Tag: nature

October in France (again!)

But this time with The Small Persons.

Mishmash of seasons – spectacular light, weirdly blue skies, lizards, temperatures around 27 degrees, ripe quinces…..warmest October since 1945, when records began. (And the second warmest October was last year…)

A magic slice of summer, no frosts yet at all. But of course there is a downside – there are daffodils with leaves a foot high, and lilac bushes with not only leaf buds but four actual flowers….in NOVEMBER?? This has got to be bad news for next spring. Rather scary. We’ll see.

Late August Trees

Still acting as a prop…

Nothing dramatically different, it seems – apart from the hedges.

This one is already getting a little dusty.

Same 5 trees, same two flowerbeds…

Two more interesting facts about the gardens this month though. First, it seems we were justified in sticking out for replacing the dying section of the privet hedge with a mixed, woodland type of hedge. It has taken 4 years to thicken up – but just look at the difference between the boring, monolithic privet and the new planting, which includes yew, holly, field maple, spindle and hawthorn.

Second point of interest – the foxes have suddenly gone crazy! In the last couple of weeks they have dug up over 20 holes. Some are deep channels, others have been abandoned part way through, for no very obvious reason. The grass is now a total mess. Just look at the chalk this one has excavated – I wish I could catch them at it, must be quite a sight.

Up/down days 1

 

Literally. Up/down the Downs, near Ditchling in Sussex. Three times recently. The first outing was on a glorious English summer afternoon. The ‘hedge’ in the top small picture is interesting –  it is the outer flank of the right hand side of a giant V, planted to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 (some sources say the Diamond Jubilee, 1897). Over 3,000 trees were put in – larch, birch, scots pine, sycamore, beech…. Still spectacular, over 130 (or possibly 120!) years later. The picture below was taken (with some difficulty) towards the inside bottom of the V.  The most dramatic photos, of course, are to be taken from the road below – but, except as the crow flies, or the human tumbles, that was  miles away!

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Summer skies and storybook squirrels

 

 

I don’t know a lot about clouds but I recognise an exciting bit of texture when I see it… Further inspiration from French skies.

I don’t do a lot of cute, but these squirrels in Taunton’s splendid Vivary Park last week were pretty irresistible! Not proper Alison Uttley colouring – but actually not totally grey either.