Glowing Red

Each time we have one more golden day we savour each moment as it could be the last one of the year.

The rising moon hints at glowing day that has passed

The rosehips are now glowing following on from the hawthorn, where the Blackbirds have not been slow in playing their part in the seed dispersal

Other fruits, late

and early

Nasturtiums could almost replace gorse in the kissing season proverb

The Robins have started to sing again, staking out their territories ready for the Spring. The Compost Heap Robin might have the best patch but we appreciate the Back Door Robin who sings so loud he sounds as if he is inside.

We are starting the wood stack for using in over a year’s time – that seems a long way off at the moment

Around the hen house

the Cockerels vie for the reddest wattles

This plant is in the lake and its red beacon is visible from afar

Possibly the only picture here where red might be for danger

The Poppies in the orchard meadow continue to shine

and the Dogwood promises to keep glowing through the dark days ahead

Flowers with insects

A few pictures from the last few days of…. yes, flowers with insects.

Up the ladder and…

Time to start

and the boxes start to fill

and so does the depository for the bruised ones

Controlled Multiplication

(A Tale of

and

sort of)

After a slow start to our rabbit breeding plans the litters we did produce are reaching an age where they might reproduce without permission.

So time for some close inspection to sort the girls

from the boys

The Five Boys settle down to a manly supper

while these Four Girls have the same

Two slightly younger females have their own accomodation

They all look forward to their evening salad bowl

Not that one, this one

while we enjoy ours

Horse Mushroom Potage

When the Horse Mushroom rises

the race is on

Someone got here first

but there is still enough left

Just need to check the credentials

Definitely not a Weeping Widow

so off to the kitchen

into the pot

and dinner is ready

Unexpected Angles of Brightness

September is when the sunlight springs surprises, slanting in at unexpected angles and illuminating life in new ways.

It is time to sit and ponder on the places where the light gets in

Harvest Festival

It has been a very strange year for growing things. It is not clear how much of that is due to the weather and how much to our husbandry.

Let’s start with an “impossible to fail”

Well, the runners are doing OK but not as abundant as in previous years.

Next “can’t fail”

except they have – there is a miserable courgette harvest (think shriveled sausages)

The main success has been rabbit food

We don’t really eat brassicas (apart from broccoli of course) but our rabbits

do. By the barrow load

They do leave some salad for us

The broad beans did well

But we are not talking about the tomatoes

We normally roast and freeze vast quantities but this year they are just not ripening.

Same true of the chillies

although maybe more understandably due to the lack of recent heat.

This round yellow cucumber has done well

Here served with a bizarre success – we have had succulent figs from our rather poorly placed tree

We don’t eat many potatoes. Four years ago someone gave us a few which we dutifully planted. Now each year we get a rogue crop

We note that mooli should be harvested young

The apple trees are overloaded

inspite of Frances taking her toll

We look forward to our share

Likewise with the plums

Maybe we should stick to the wild harvest

Animal Ups and Downs

We don’t seem to have had the numbers of butterflies this year but have had a good range of species. Along with the usual Tortoiseshells, Red Admirals and Peacocks it was nice to see this Small Copper

A range of Dragonfly species have been busy as usual. This one was laying eggs this week

We have seen almost no hedgehogs here since the drought of 2018. Before that we would have several feeding every night. We do have the occasional rescued one brought to us for care. The latest was a sad story. Have been caught up in barbed wire for some time it was drastically dehydrated and maggot infested. It did not make it through the night.

We normally see lots of frogs in the long grass at this time of year. Not so many this year but have come across three toads within a couple of weeks

We have seen a weasel popping up a couple of times in the six years we have been here. Recently we came across a single kit. Had it got left behind when a female moved her litter or was t here another explanation. It was gone in the morning.

We had heard unwelcome tales of mink in the surrounding brooks. This week we saw some evidence for ourselves