My forester has been eager for me to visit Rooska in the autumn so that I can see the place at its best. My previous visits have been in the spring when it has been recovering from Atlantic-coast winters.

I must say that he was correct. It seems a different place at the end of the growing season. However, the whole county seems very overgrown to me. Apparently the summer has been very good.

My guys have done a great job tidying up the place:

and putting in new drains:

(one is under the road).

One of my fruit trees has prodiced its first apple:

For this to appear only four years after I planted the tree is fast work.

Many of the trees on the mountainside are now taller than me. Some of the streams are quite lush:

I have given my forester my first actual directive – I am happy providing the strategic vision and leaving the details to the experts – and asked if we could grow some Manuka bushes. He seemed glad of my input and thought that they would do well.

On the first of September I started a new job in London at a company called Festicket. They basically provide package holiday facilities for music festival attendees.