All we’ve had for weeks now is rain, endless, relentless rain. Leaves are everywhere and are constantly being tramped through the house. And now the hour has gone back it’s pitch black by five pm, which means walking the dogs in the dark. That takes some getting used to. So it’s all about hygge now. …
I love the drama and melancholy of autumn. The dazzling colours, falling leaves and nuts, the geese, berries and hips, mists, wind, endless rain and dramatic sunsets and SOUP, the heartier, the better. It’s always a good time for reflection and planning ahead. I have several big projects in mind for the garden over the …
The second wave of covid 19 is now here with a vengeance and Merseyside is subject to the highest level of new restrictions, given we have the highest number of cases in the UK. Our Lakes holiday has been cancelled, and the pubs are now closed. Thankfully we managed one last drink in the the …
We’ve been battered by wind and rain and it’s been decidedly chilly. Mornings are cold now and it’s dark by seven pm. It’s time to add a little warmth and good cheer so log burners have been enjoyed while the house has been shaken to the core by howling wind and lashing rain. Apples are …
We enjoyed a visit to Martin Mere over the weekend. It’s a lovely place to visit as it has over 800 acres of wetlands, and is home to a diverse variety of birds. A lot of the attractions were inaccessible but there was still plenty to see and it was pretty easy getting around as …
The UK is now in the second wave of covid-19, and a local lockdown will come into place in a few days. I have no clue what a local lockdown will look like as time goes on, to be honest I have no idea what the guidelines are lately, it’s all become so blurred, hazy …
I noticed the elderberries ripening… and I came across this pretty, squirrel sown gladiola, growing in a pot. Curly cat peering through the lavender and verbena patch… and a beautiful self-sown crab apple tree. Mushroom season is upon us, and kicking it off is this interesting little creature, a first in the garden. Apparently it’s …
A rich earthy smell hangs heavily in the air and the undergrowth is alive with scurrying, rustling creatures going about their business. Blushes of roses become papery and begin to fade. Rose-hips adorn the apple trees. Tattered daisies begin to bloom. Out come the courgettes, chard and spinach that has now run to seed, in …
There are large sweeping droves of Himalayan balsam everywhere I walk at the moment. I think it’s absolutely gorgeous as do the bees and butterflies. I’m also seeing a lot of peacocks, talking of which, I heard Peanut honking in the garden early one morning, thankfully, she quickly returned home. This double rainbow was just …
There’s a subtle scent of Autumn on the wind now, which is strange given how hot it’s been and how hot it still is. Beech leaves are already raining down and the climbing roses are forming hips, in preparation for the grand display. Such tiny roses, yet such lethal thorns. Rowan berries are ripe and …
