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The summer evening sky is dominated by banks of stratus but towards the west it is broken into little cumulus clouds, like a flock of sheep. This inspires me to try and draw it as a tile. I do a small coloured pencil drawing as we sit on the patio. Barbara hears the squeak of a Shrew (or perhaps a vole) behind her and points it out to me. We see it disappearing into one of the holes I built into the herb bed retaining wall as a wildlife habitat. After I've scanned it, I tweak the sky tile in Photoshop. I'm pleased with the way it works . . .
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THANKS TO THE NETTING, this year we get five pounds of Blackcurrants from our two bushes. One Blackbird found a way into the netting a couple of days ago. He was enjoying the feast, but I chased him out and pegged up the hole.
Small yellow-and-green spiders climb between the branches and fall off with the berries.
Mugwort is growing to more than head-height along the lane. On this still summer evening one clump, which isn't yet in flower, wafts a vaguely minty aroma towards us. It reminds me of the herby, wormwood flavouring used in martinis.
The leaves of Feverfew have an even stronger bittersweet smell when crushed.