Red Jade

We had the best night’s sleep in ages in the guest cottage at the farm, waking early to the sound of geese but not feeling the need to leap out of bed. Then bacon and eggs for breakfast, followed by a tour of the farm, accompanied by the two Great Danes, and collecting grapefruit, lemons and oranges in the orchard. We were also given two small triple-paned windows, in lovely unpainted hard wood, which will make perfect photo frames.
 
The red jade grows just behind the house and is in its second week of flowering. We were told that next week it will all be over, so our visit was timed just right.
 
Then back over the hill, taking note of landmarks and kilometres so that our friends can take the same route when they visit us – that is, if it doesn’t rain heavily in the meantime. If it does, the road will be impassable again. It’s a long drive at the best of times.
 
We got home in one piece, congratulating ourselves on a successful trip, but when I went to start the car again later, nothing but a click when I turned the key. Gloom and despondency, we thought it must have suffered some dire damage from the rough road. Now we have two cars that won’t start sitting out front. Tomorrow’s looking complicated.