My partner L now lives and works 3 1/2 hours drive away from us coming home for three day weekends. Because we're all in summer holiday mode it hasn't really sunk in yet as the kids and I are sleeping in, going to the beach and spending time with friends and family. I have noticed I'm alot more tired. I didn't really give L much credit for doing stuff around the house but have certainly noticed the subtle ways in which he helps in his absence. He's happy in his new job and hopefully the family (mainly me) will adapt OK. I think I may have to concentrate less on my hobbies and work though as the kids will only have me to turn to. I am a bit nervous as to how this whole thing will turn out. For me having alot more money doesn't necessarily mean being alot more happy, in fact I think it may turn L into a carbon omitting consumer judging by his weekend spending spree. He doesn't get it though.

Life in the backyard on the other hand carries on as it always has. Beautiful poppy seed heads ripening, promising delightful little black seeds for topping bread and baking.
Garlic drying well in the hot weather. Enough here for the family, pets, seed for winter and some to barter or sell.

This plant is new to me a friend gave it to me for Christmas she calls it "lambs quarters". Apparently the pink powdery leaves rub on as a pretty eye shadow or lipstick. I love new plants and this one is fun.

One more thing we had a killer hedgehog! One morning I went out to feed the chicks and found one with it's head eaten off. My thoughts were cats or stoats, but my neighbour popped her head over the fence later and told me her husband had heared the chooks making a commotion in the night and shone the torch over the fence, where he saw a hedgehog in our chook run chasing after the chickens. The next night he caught it after his chooks and did something very not Buddhist with a nine iron!