Normal service resumes

 For the first weekend in what seems like ages my husband is at home with just one more week of the oil refinery shutdown to get through. He has been working so many hours that I started to ask to see his pass when he came home just to verify it was really him! When writing a couple of e mails to fellow bloggers last week it suddenly hit me how long it has been since I wrote a post of any description. My absence has not been a conscious one but I've been so busy with things that keeping up with other people's writings was about all I could manage. The garden maintainance that usually falls to the head gardener came to rest on my shoulders in his absence so I have been clearing leaves like nobody's business. First to go were the leaves on my favourite tree in the garden, the huge ash that grows right on the boundary and it didn't help that ash die back was all over the news. I spent ages checking all of the trees for things but luckily all seems OK so far. I've lost count of the number of trips I've made up the garden with a wheelbarrow full of leaves or swept my drive to remove piles of them. I think I may have developed biceps like Popeye from all that lifting and tipping.It would be putting it mildly to say I am 'knackered'. I've also been doing lots of print experiments and painting too so I'll share some of the results soon when I get back into a rhythm. I've just taken these photos this morning as we walked the garden and made notes of the outstanding jobs we have to do before winter. There is now a load of cherry tree and acer leaves to deal with and seedheads to cut down (or not)but the sun is shining, it's a glorious autumn day and I think my husband deserves a rest rather than a load more work so I think we might just get out for a good walk.... and I'll carry on with the leaf picking and tipping next week..let joy be unconfined!