The hot summer weather continued into early August. The Salutation garden in Sandwich was filled with hot colours, spectacular against the brilliant blue sky. And the newly opened Gazen Salts nature reserve, just recovered after an inundation with sea water a few years ago, was very peaceful. Buried at the heart of it I stumbled across a ‘green’ lake.

In Pegwell Bay the following day, the breeze off the sea made the heat much more tolerable and the fennel looked fabulous against the blue sky.

At the weekend, in Walmer Castle Gardens, the borders and containers were thriving despite the weeks of heat and no rain.

A new ring was as an e-book publication day present to myself for book three, Sarah’s Story, and there were more treats in the form of flowers from the publisher and a visit from my daughter. We headed to Broadstairs and marvelled at the packed beaches (top), then went to the Bella Vista Tavern in Pegwell Bay, for drinks and the view. An Indian meal at Namaste in Sandwich – delicious, unusual and beautifully presented – rounded off the day.

Then the weather seemed to decide that it might be time for autumn, with the harvest already done. The orchards looked about ready for picking and there were misty mornings and spectacular sunsets.

Another visit from my daughter took us to Whitstable, on a pleasant and sunny afternoon, where we were both very taken with the houses along the front at West Beach, even if the beach appeared less appealing with the tide out.

An open-air performance of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ in Walmer Castle Gardens was delightful, although there was a definite chill in the air as the evening progressed. Jumpers and blankets required! Then it was off to London for a spot of babysitting for Ellis and my first solo car journey with him – slightly nerve-wracking!

I drove back to Kent (without Ellis) through torrential rain and, after telling myself it was still August, had to give in and light the log burner – it was so cold and miserable.

Puff balls on the lane, fallen plums and rosehips as fat as cherry tomatoes added to the impressions of autumn in August.

But there were sunny skies again for my first visit to Faversham – a lovely town to wander around – followed by a trip to Oare marshes and Dan’s jetty.

The month ended with a lovely surprise – a delivery of copies of the paperback of Sarah’s Story, not due for release until October 18^th.