Grass, Twigs & Leaves

The first mow of the year and cutting the grass is the easy bit – first the back lawn has to be cleared of long willowy twigs blown off the silver birch by the winter gales, with enough picked up to start a small bonfire, while at the front it is dead leaves rather than twigs that have to be shifted, including mounds held prisoner since autumn by the shrubs in the border, that once raked out seem to have doubled in size; several hours, a sore back and two aching knees later the untidy patches of debris strewn grass at last resembled part of a cared-for garden.