Friday: Frogs, flowers and fresh air

It's Friday! 

Apologies if my posts seem a little up and down at the moment. They're reflecting my state of mind I suppose: sometimes a bit sad and melancholy, sometimes happy to just be here and able to enjoy the little pleasures in life. And I'm celebrating the latter today.

We've been taking advantage of the cooler but still light evenings by walking and, more recently, having a bit of a seasonal clear-up in our garden. It's technically a back yard but it feels somehow like a glorified version, and we have raised beds over the low wall at the back so there's a bit of everything. Except a lawn. Oh, and a shed. And pond too - but that doesn't seem to have put off the frogs. When we moved the pots out of the way so we could sweep all the leaves up (a result of the past week's high winds) there were a few little visitors.

The one above was the bigger of the two. The other was very tiny indeed and had made itself at home behind some wooden crates planted with peas.

Our little space is pretty easy to keep on top of. We pulled up some tired-looking bedding plants and freed up pots ready for autumnal planting. I want to buy some spring bulbs too: maybe miniature daffodils, muscari and snowdrops.

I put some Alpine grit on top of the soil in some of the pots (those housing more permanent plants like the Magnolias and succulents). Joe couldn't keep away. Fat little hands scooping up my carefully-spread grit and scattering it over the just-swept ground. He wasn't interested in the little pile I put in his tipper truck. It's as though he likes being told off...

Another visitor: a Peacock butterfly. We generally seem to get Cabbage Whites and Red Admirals so I was pleased to spot this one feasting on the Buddleia flowers. The tree's starting to lose its flowers now. We've had some very cold nights lately so I'm thinking it won't be too long before the ferns and hosta start to die back. Although that's apparently a good time to divide a hosta so I'll be getting a lot of new plants.

I also like to collect seeds where I can. I bought these little envelopes from the Post Office - I think they're for wages - and stamped them. They might make good stocking fillers at Christmas (with seed names and instructions written on the reverse).

The tablecloth underneath is actually some of that PVC-backed fabric. I picked up a few metres of it today and am quite taken with it - I'm considering putting it over my desk instead of the dining table.

Seasonal flowers of the indoor variety. The Asters I bought last week are a bit limp now but I like to make the most of every bunch of flowers I buy. The little stems with buds usually get snipped off and put in a tiny vase (or in this case, a shot glass).

My office/workspace is at the front of the house and doesn't get the sun until late afternoon so feels chilly most of the time. The heavy winter quilt's on the bed and that's been topped with a woollen blanket. Yesterday I pulled a bag of cold-weather clothes down from the top of the wardrobe. Maybe we'll have an Indian summer, maybe not. But I do love the fresh feel to the air right now. 

Speaking of which, we're off to Wales tomorrow. A day trip with Joe - we're riding a steam train on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Fingers crossed the weather holds (I daren't check the forecast). Joe will absolutely love it and so will we. I suspect fish and chips may be involved.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.