Skunk cabbage

Took my parents to Dawyck Botanical Gardens this afternoon and, blip-wise, it was a toss up between this and view of Dawyck House between tall pine trees with a hazy Trahenna Hill on the horizon. I can enjoy pretty flowers and love big trees, but I have a special fondness for assertive plants like skunk cabbage and, in particular, gunnera. Otherwise, I was disappointed that there was not more in flower, but Mother was pleased to see the specimen conifers. Father seemed vaguely happy, which is as good as it gets.

Back home I did some tidying and pruning, giving myself the pleasure of having a rather fine bonfire: freshly-cut Korean pine goes like firecrackers!

News from Italy is that Miss K broke her kneecap in a collision with a tree (when skiing): it'll heal [unlike some skiing injuries] but she'll miss two of the five days skiing.