The Frosty Garden

This was our back yard yesterday morning in the pinkish light of dawn -- the grass coated with a rime of frost, the few remaining leaves brittle and orange-brown. It was really cold yesterday morning, at least for London. I moved our amaryllis (which have dwindled back to dormant bulbs) from the patio into our metal shed at the rear of the garden, and I'm hoping it stays warm enough in there to keep them alive. I want them to have a few weeks of cold, dark hibernation before we bring them inside and prod them back into bloom.

Inside, though, we have a bit of summer! I bought these tomatoes at the produce store on the high street last week and I haven't had a chance to eat them -- which is just as well, because they're sure pretty, sitting on our kitchen windowsill.

Olga and I went for a long walk yesterday on and around Hampstead Heath. We were out more than three hours, and we encountered iced-over puddles that cracked and tinkled as Olga waded through them. Although she was full of enthusiastic energy all through the walk (and required another bath when we got home), she collapsed on the couch almost as soon as we returned and has basically been asleep ever since.

It definitely makes things peaceful around here when the dog is asleep. She's not sitting at our knees looking dolefully at us while we eat, and she's not dropping her spit-covered Kong toy in our laps. As I've often said, it's my mission to wear out the dog!