating beds and today was no different.

It was so pleasant sitting outside at the back of the house. The clouds were being blown at a brisk rate across the sky making it feel as if I was on a ship sailing along. This feeling was reinforced by the rhythmical swaying of the garden plants and the trees and the sound of the wind blowing through the branches.