Autumn Blues

Look inside before you leave...

Five days into September already – and where did the summer go? – for, though warm, autumn is undoubtedly here. In the UK, where WAS the summer? We enjoyed about two weeks warm weather at the end of August, but apart from that, we didn’t really have the extremely dry, hot summer that had been forecast. Instead we had the wettest summer since records began.

I’m feeling sorry that I have not been posting here on the blog more regularly – in my defence, I was caught up in a four week whirlwind of unexpected landscaping, which resulted in an enticing little veg and herb garden being carved out for me at Autumn Cottage. No planting yet, of course – the soil was compacted into a pan through the wet weather and is still weedy, so there is much work to do on it before plants and seeds go in.

But I do have a nice new boundary and picket fence, the untidy working area ("the dump") screened off, and eight "vegbed boxes" constructed, waiting for me to paint them. The boundary fence and fence screening off the "dump" area were painted in a marathon session over two days a week ago – whereas the picket fence still awaits the paintbrush. (A nasty summertime virus knocked me over at the end of last week, so this weekend was, I’m afraid, spent flaked out most of the time, just recovering.)

Lily and Pippin are now approximately half as big again as when they arrived – and getting naughtier and more adventurous by the day. here is "His Majesty"  agreeing with the sentiment on the bag ;-)

They are being accepted – SLOWLY by Lissie, who now gives only the feeblest of token "hisses" at them if they come too close. Even that is abating – I caught her actually licking Lily’s face last night – the fact that Lily had just eaten her supper may have had something to do with it, but hey, who cares, as long as they become friends – or at least, tolerated acquaintances.

Please, can we come and sit beside you?

I do rather feel that Lissie is probably raising her eyes to heaven and muttering "Kids!" under her breath on many occasions during the day, though – bless her, she is immensely tolerant – but grateful to have a potting shed into which she can retire, at the grand old age of 2 and a quarter, to get a bit of peace and quiet!

Tolerated - for now

"Been there - done that - now what's over there to play with?"

Off, on Friday, to Leicester University and the Lapidus Annual Conference – which this year is on the theme of "Footprints – the marks we leave". I am so looking forward to this three day wordfest, and particularly to meeting up with other writing friends and hearing keynote speeches by Roselle Angwin and Satish Kumar. Roselle runs an annual writing retreat on the beautiful isle of Iona in Scotland – is it possible that I may escape to partake next year? I will investigate the possibilities.......

Satish Kumar is the founder and Editor of Resurgence magazine – which I first read in the 1980’s as a humble magazine sold in the local health food store and is now a much respected journal. Satish himself is an extraordinary person.... Read more about him and the magazine here.

And after Leicestershire – Derbyshire for two days, to visit old friends and more writing acquaintances, Chatsworth House and farm shop and the beautiful Derbyshire Dales. I’ll see you all – and bring pictures and travellers tales – when I return!

Comments

[Loretta]

Oh, how much cuter can kitties get? Did you find them that way or pose them?

Love seeing the new garden areas. Anticipating seeing all the flowers next summer!

[Julie Fredericksen]

That is just the cutest thing ever - kitties curled up inside a Chinese pot. Loved the glimpse out the window of your garden too. Please keep us posted on the new garden spots.

Julie

[Jan]

Just LOVE your pictures of the two wee souls -- and their "stalking" of Lissie -- my husband and I laughed until we cried at those pictures. We have four cats here at Rosemary Cottage -- including one soul that started out at a mere pound -- and now tips the scales at 18 lbs! Your new garden will be just wonderful -- I can picture it filled to the brim with veggies and herbs -- and prowling cats!

Cheers! Jan at Rosemary Cottage (still hot and humid here in Dallas! Off to get a glass of wine!)

[Terri]

Roz, they are just the cutest kittens. I love the bowl picture. I remember our cats as kittens and the adventures they would have. It all would make a great children's book.

Love the work you had done at the cottage. I hope you enjoy it. How did the garage cleaning go?

[Carol]

Lily and Pippin have absolutely gorgeous markings. Adorable! So happy they found a wonderful home.

[Boyd]

Roz,

I am absolutely *charmed* by the new additions. They look such loves and I know how much fun (and sometimes exhausting) little kittens can be. Enjoy them enough for the both of us, as I feel it will be years before we add another kitten to our own growing menagerie.

[Marie-Noëlle]

That last picture is adorable. How on earth did they end up in there...? Did they get out by themselves or did they need your help?
Is the pot a flow blue piece?

Good luck in all that you undertake, Roz !

[Jocelyne]

They're so cute!!!!!

[Pauline]

Roz, I just love those little kitties, they are just precious! Thanks for sharing them with us.