AUTUMN COLOUR

 Autumn is definitely with us. The trees are turning, the fieldfares and redwings are back from Scandinavia,  it is half term and the Lake District is full of holiday makers in the rain.

Whirling seed everywhere, the big sycamore has never produced so many offspring. I get out the blower and clear the drive. Next day it is carpeted again.

And the colours change with the cooler, damper, darker weather.

With R having cleared away the old willow herb we can suddenly see our old fig again. I had almost forgotten about it.

The leaf litter, this is mainly beech (we have a hedge but no trees) shines in the sun. (When we get any).

Else where there is leaf colour, yellows and greys, shrubs that keep their leaves. especially on the banking in front of the house.

But not all is leaves - I dug up some potatoes - R had found them sprouting in the veg cupboard so I put them in. A few slug nibbles etc but they are edible. I am trying to remember what they were when they were bought - perhaps Maris Piper? And yes, you can see a grubby turnip in there too.

I am still deadheading the cosmos and dahlias and have harvested the last of the pears. Even with the long basket thingy I cannot reach the top of the tree. Climbing a ladder will be very vetoed. I tend to fall - always have done. The first time I broke my arm I slipped in a cowpat.

The sweet peas are gone and I have cut them down but there enough flowers for small vases.

The hydrangeas are now changing, the Annabelle gone brown and needing deadheading, the other going pink and okay for now. This is a time for disease and fungi to erupt - we have shaggy parasols by the main path and the azalea leaves have their autumn colour masked by mildew.

So we march on towards November. A tawny owl hoots from the wood, a pheasant squawks arrogantly and rabbits just keep quiet - you never know who might be about. Then the heron lifts from the pond and in a few huge flaps is gone over the hedge.