While I was away in London, the cherry trees dropped all their remaining leaves. Really, I could have raked them last weekend, if I had had time, but there was the crafts fair and then trip prep and a concert.

The leaves are well past the crisp and colourful stage, now all brown and wet and sticky. Still reasonably easy to rake together.

I missed my chance to mow the grass one last time when summer was over – the weather got wet before I got around to it – so now it lies flat. Other people may have manicured lawns; I have well-combed grass.