Inedible ...

Remind me of how lovely days can be at the start of winter next time I'm moaning about the rain - today's been just beautiful, despite a tiny flurry of drops on the bedroom window before I was up. And I was up quite early again, to entertain yet another tradesman at the start of his working day ...this time a plumber/electrician, or whatever you call the clever (very) young man who turned up at 8.30am to put in a new power-shower. (The last one was 23 years old and was beginning to drip incessantly.) This necessitated his turning the water off, so we were all fed, washed, clothed and (more or less) in our right minds for his arrival. It was all over by coffee-time, even allowing for a chat in which he was amazed to find we'd taught the current headmaster of the school he's not long left.

Having been around for hours, we decided to go out in the sun while it was high, and enjoy the different light in Benmore Gardens, now almost stripped of its autumn colours and presenting us instead with an unexpected hurdle in the shape of an uprooted tree across the path. A quick scramble up the mossy hillside dealt with the problem, though I couldn't help wondering when such adventures will be beyond us. Anyhow, it was glorious, and I've had great difficulty in choosing a photo, settling for this shot of a tree adorned with what I think is Fomes Fomentarius, or Hoof Fungus. The lowest grew some years ago; the rest seem to be in various stages up the trunk which nowadays actually stops not far above the top of the photo - the branches and top of the tree were cut down a while ago. 

I've been in all of what was left of the day - I even sewed. Again. Taking up tracksuit trousers is a nightmare, but then sewing and I ... least said. Himself is downstairs making curry, and I sense an apero coming on. Yet another morning tomorrow when we have to get out before we're quite ready to ...

Sufficient unto the day.