The party's over.

September has been a fumnny month this year. A little bit wild and wet and windy; not very mellow or yellow or languid and lovely. The last days of summer often seem to seamlessly segue into Autumn, with the chance to squeeze in a few last barbecues and some warm afternoons harvesting fruits and planning delicacies for the 'proper' Autumn.
But not this year. I feel a bit cheated. The central heating is on at home, jumpers and fleeces are definitely needed more often than not and even the blackberries have been defeated by the rain and have come to an abrupt end weeks earlier than usual.
Visiting the plot last weekend after a week off so reminded me of ''the morning after the night before''.
The ground was sticky and squelchy and littered with detrius from the recent storms.
All the gladioli in their gladrags were listing tipsily. The delicate sweetpeas had definitely overdone it all and were flat on the ground, support stakes and all.
Slugs and snails had done for the beans. Apples had rolled and rotted. The raspberry canes were drooping queasily, with the fruit soggy and unpickable.
Even the runner bean pyramids had definitely overdone it and were writhing on the floor like drunken teenagers.
And the gatecrashers! Weeds everywhere.....
Because I love marigolds (calendula - oh the glorious racket of yellow and orange!colours!)) I had given them free reign and they had invited all their mates and their mates' mates. I have had to pull them all up and bag them in unsightly bin bags, in the hope of stopping a takeover next year.
It just all seems a bit sudden. I'm not really ready for the party to end.