Taexalia

wild.life

Late Summer Findings

I'm calling this post Late Summer Findings because I do not have the heart to name Autumn just yet.

The trees on the hill behind my house are still green but there is a hint of rust and I wonder - can trees rust too in so much rain?

Ah, rain, we have had a lot of rain this summer. So much rain that on dry days, like today, my eyes have to make adjustments as they view the landscape without the water curtain. Some of the potatoes show signs of blight - I hear it's almost unavoidable in a cool and damp growing season. I cut the haulks off and add them to the fire basket. The courgette plants, well they seem to love the rain - perhaps I only need one courgette plant after all.

The meadows are coloured by the many shades of thistledown and the grasses have faded and gone brittle. Some species of Dock have already turned to russet and give the first hint of the coming colours, yet other docks still sport bright green seed stalks - holding onto summer, or the idea of summer, like me.

Hawthorn trees drip with their red berry bounty and their magical partner, Blackthorn, carry purpling Sloes...

At their feet, the Brambles begin to make up for their prickly defenses as the rich black berries colour up.

The sun is poking out between white fluffy clouds and I think "maybe this is really just the second day of summer" and I take the rare chance to walk barefoot in the garden...