Monday 10th August. The reddest of red suns comes up over the cleft in the hills. Its point of rising shifts left to right across the seasons and at this moment right now, in that moment of suspension of mid-August before the year starts to gather speed towards autumn, it is perfectly in the meeting of Pickering Hill, and the more distant hills over Netherclay. 

Shepherd’s warning.

Tuesday 11th August. The Italian White sunflowers, whilst not the greatest in terms of germination rates, are as prolific as ever. There are three plants in a tank in the courtyard and there seem to be dozens and dozens of flowers. One has grown with an unusual pale centre, rather than the usual cocoa. The bees seem to like it just as well. The whole garden is smothered in bees. I have said it before and I will say it again, I have never ever seen a plant like hedge germander for attracting bees. 

Do I need to mention it is hot?

Wednesday 12th August. I will have to look back at my diaries from last year (unless you can tell me?) but I cannot help thinking the hedge fruit is early this year. Today, the first cosmos opened, a petal at a time, and I picked my first blackberry of the season. The cosmos is a late sown bed but I find early sowings of cosmos get huge and unruly, determined to keel over, whereas the race against time for the incoming cold weather seems to focus its mind on the important task of flowering.

Thursday 13th August. Today’s appointments took me up past Tiverton, almost to Barnstaple. I could not resist a detour to South Molton. Why? Because not only is it a rather beautiful market town, but it has a Mole Valley Farmers. The only shop that gives me a bit of a thrill. I went in for a packet of flypaper and came out with a pair of tweed-lined brown leather riding boots, a ball of string, six bedding marigolds, dog treats, two pots of Langage Farm yoghurt and a litre of milk. 

It’s been many many years since I last sat on a horse, but I still always look at the headcollars. I still remember my first grooming kit.

Friday 14th August. This is my first day without a deadline for what feels like a month. My first cup of tea not brewed by a foster carer in weeks. The first day without having to drive some significant distance. So in my lunch hour I pop out to Collate in Axminster and collect some beautiful bowls. (Below, aren’t they lovely? I got two. I know the roses are starting to look a bit tired but they were about a week old by the time I got round to using them for this and that really is good going for a David Austin.) 

My car has also become utterly sick of the relentlessness of it all, and in incredible heat. It refuses to start. I cannot even be bothered to call a mechanic. My little car and me can have the weekend off and we’ll worry about it on Monday.

Saturday 15th August. I should have cut all my dahlias yesterday. I should’ve harvested the very first of my cosmos. I should’ve collected the calendula seed, and the last of the poppy seed heads. I should’ve brought in the candlesticks and put the hammock in the greenhouse. I didn’t, and today the rains came. 

Absolutely torrential. No gardening of any sort happened today. I did some writing, some baking, and finally got round to watching season 7 of Endeavour.