The first week in August...and small visitors

 

We've had a few really sultry August days here...luckily two of them were over the weekend so we were able to be lazy and enjoy them! The garden is going into that slightly overblown late summer stage...but it's no less beautiful for that. Some of my very favourite times are spent late in the evening sitting on the bench at the end looking back towards the warmth and light of the house. So calm, so serene...I don't do anything special, I just sit and drink it all in...trying to bottle the memories for the cold and wet months to come!

Just an interesting little tip here...I treated myself to this sweet, simple necklace

 last week but when it arrived the very fine silver chain was completely knotted in the middle. I couldn't see any way of untangling it and was thinking of returning even though I loved the pendant. I suddenly thought of YouTube!! I found this video and, much to my amazement, I unknotted the chain within ten minutes! I was so thrilled and I know this may be a problem for some of you also so I wanted to pass it on...

The hot weather has brought us some little visitors this week too...some tiny like this cricket (he actually chirped at me! Something that doesn't often happen in the UK - well not to me anyway...he was quite big and brown, not like the usual green grasshoppers. He must have posed for the photo as immediately afterwards he hopped off and I didn't see him again...

And this is little Teddy...she belongs to some neighbours a few doors down, but she loves to sneak into our house most days for a little rest and relaxation! She often sleeps upstairs in the attic room (there's a beautiful soft bed up there) but the stairs is her second favourite place. What's really funny is that Alice has no idea she's there...we keep the door closed between the hall and the living room where she sleeps during the day. Teddy is pretty dog-savvy and isn't frightened anyway, but it does make me laugh! We have a 'The cat is in' message to put on the front door so that if one of us is out we're warned and careful with the doors...it's nice to borrow a kitty sometimes!

Alice was clipped the day before the heatwave struck - how lucky! She was sitting beside me on the bench...and when I went to get a glass of water the cheeky little minx stole my place and ended up on the soft cushion! Of course, I couldn't turf her off...

so I sat beside her and watched the dusk draw in...

while she quietly napped until it was time to go in to bed!
Have a great week - and pop by next week if you can as I have organised a lovely giveaway to cheer these last days of summer! 
xxx