Since we last met

I have mostly been

picking these - the box moth caterpillar

off the box hedges in our garden.

They have devastated them.

Stripped them to bare branches 

and then started gnawing on the branches

before abseiling off on silken threads to the next bush.

But we have made an impression

and after removing in excess of 5000

with tweezers,

new green leaves are sprouting.

No doubt these will feed the next generation of

caterpillars presently being laid by the caterpillars

that we didn't catch before they pupated.

But it wasn't all garden warfare.

We spent a week in the Malvern Hills,

staying at Perrycroft, a beautifully restored Voysey house 

with cottages for the workers holidaymakers.

We had free access to the main gardens

which were so perfect,

but we could not help shuddering at the thought of the havoc

that the box moth would  wreak on all the immaculate topiary

and we looked for telltale signs of browned leaves.

The hills were steep and numerous.

I think we yomped up all but one.

Going down was hard on the knees

but the views were worth it.

And then to my great surprise we learnt that the Hay Festival was on,

only an hour's drive away

and that there were still tickets to be had,

so we went to hear Kate Humble

and Monty Don and Derry Moore

talking about their latest books

Thinking on my Feet and Japanese Gardens respectively.

Summer is racing away,

but today has been like winter.

Dark by 3.30 and the heating is back on.

Welcome for gardeners and farmers

but very lowering to the spirit.

I made hot chocolate

and talked to my son in New York

about a trip to sunnier climes.

Spring board

As well as being seduced by Instagram,

I have been brought to a grinding halt by my old computer.

Now I have something new and shiny 

but I don’t know if it will let me load photos

or what anything will look like.

So here goes:

I know that magnolias are rather old hat now and are mostly

a rather thickly padded brown carpet for most of us

but I wanted a record for posterity anyway.

Moving swiftly on, we have apple blossom,

and lambs.

The garlic persists but with added flowers

Wood anemones are holding their own,

but have been joined tentatively by bluebells.

The Open garden season is upon us

and tulip mania is in full swing.

Today has been so warm that the belted Galloway

have sought shade under the hawthorns.

Well nothing about this short post went well.

Clearly an iPad is not suited to this sort of endeavour

and despite the tranquil scenes you see above

I have been tearing my hair out and gnashing my teeth

on the other side of the screen.

I cannot scroll.

I cannot stop the typeface reverting to Times Roman.

I cannot break a line without it inserting an initial cap.

I cannot enlarge the photos.

I cannot prevent the whole page from flicking back up to the top

While I type.

And there’s that blasted cap.

I must regroup.

It will be Autumn leaves before we know it 

and the whole summer will have gone unblogged.

Bear with.

Self-medication

 I went for a routine appointment

and came out with high blood pressure.

Several attempts only succeeded in raising it further.

So this is my attempt to bring it down.

And if tranquil beach scenes don't do it,

then surely off-season Sissinghurst

with nobody around to spoil Harold's vistas

should be beneficial.

And if that doesn't work

I will try dark chocolate

and having a laugh.