I am catching up on Listeners and have come across an appealing and relevant (to me) concept in an article about Stuart McKenzie’s latest play After God.

I was always extremely interested in this third-century Buddhist philosopher, Nāgārjuna, who said there is no difference between samsāra – the secular world, the everyday world – and nirvana, the supposed release from that world.

This is easy to believe as I sit gently rocking in the egg chair watching butterflies flit through the garden, or when I bring flowers in to put beside Mum’s place at the table.

I am reminded of two proselytisers who came to my door years ago asking, ‘Do you want to see Paradise?’. They were very surprised when I gestured toward the garden behind them and replied, ‘This is Paradise!’. It’s affirming to have your world view backed up by a third-century philosopher.

The trouble with going away for a couple of weeks at this time of the year is that garden veges are ready to eat. I did my best with the broccoli, but it has now gone to seed. The broad beans are still a bit small inside the pods, but the pods are long. So I’m eating them young. They are lovely raw too.

Perhaps the house minders will find a use for them!

I can hear rain on the roof. Hurrah! The garden needs it. Everything feels refreshed. My car got a wash tonight too when I went to see Tempestuous, Penny Ashton’s one-woman show which was hugely entertaining. I bought some merch to support this brilliant woman and her work.

Here’s a Post Script: This morning it is still raining off and on, with occasional breaks of sunshine. I’ve been thinking about the show last night. I counted on my fingers that Penny Ashton played at least eight characters, was on the stage for almost two hours with a 15 minute interval, recited, sang and danced with great energy and a magnetic stage presence – and wrote the whole script herself, with help from William Shakespeare, taking bits and pieces from various of his plays to make her own story. At the end of the show, she was in the foyer cheerfully selling merchandise with her husband and with her proud father nearby who commented that people don’t usually acknowledge the parents of their talented progeny, so I congratulated him. He didn’t look at all worn down by having brought up such a force of nature!

The 9th of October was the date given by the SPCA as Felix’s birthday. I would think that is a calculated guess as he was found abandoned, and a wise touch on their part to help owners bond with their pets. It’s more for our benefit than his!

He wasn’t wildly enthusiastic about his Party Mix (despite the claims of the ad on TV). Just before 11am he retired to Mum’s bed and he is still there nearly 6 hours later. We did have a game with a ping pong ball earlier, however, until it was lost under the furniture somewhere. I bought him another box full.

Here are some nostalgia shots:

Five days ago I photographed the first apple blossom. Before that I was pleased to see evidence of buds. I’d been worried that the tree might be dead. A couple of trees – shrubs really – have died along the driveway: a hebe, a honeysuckle and there’s a rhododendron which is looking sick. While the apple tree is on the other side of the garden, it didn’t look as if it was going to bloom at all.

Today, it’s hard to believe that I could have been worried.

A couple of people – including the nice young man who washed the roof some time ago – hinted that I might weed the paving stones nearby but, looking at the paved area this afternoon, those ‘weeds’ are flowering, and I’m glad I didn’t.

It takes a while to get over the tidy, everything-in-a-neat-line sort of gardening. So far, I’m holding out.

I have just been amusing myself doing a makeover on a selfie. This is using the Portrait tool in Snapseed where you can select skin smoothing, eye brightening, eyebrow definition, eyebag removal, iris clarity, teeth, lips and face spotlight.

Hilarious! I think I prefer the ‘Before’.