Tilly and I had a very enjoyable walk in the sunshine this morning. The sun filtered through the trees and we walked down the drive, passing a family of young deer, grazing peacefully in a field on the edge of the wood.
A large hare shot out from the undergrowth, running across Tilly's bows before she realised what was happening! She went nuts, of course! What self-respecting Border Terrier wouldn't? But before you could say "whizz kid" the hare was on the far side of the field. I always feel bad when we disturb these lovely creatures. They don't know that we mean them no harm, and they are just sitting, minding their own business in their own environment, and it seems so rude to scare them away. Sorry Mr Hare. You have nothing to fear from me. Tilly might disagree with me, but she is on a lead, so doesn't really have a say!
There were a few field mushrooms but, unlike when I was a child and would go mushrooming in the early morning mists on my uncle's farm, I am not so inclined to eat mushrooms growing in a field which is not organically managed. Too many chemicals are poured on to the crops and their residue will linger. It's a shame. There is nothing more delicious than a breakfast of freshly picked mushrooms, cooked in butter and served with a grating of nutmeg on a piece of good toast. Yum.
Back at the ranch, and the garden, despite the mountain of work that needs doing to prepare it for winter, is looking scrumptious with lots of glorious colour.
The John Muir Way runs along the edge of a field further down the drive, and we walked a short distance along there, turning left at the bottom to carry on round the field. We haven't circumnavigated that field before. It's a lovely walk, with a wide strip set aside for wildlife. At the moment there are some ethereal, straw-coloured grasses waving in the wind, the sun gleaming off their fine stems.
There were a few field mushrooms but, unlike when I was a child and would go mushrooming in the early morning mists on my uncle's farm, I am not so inclined to eat mushrooms growing in a field which is not organically managed. Too many chemicals are poured on to the crops and their residue will linger. It's a shame. There is nothing more delicious than a breakfast of freshly picked mushrooms, cooked in butter and served with a grating of nutmeg on a piece of good toast. Yum.
The leaves on one of my precious witch hazel plants have turned golden yellow and hang like pocket handkerchiefs. The leaves are dropping now and the bush will probably be bare by the weekend. The buds are there, though, readying themselves for an early appearance in the New Year!
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