There are some things that really surprise me and this, along with a mountain more of the same, has done just that today.

We’ve been working in the garden, hacking back shrubs that have been neglected for years and years, staking our claim on this plot of land that we’ve inherited along with the rat’s nest. We’re making progress. At last. We now see our mark evident in the new veggie garden (where the inhabitants are ‘going like a train’ already) and elsewhere where we’re now probably 90% free of rubbish, although to my dismay I spotted some more today while sitting drinking a cup of coffee – a huge rhododendron, yet to be tackled, seems to have a surfeit of non-organic matter underneath it. It’s the first time I’ve been sat low enough to see under the low hanging branches so this latest dump has gone un-noticed until now. Although my heart sank, I do actually recall realising how much was here when we moved in and this is a drop in the ocean compared to then.

This is a bit of buddleia. Not a ‘specimen’ plant in a fancy colour, just a common-or-garden purple one that had been allowed to just grow wherever it felt like so it was 20 feet tall and at least that wide. You could reach out and touch it from an upstairs window.

So, we know they don’t mind a good hard hack back, in fact it’ll probably benefit from it. Now the whole vista in the secret garden has been opened out and made more spacious. That gives the beautiful camellia next to it room to shine, especially at the moment, it’s covered in glorious red blooms.

Nothing has been wasted. All the stuff of less than 1 ½” diameter has gone into the shredder and is now the dressing on one of the paths in the veggie garden and the rest has been stacked to season ready for burning next winter. Free fuel is definitely something I’m interested in – I know energy prices have rocketed in recent times, but this place, half the size of our old home, costs double what Sandhurst cost in energy.

We’re not energy wasters, we don’t squander it by leaving stuff on or having the place red hot all of the time. In fact, even though we’re spending double, the temperature in our lounge has not been above 17º C at any point all winter. We’re doing all we can to make what we use more efficient, the back boiler in the fireplace now heats our hot water when the fire is on. We’ve replaced badly insulated doors and windows, changed the structure of the central heating to run more efficiently but still we are cold.

So, the pile of wood seasoning at the bottom of the garden will help to mitigate that a bit.

Why is this called ‘bath time’? Because while I was working, I was struck by the smell of the cut branches – pure bubble bath. Well, I hope it was the smell of the cut branches, because if not (and heaven forbid) we have a problem with our drains!!! (Groan – please no…..)

Last year, my camera was lying through its teeth!