Posted by Tania Kindersley.
I buy more plants. If in doubt, there must be the getting of plants. I get three cyclamen, a small cotinus shrub, so dark in colour it is like very ancient, venerable claret, three bright laurels, some rosemary, and some more lavender.
When I get back, I discover that the next Test has started, and England have suffered a catastrophic batting collapse. That’s not right, I think. I hardly dare listen to the end of Test Match Special, but then lovely Stuart Broad stages a tremendous rally, and saves England’s blushes. I find myself oddly excited by this. I did not quite expect that, as I entered the middle of middle age, I should turn into a cricket nut. I also never expected that I should find a game that goes on for five days, and quite often ends in a draw, so edge of the seat exciting.
The sun comes out, and I go outside to look at the evening light. The Older Niece comes past. I drag her into the garden to look at the cyclamen. She very kindly admires them.
‘And look at the blue planting,’ I say.
‘Yes,’ she says. ‘The blue planting.’
I fear I am becoming a garden bore, and that the family is being very, very polite about it.
Then the Brother roars up. He is wearing an interesting hat.
‘Come and look at the cyclamen,’ I say.
So then he too admires the cyclamen.
We stand in the yellow light, thick as honey, and talk about mortality.
‘I’m having a bit of trouble getting past the everybody dies thing,’ I say.
‘Oh yes,’ he says. ‘Well, that is a thing. It’s a bastard.’
We talk of concepts of the soul, fear of death, the Dalai Lama, and Plato. The usual stuff.
He gets back into the car.
‘Where are you going?’ I say. ‘In your special hat.’
‘To buy anchovies,’ he says.
The Pigeon gives him a big grin. He drives off. I think: yes, there are all the big questions about life and death, but there still must be anchovies.
Here is the astonishing Scottish light:
On the astrantias:
![29 July 1 29 July 1](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QXI0YaN9n8o/TjMBhzRp-JI/AAAAAAAALzM/7cW9tKE1x6g/29%252520July%2525201_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The amazing new cyclamen:
![29 July 2 29 July 2](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5jRJ8MmS96c/TjMBkbEU46I/AAAAAAAALzU/L83A8-CNoMQ/29%252520July%2525202_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
![29 July 3 29 July 3](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MvfOtZ_brBc/TjMBnWNjTjI/AAAAAAAALzc/l_mm27oIMpk/29%252520July%2525203_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The faithful old salvia:
![29 July 4 29 July 4](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0WaX2Hubg3w/TjMBqSBx5GI/AAAAAAAALzk/jYmQ-dSMdro/29%252520July%2525204_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The new blue planting of the geraniums:
![29 July 5 29 July 5](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aL6kJS6C3aw/TjMBtaLug8I/AAAAAAAALzs/tW_HC7nvQQ8/29%252520July%2525205_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The view over my garden gate, to the south:
![29 July 6 29 July 6](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0gVQ2eIemis/TjMBwBL-jFI/AAAAAAAALz0/hnwMjAMXmBQ/29%252520July%2525206_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
![29 July 7 29 July 7](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UGotsseIgCE/TjMBzD2ZOUI/AAAAAAAALz8/jny0ufCwxRE/29%252520July%2525207_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The Cotinus tree:
![29 July 8 29 July 8](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tTK5Lshxhww/TjMB21VKtEI/AAAAAAAAL0E/46OtLUY-06k/29%252520July%2525208_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The blue and white bed, which now has a splash of vivid colour in it:
![29 July 9 29 July 9](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-apRIw7my0Nc/TjMB7wkVn0I/AAAAAAAAL0M/FffaPCKoYlU/29%252520July%2525209_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The lavender:
![29 July 11 29 July 11](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7sAVmrbbvso/TjMB-rAK0tI/AAAAAAAAL0U/ukf-2TGof8w/29%252520July%25252011_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The trees:
![29 July 12 29 July 12](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-R0bmOzhvtIs/TjMCBqkfgDI/AAAAAAAAL0c/AbRT-QSra8k/29%252520July%25252012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
![29 July 14 29 July 14](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LUP8FbhXHZ8/TjMCFw_hOUI/AAAAAAAAL0k/lZAeqsuYRUY/29%252520July%25252014_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
Today’s hill:
![29 July 18 29 July 18](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wdhWLbgBigE/TjMCIy4FyvI/AAAAAAAAL0s/3HxzESdQleU/29%252520July%25252018_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
And, saving the best for last, the smiling face of my Pigeon:
![29 July 19 29 July 19](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xstPPHNBgIQ/TjMCLuSco0I/AAAAAAAAL00/1JK49eOkX4g/29%252520July%25252019_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
![29 July 20 29 July 20](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fWQe_pbZqEM/TjMCOHIQj5I/AAAAAAAAL08/FH8TT_oPNcg/29%252520July%25252020_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
Oh, oh, oh, that face.
I think: one cannot get too exercised about mortality when there is that face to gaze upon.