SIGNS AND OMENS

During the past few days the signs that herald the approach of Autumn,are everywhere,subtle yet but with every passing day it becomes more evident that \summer is almost over.

Dawn brings with it a ghostly mist which quickly disperses as the sun begins to rise and in to this misty landscape great skeins of Canada geese glide past my window to graze in the fields across the lane. Each evening they fly back across the lane to the river ,where they will spend the night relatively safe from hungry foxes.

During the summer months the geese pair of to breed and the great flights of these birds are seldom seen,the spectacle of one of these flock flying against a pink and gold sunset is one of the highlights of the year for me. Today I stood for a while by the field watching them graze, squabbling occasionally and honking at any intruder who dare to cross their path.

In the shelter belt the beech mast crunches under foot ans squirrels gleefully snap up these treats,cob nuts are ripening fast and it will be a miracle if I get to them before the squirrels. I have managed to collect a good amount of walnuts in the green,these will have their fleshy casing removed once it has softened a little;then they will be stored away not to appear again until Christmas.

Where the field grass has not been what remains is yellow, it's seed long shed and only the long bleached stalks sway in the breeze. Seed pods have replaced flowers now,except for a few tenacious patches of field geranium and mallow and of course late flowering yarrow.

No longer am I awakened by the sound of bird song at early dawn,the birds are moulting and disinclined to sing. Every where you look you will see a seedy looking Magpie, a speckled young robin or a blackbird partially bald and tugging disconsolately at a badly twisted wing feather. I am sure that moulting must be a miserable business.

Now the evenings have begun to draw in and our orchard is the playground of our fox family,the cubs are now well grown and much play fighting and snarling goes on after dark, and in the tree beside my bedroom window the little owl has returned to screech a keep out warning to others of her kind.

I love the summer but I am not sorry to see it give way to gentle early autumn when hopefully the heat,if it returns will be more moderate and the lane will be filled with the spicy fragrance of decaying leaves.

This morning I revelled in the cool air which came through the open windows in my room , the feel of it's gentle caress on my skin in my waking moments was pure pleasure.

I celebrated by cooking Chicken In the Pot for dinner served with newly ripened sweet corn, a favourite Autumn dish.

Looking now across the orchard I can see that the damsons will soon be ready to pick for jam .chutney and of course damson gin. The old apple tree is loaded with fruit and the parakeets are taking liberties with this bounty,still there will be enough for all,there always is.