STAN CULLIMORE

It was quite a sorry sight to see our once thriving grass patch slowly turning into a biscuit- coloured shadow of its former self, with more brown than green in the mix.

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T'S happening again, dear reader, the world has gone stark raving bonkers. Which means the only way I can deal with national and international news is to avoid it whenever possible. It's so misery-making and hideous, so universally unpleasant, it's worth covering your eyes and ears just to get away from the nasty stuff.

Notice I didn’t mention local news there, by the way, the sort of thing you will find in this very lovely newspaper you are reading right now. That's because I’m a big fan of local news. Stuff that is happening nearby, stuff that will directly affect your life and happiness. Can't get enough of that sort of stuff. Whether good, bad or ugly, I’m always keen to keep myself in the local news loop.

Anyway, reason I mention all this is because I have recently found the very best way to keep myself upbeat and happy when it comes to this sort of thing is by concentrating on the most local news of all. We're talking homegrown here, people. Very much so. In this particular case, I'm talking about the news from my very own back garden. Can't get more homegrown than that!

Regular readers might just about recall that here at Cullimore Cottage, we have the teeniest and tiniest of gardens. Just about big enough for a sprinkle of lawn, a hiccup of flowers and a pocket full of patio.