Pad Locked

Sorry about the title.  This is the gate to our garden area near to the house, and this padlock was last used on the gate about 10 years ago. 

We don't overlook the garden, which has hedges and a fence around most of it, so we don't know if anyone goes onto it.  Unless they leave or take something of course. 

I noticed today that all but one apple had disappeared from our tree. They weren't the best apples by a long way, but they were ours. So somebody has taken them (aka stolen), and it's not scrumping because that is just taking one, two or a few. 

I had questioned whether we had a visitor earlier this year as I wondered where all the gooseberries had gone to. Half the crop was left to grow bigger, but then disappeared and there was nothing left on the ground. It wasn't the birds then!

Hence the padlock is backing use, and I'll be asking the neighbours if they've seen anyone on there.

In lighter news........the extra is to bring a bit of beauty, and is the ongoing saga of the changing colours of the Virginia Creeper as autumn progresses. Two different patches next to each other.