Jeff has got a bad cold, in fact he's not been well for some time so that's why there's been no recent blogs. Instead you've got me doing one. I can't do anything interestingly technical like Jeff so here are a few images which I've taken over recent months.

My sister and brother-in-law run a smallholding in Cornwall. John and Diane have just bought themselves a Benye 404 which is a Chinese tractor. I was allowed to drive it! Here I am doing a bit of topping. I was actually very impressed with the tractor (although I have to admit to having been prepared to be disparaging about it because it wasn't a Ferguson!). Its solidly built and most of the parts I could identify because it is a copy of earlier British tractors. It can be seen from the extensive view behind me that they live in a very beautiful part of the country. They have converted most of their farm outbuildings into gorgeous self-catering holiday accomodation. If anyone is thinking of holidaying in Cornwall and would like their email address, email me and I'll send it to you. 

Last week Hamish went home. Steve came with me which made it a thoroughly enjoyable day out and we were so proud of  the way that Hamish looked and behaved following all Jeff's hard work on him that we took some more pictures there.

The next picture is Happisburgh in the snow a few weekends back. Snow transforms a landscape. When, in those far off days I was a practising Garden Historian I would seize the opportunity to visit gardens in the snow because it was sometimes possible to pick up features that had been invisible to the eye before but which indicated their presence by an outline or shadow shown up by the snow covering.

My cats were unimpressed by the snow. This is how they spent their day!

From left to right- ginger Marmaduke known as Mopsy, Augustus (known as Gus) who is getting a bit shaky and has nearly died three times in the last year but still enjoys warmth, food and a cuddle, Zak who is the upside down mass of ginger and white fur and Bartolomeo (referred to as Tolly. There is also Socrates (Socky) and Blackjack who were in their boxes in the kitchen.

This is the nearest I've ever been to a rainbow- it literally dropped down behind the cliff. Digging for gold at the foot of the rainbow would be much easier in sand!

Lastly a picture which I call getting right on top of the job! Jeff was torquing Charlies head and in order to get proper purchase was standing up on Charlie. Behind is Steve for those of you who haven't seen or heard of him for some time. He's invaluable in the workshop but very modest about it, prefers keeping in the background and hates having his picture taken when he knows its being done so this is a rare shot of him!

Jeff will be putting more of his interesting stuff on when he feels up to it but in the meantime I'll put in a bit or two.