Convalescing

This is part of the tray of desperately dried up sempervivums I rescued from C's garden. I've been giving them modest amounts of water - I don't want to drown them, after weeks of draught - and I think they are looking a little better. Time will tell. People plant them on rooves, so they must be quite draught tolerant. 

The day started fairly bright but it started to rain before lunch. I decided not to bring the laundry in, as I didn't think it would amount to more than a brief sprinkling. It was a bad decision. After a short pause, the rain resumed and continued steadily for much of the day. It was light, fine rain which did not give the trees the drenching they need, but it was enough to give us a day or two's break from outdoor watering and to make the baked soil a little easier to work. We had a quiet, indoor day; I made up another batch of elderflower cordial.