Under the Apple Tree

Its the time of year when everything starts winding down in the garden. The growing season is nearly at an end; the nights are getting colder and darker and it's a time to think about packing away the BBQ and covering the furniture. We still have lots to do in the minion garden and over the winter we will be pruning, sharpening and hopefully putting up a new greenhouse. But before I start the Autumn phase of this blog I wanted to share one of the last days of summer with you. It was just an ordinary day. Like many we have shared together as a family this year but I think that too often we overlook the day to day, so it's nice to stop and appreciate the small pleasures of ordinary life.

It's a rare occasion that we have all the male minions in one place these days. I've explained about Minion 2s aversion to being out in the garden (which I believe stems from a fear of being given a job, coupled with the fact that as Minion 2 delicately puts it: 'the garden is crap for playing football in') also Shaun, aka Minion 1, is reading medicine at UCL...have I not mentioned that before?!?! :-)...so to have all of them in the garden at once is a real treat. Last week Minion 1 made an impromptu visit and we all found ourselves chilling out under the apple tree. Here are a few moments from our evening in the sun....

All the male minions together...and even Grandad put in an appearence

Charlie stoked up the BBQ and we all relaxed enjoying a beautiful late summer evening.  We lay under the apple tree chatting and Minion 6 was fascinated by a beautiful dragonfly which was flying around the courgettes. 

A welcome visitor to the Minion Garden

Of course, Minions 1 and 5 being together meant that it didn't stay quiet and chilled for very long and their first escapade including Minion 1 using his little sister to pick apples for him....

Then he stole Minion 5s space hopper...

But it was recaptured near the parsnips...

On the way back to camp Minion 1 got lost in the corn jungle. The corn is HUGE some of it has reached 7 ft. I only hope we get some edible kernels off it!

 But he soon escaped and was looking for more trouble to get into...

Charlie starts juggling in a desperate attempt to distract Minions 1 and 5
from whatever mischief they had planned next but Cricket aka Minion 3
saved the day by getting their attention with a very large courgette.

Ooer, what a whopper! :-)

 All in all it has been a lovely summer in our garden and despite the rain we have really enjoyed this season. It's not quite over yet. The corn is still growing, as are the courgettes and tomatillos, and we have Brocolli and Cabbages for winter...but there is a distinct feeling that the garden is slowing down and getting ready for a long rest. In the meantime we will continue to enjoy the few last days of sunshine in our lovely garden with as much of our lovely family as we can muster up....and we get to do it all again next year....