Friday 21 October 2016

golden days ...


Saturday
After a dull start it turned into a beautiful day.  Worked in the veg garden clearing the beds; weeding the paths and generally tidying up.  At about 4 p.m. the sun goes in and I bring the washing in off the line; still a little damp; the sky starts to cloud over.  I watch the day come to an end ; the birds leave the feeders to find a roost for the night; the garden becomes silent.


Sunday
Oh what a difference a day makes on this sceptred isle of ours.  Yesterday, doors and windows flung open to a warm autumn day - today, the sky is gloomy and gunmetal grey; the rain pours down in an unending torrent; splashing in bullet-like drops against the window sills, sounding of machine gun fire; fast and repetitive.  Not a bird to be seen in the sky or garden; they are sensibly waiting for the rain to stop; sheltering in the still-leafy trees.  Then an hour or so later the clouds disappear; the sun shone and everything was golden.


Monday
A bright, sunny, chilly, windy morning.  Two magpies flew into the garden but didn't stay long; exotic-looking birds, but with a harsh, cackling call like a coven of witches. One for sorrow; two for joy, as they say.
Still bright and breezy in the afternoon so I put on my adventurers hat and went exploring down in the hollows behind our house.  I found the bridge that crosses the stream and went into the thicket of scrub.  It rises quite steeply, with leaning, wind-blown trees and old dry twigs that crackled and snapped as I stepped on them.  Brambles snagged at my coat and whippy growth stung my face as I pushed through.  It felt like a secretive place where foxes would come to eat their kill or shelter from the weather, where pigeons come to roost and rabbits dig deep burrows. I almost felt as if I was trespassing on the wildlife's private domain so I didn't stay long.



Tuesday
Went for a wander round the village; took a few photos of the leaves turning; horses and riders - everywhere had a wonderful autumnal hue; blue, blue skies.



Wednesday
A breezy day perfect for drying the washing outdoors.  Spread horse manure on the veg beds and fresh bark on the paths. All ready now for planting next spring.

 


Thursday
Went shopping - a warm day - I wore a light coat but didn't really need it.  Bought some more bulbs, a mixed pack called Woodland Glade; containing fritillaries, chionodoxa, scilla and miniature narcissus ; purchased some half price shallow containers to plant them in.

 

 

Friday
A soft, hazy start to the morning - the cows seem reluctant to get up and get on with the day. In the afternoon I walked down the road as far as Foxons Lodge, an abandoned farm.  The hills, fields and hedgerows all around were looking splendid.

 




We have been watching an amazing natural history programme every day this week on BBC One -  EarthFlight - stunning photography - a birds eye view of the world.  Wildlife photographers have my total respect for this amazing series.


Finally,  all the summer containers safely tucked away in the greenhouse for winter - loving the profusion of flowers and colour.

 
And that's it for another week - where does the time go!
  "It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it." ~ Diana Gabaldon, Outlander

Elaine

46 comments:

  1. You seem to be ahead of the game.

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  2. I'm not sure what you are referring to - do you mean the veg plot? I only have four beds so they don't take much looking after - if I had the large plot that you have I am sure I would be way behind.

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    1. I was referring to you having all your plants tucked up in their winter quarters :-)

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    2. I put them in as the nights were getting really chilly and I also needed the room to put out my pots of bulbs.

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  3. That's a splendid looking greenhouse you have there Elaine.

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    1. I don't know what I would do without it Sue.

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  4. Having had a very slight frost here yesterday, I suppose I should follow your fine example, and start to bring a few things indoors. Another milestone!

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  5. Yes, these certainly are the golden days and it all looks so lovely out there in the country with the hedgerows and horses and cows! I do love your greenhouse and can see lots of geraniums all set for wintering. The BBC does wonderful nature documentaries. I always watch them too!

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    1. We have been so lucky with the weather this autumn - so far anyway - long may it last.

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  6. Good reminder Elaine that I too must bring in some of the more tender pots of plants. Your greenhouse is full of lots of lovely colour.
    Our sceptred isle can swing my moods from day to day with her mercurial offerings.

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    1. I didn't want to leave it too late and get caught out as has happened in previous years - there's hardly room to move in the greenhouse -I just hope they survive the winter as the greenhouse isn't heated. (Lots of fleece and bubble wrap at the ready :)

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  7. A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. It looks like you had a good week. Flighty xx

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    1. Thanks Flighty. Just an ordinary week but I do have a little more time now to get out and about taking lots of photographs.

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  8. A lovely autumnal week - the colours in your photos are wonderful. I've not moved anything into the greenhouse yet, I think I'm still trying to pretend that winter isn't creeping up!

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    1. There have been some lovely days - quite mild too. There is still plenty of time before winter sets in - thank goodness.

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  9. Our weather is SO changeable, isn't it Elaine ? It seems to change, minute by minute ... typical Autumn weather I guess !!
    Before we put caps on our chimneys, we had a magpie come down the chimney and into the lounge .... they look 10 times bigger in your lounge !! XXXX

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    1. It really is Jackie. The mornings seem the best time - the afternoons are a little unpredictable, but at least we can still get outdoors most days. Oh nasty - I would not want a sooty magpie in my living room, thank you very much.

