Cloudy.

It was bright and sunny this morning but all too soon dark clouds covered the sky and the easterly wind had the temperature plummeting.

With the builder due to be here later my first job of the day was to shift all the blocks that had been in front of the small raised bed. Some went in the bed under the terrace and the rest were stacked up at the back of the side bed. Then when the builder arrived he kindly moved the heavy concrete planters in front of the small bed giving me access to the two dumpy bags of soil. The builder was here today to put the galvanised gates across the entrance to the garden. These have their own posts and the builder needed to dig a couple of two foot deep holes. It would have been quicker if he didn't have to go through the base of a brick wall that once went right across the garden.

I was about to have a break when I remembered that I'd put the oven trays and grilles in to soak last night. The dishwasher tablets had softened up the baked on grease on the grilles but it still took me two hours to scrub everything clean. Not my favourite job especially when it's mainly Peter who uses the oven. He would be happy to leave the grilles to turn black but I prefer to keep things clean.

A close up of the wool I bought yesterday. I'm thinking I might make some fingerless gloves, a very useful item.

Yesterday's walk around Mach took us to this charming walk which we intend to explore another time.

The few trees in Borth are mainly stunted by the sea winds so it was nice to see some really tall trees.

And at last, the fresh green of the first Beech leaves. The hedges on the way to town are mainly hawthorn or gorse so I have missed seeing that first flush of lime green that was a feature of the Devon hedgerows.