Autumnal ... to say the least!

It's hard to describe anything in the wood today without reverting to cliches!  Gold, brown, crisp... everything sounds a bit hackneyed!  So I looked back at inspiration I had found special in the past and came up with this beautiful leaf ... an oak leaf treated in medieval fashion, and brought to life with gold thread and various "contemporary" techniques!

... and then I realised ... what seemed like and "old" idea to me - maybe 3 years since I designed this motif - - is just a few moments in the life of an real oak tree, maybe 400 years ... which, in its turn, is just a flash, compared to the life of the wood itself ... thousands of seasons, spring upon spring, autumn upon autumn... so maybe I should not be downcast about looking back at previous designs.  "For everything  turn, turn, turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn ... and a time to every purpose under heaven!"



13th October - overcast but warm...

Today, this little fellow was waiting to say "hello"!  Truthfully, he didn't stay chatting for long ... one look at me and he scuttled away in rather a hurry, but I was able to watch him for long enough to admire his agility.  Stoats are fierce little hunters and often "glamour" their prey by "dancing" and mesmerizing rabbits and other small animals until the performer suddenly becomes an attacker!
There are still plenty of plants seeding on the woodland floor - like this dandelion.  Protected by the trees, the little parachutes do not fly far in the wind, so it will be interesting in the spring to see if there are clumps of dandelions all in one place,or whether the seeds have managed to scatter despite being becalmed!

11th October - mild and muggy!

Well, it's a funny sort of a day toady, warm, and yet you don't feel as though you really want to take your jacket off!!

Of course, if, like Mr. Fox, your jacket is a permanent fixture, that's not a problem.  Red does seem to be the fashion in Triangle Wood at the moment, after my visit with Foxy yesterday, everywhere I look it seems to be the colour of the moment!

Stylised leaves seemed to scream "fashionista" at me!!!



Some residents, of course, have their dress code sorted for the festive season already ... did I nearly mention Christmas there?  Hunting for insets and worms on the woodland floor the robin was far too interested in lunch to take any notice of me, so I was able to enjoy his plumage without disturbing him!



Cute waistcoat!





11th October

Well, a quick walk down to the woods this morning - lots to do today and also it a bit chilly!!  But that didn't put off one of Triangle Wood's largest and smartest residents - Mr. Fox!  Oh, what a lovely sight on a rather bleak morning!  Slipping between the trees, minding his own business and not at all worried at my approach.  I must say he was looking very sleek despite the turn of the year ... hopefully NOT because of the local chicken population ...

The foxgloves may be over ... but their namesake is in fine form!



8th October - Cool and Calm!

After some rather high winds, the wood is looking a little "shaken"!  Not surprising really, as the leaves took rather a battering and many are now fallen - some caught in the lower canopy, some in twigs and branches on the way down, and even some in cobwebs ... so it looks as though they are suspended in mid air by some arboreal magic!

There is still an amazing jumble of wild things in flower, seed and leaf all the the same time.  This gives you an impression of the woodland floor at the moment!

Autumn on the woodland floor

It really is true that every season has its own joys ... I am thinking of lighting the first fire of the year in my bog fireplace this evening!  Always a lovely time!

5th October, flying visit!!

Looks like the Indian Summer is coming to an end ... rain clouds gathering!

Might be nice weather for ducks!

Golden October!

It's been my birthday weekend and glorious weather - so had to go down to the wood, taking friends!  The honeysuckle is still incongruously blooming next to the blackberries and now the "Old Man's Beard" (the seeds of the willow herb) are ripening and becoming fluffy masses which fly away on tiny gossamer parachutes.

First, the long seed pods begin to open revealing the webbing inside:

Next, they open up fully and the minute seeds are borne away on the wind looking like swirls of delicate snowflakes, but wonderfully warm to the touch if they land on your skin...

... then the small birds begin to pursue them as though they were fruit flies or gnats!  Suddenly the air is full of movement and life.