the mild and damp weather is not encouraging the leaves to turn bright colours and the wind is blowing them off the trees early this year, it seems. after a dry and warm four months the water table is being topped up, though the ponds in Bale wood and the ditches in Cakes Lane are still dry.

half the field maple leaves have gone already

the rest glow out of the sheltering hedges shining yellow and red

the bracken is just on the turn, one more stem every day

some oaks have splashes of brightness,  many  oak leaves are spotted with silk button spangle gall infestation

there are plenty of berries; hips and haws, masses of blackberries unharvested hanging in black ropes in the hedges

sycamore leaves and seeds everywhere, the leaves with red stems and decorated with black spot

some beautiful skies at dawn and dusk when the cloud clears, and big harvest moons at night, I didn’t need a torch to see my way to light the kiln at five thirty this morning

in the garden damson leaves are turning yellow

the apples are ready to pick, and the last of the tomatoes harvested; I have just planted broad beans, and the things I sowed a month ago are all well up; sweet peas, love in the mist, japanese salad greens, and cavallo nero.

translucent sealing-wax red guelder rose berries still on the bush, all the rowan berries were gobbled up by the birds by the end of August

another firing today – more on that when I open it ….