Spectacular September

Back from France on September 1st.
Back at school on September 3rd.
Back to some feeling of 'normality' on September 22nd.

Bit of a helter-skelter month, really. The weather has been wonderfully warm - 24 degrees or thereabouts on several days - and the sunsets have been amazing. We managed to catch a few...

Enjoyed a meal overlooking this lovely bay (L'Eree, on the west coast) for our anniversary. 34 years. Who'd have thought?

There was, of course, BLACKBERRY PICKING. A particularly good crop this year. Love it. Standing in the sunshine, enjoying the quiet, with only the birds and, perhaps, a reluctant and disappointed small dog, patiently waiting to continue with the walk. It did also offer the opportunity to meet one of our neighbours, coming down to the adjacent field to care for her horses.

September has also been a great month for reconnecting with friends and neighbours: meals and other social get togethers, catching up with lots of laughter. Add in Skype conversations with Tanzania and New Zealand...

A special cupcake for a special baby: yes, it's a GIRL!

 It was also great to be reunited with our resident orchids...

Our neighbours drove off to Crete (!) - a wonderful road trip through France, Italy and Greece - kindly leaving us with two huge tomato plants, grown from seeds from their visit to Santorini last year...

House guests. Eventually - and several holey leaves later - I realised they had brought uninvited friends with them: small green caterpillars...some not so small, either.

Santorini tomatoes

Waiting to become chutney.

Finally: I slowly became acquainted with my new class....and Margaret and David came to stay. Fond memories, good friends.