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  10. What a wonderful visit I just had seeing your week in beautiful color and reading your delightful words. Your posts make me want to come sit a spell with you and take a walk through the woods and English countryside. Thank you for allowing me to have a peek into your world. Hope you have a great week coming. Hugs!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed your visit Debbie. The countryside is glorious at this time of year - going for a walk takes so long whilst I slowly soak up my surroundings and take pictures by the dozen :)

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  11. Your greenhouse looks so cheerful Elaine with all the flowering Pelargoniums. I love the English landscape with the rolling hills.

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    1. I love to see all the plants together in the greenhouse - they put on such a show all in one place. I am sure you would love the landscape around here.

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  12. Oh Elaine, it is just so beautiful there. My greenhouse will soon be full of citrus. It is still too hot as they would burn up in there.

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    1. Thanks Donna - I agree - we are so lucky to be blessed with beautiful surroundings. My greenhouse is far from hot at the moment but the plants don't seem to mind.

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  13. It's been such a wonderful week, glad you got plenty of opportunities to get out and about. Much planting done here. I'm on tenterhooks with the tender plants, just got away with it so far and now it's getting warmer again. A reprieve!

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    1. I don't get about so much in the summer months - too much to do in the garden - so I look forward to the day when all the big jobs are completed and I can have a little more time to myself and to reacquaint myself with life outside the garden gate.

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  14. What beautiful colours in your photo's and what beautiful countryside scenes too.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thank you Jan - I find this time of year so inspiring.

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  15. What a wonderful week you have had, the weather has given us some golden days to get out an enjoy the autumnal colours:)

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    1. It has been a splendid autumn so far I agree Rosie.

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  16. What lovely photographs, and such a lovely week! You've inspired me to do the same. Write about my week that is! Enjoy the coming week, Jane x

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  17. Your greenhouse looks very colourful now Elaine. You seem to be making the most of these sunny autumn days

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    1. The greenhouse is full to bursting, there is hardly room to turn round but it does look very colourful - I just hope |I manage to keep everything alive over winter - we shall see.

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  18. You do have some lovely walks around you and these golden autumn days are perfect for them, especially as the next day may be a grey one. Your greenhouse looks so bright and colourful. I've started to bring my pots in, but I'm still risking some outside. I love the birds in flight, particularly geese - they're often flying in skeins over me at the moment.

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  19. Yes, a grey one like today - not cold or anything, just not as pleasant to be out in. I do love the sunny bright days and hate to be indoors at such times, but walks around here are a bit restrictive even though they are lovely. I shall have to find some new territory I think.

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  20. You have had a wonderful week experiencing the beauty of autumn. You do seem so well organised with all your plants already safety gathering in. I hope this week turns out good for you too. Sarah x

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    1. Thank you Sarah. We have been so lucky with the weather this autumn haven't we. I think I probably brought all the plants in a little prematurely but I needed to make space for all the pots of bulbs - I really missed the colour that the pots gave though.

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  21. That sounds like a most satisfactory week Elaine. It's amazing how quickly the weather can turn from day to day, morning to afternoon or even hour to hour. All looking most cosy in the greenhouse. Do you heat it when it gets seriously cold?

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    1. It didn't seem so at the time, but when you write a little about every day it makes you realise just how special your life is. No I don't heat the greenhouse, I cover everything in fleece and bubble wrap and hope for the best :)

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  22. Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

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  23. How I enjoyed taking a peek into your weekly diary, you do inspire me to take notes and write them up! The Hollow does look wild, I bet there are foxes there.....amongst other wild things! The pic of the autumn leaves is sooooo paintable! Our leaves are very mundane this year, apart from the acers, I think we need a good hard frost to give them some colour.
    I haven't seen Earthflight,I must try and catch that. Your greenhouse is SO organised and pretty, you put me to shame....I'm still cleaning mine out.
    Hey, two magpies....for joy! Nice!xxx

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    1. If I don't write every day I just forget what has been going on - not that much, mostly - but still, I like to remember the little things. I actually feel a little foolish putting the plants away when the weather is still so mild during the day - but I did need to make room for the pots of bulbs. Anyway, it's done now and the plants don't seem to mind being indoors. The trees are slowly turning and as I walked today leaves were floating down, twisting and turning in the breeze - I just stood still and watched mesmerised. It's getting nice and crunchy underfoot too. Don't you just love autumn!

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  24. I've seen Earth Flight. Amazing, isn't it? You had a fine a week. I always enjoy your photos. I love the English countryside. When my friend and I traveled to Scotland, we stayed in a B&B. She threw open the windows, saying that's that what they do here--throw open the windows to let in the fresh air. She lived in Scotland and England as child, so she knew the routine well. I wish you a fine ending to a good week.

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    1. Oh yes, I loved it. I am getting out and about every day now I have the garden squared up - I do so enjoy being out in the fresh air, taking in all the lovely views and seeing the world turn to all those lovely autumn colours. And yes, we are fond of flinging the windows open whenever we can :)

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