Rainy and wild

The last day of summertime before the clocks go back tonight. Mild but blustery with cascades of autumn leaves falling from the trees. Showers of heavy rain and then brilliant sunshine so rainbows wherever you choose to look. Oscar remains curled in his bed close to the radiator all snuggled and warm. Time to draw the curtains against the night and to light the candles that stand on the hearth. I have the saturday Guardian to indulge in, Satie playing on the stereo and a chilled glass of wine to relax with in my cosy cottage tonight.

Starry starry night

It is the most stunning starry night. I came back from my art class tonight and just stood looking up at the sky. And the longer I looked the more stars there were. Scattered like diamonds on velvet, thousands of them, thousands of miles away. It makes you feel very small and not terribly significant. It isn't too cold either so it just feels calm and beautiful. I like the way the sky looks on a night like this, as if I am in some huge dome that spreads so far away. Van Gogh painted this stunning picture and on a night like tonight the stars have that swirliness and glitter high above the village.

Just some Autumn images: a tree draped in soft hairy lichen; the symmetry of fern fronds against the earthy colours and the beech leaves turning from green through yellow to brown as Autumn takes hold

Rustling through the leaves

The little lane along the back of the village looks so pretty in its autumnal colours. The beech leaves lie curled along the roadside and the ferns are peeking out from the banks. Leaves flutter gracefully down and settle amongst others until a breeze lifts them and they rustle along. Further along the lane there is a bridle path and as it hasn't rained for a while the mud is hard and unyielding and the leaves lie undisturbed. The temptation to kick through them is irresistable and for a few moments I am a child again, with only the sheep in the fields as my witness. Soon there will be no leaves and the branches will lie bare against the sky.

A beautiful still Autumn Sunday

I woke this morning to peace and quiet and the sun streaming in through the window. A glorious still day. Perfect to put the garden to rights and maybe go for a walk across the fields later. This little sparrow is one of many that live in the hedgerows and under the thatch of my little cottage. The garden is all flat and uninteresting now as the plants go into hibernation for the winter. I planted some pretty little violets in the pots to cheer up the front garden.

Beginning today.............

Waking up and looking out across the fields felt so good this morning. I opened the window and could smell the clean calmness and the enveloping peacefulness of the countryside on this October day. The steam from the breath of the bulls spiralled into the air as they all stood like statues in the heavy dew. Above my head I could hear the twitterings of the sparrows hopping about on the thatched roof as they picked spiders and other delights from between the reeds. And I inhaled the beauty of it all.