Saturday 8 September 2012

Autumn draws near.



All the fields have been cut and the grass is short again. This means that Tess and I can walk in them with ease and although I am a little shaky today after my day in bed yesterday, we went for a walk after lunch.

Tess was delighted to be in the fields again. The hedge-bottoms are full of rabbits and for most of the time she had her head down a rabbit hole and her bottom up in the air. I tried picking blackberries but only got about a tea-cup full, so now need a cooking apple so that we can have stewed blackberries and apples with custard for tea (one of the farmer's favourites). After this blog I shall walk down to the veggie garden to see what the apple trees have to offer me.

There is a distinct feel of Autumn now everywhere. The rose hips are turning bright red and all the rosebay willow herb is rapidly going to seed. In the big ash tree a parliament of rooks is duscussing something important - don't know what it is - wish I could speak their language!

And, best of all, a dozen or so curlew are flying round the fields and calling as they go - I love curlews and as Autumn approaches they begin to pay us visits. Lovely.

Sadly, I had to cancel my visitors for the weekend. I didn't feel up to entertaining them and in any case, it is a nasty bug and it will still be lurking around. I just hope the farmer doesn't go down with it when it is just his busiest time of the year.

Do my readers remember the poorly heifer who we expected would miscarry her calf? She has been indoors on her own for the last two weeks or so, fed and watered and re-strawed daily but not really making any improvement. Well yesterday she finally aborted the calf - 5 months pregnant and David said the calf seemed to be almost perfectly formed (a bull calf) but only about half the size of Tess. I hope she will now begin to pick up and get back to normal. She has been eating and drinking normally and does not seem to be in any kind of pain.

Tonight is one of those Iconic nights which I am afraid I must take advantage of - The Last Night of the Proms is on Television. Although it is not the farmer's 'cup of tea' he seems happy to let me watch it - I have done so ever since I can remember. So if you are watching it too - enjoy.

10 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Loved your coming of autumn images and words and also loved Tess' bottom in the hedge-bottom!
So sad about the poor dead calf.

Yes, yes, to blackberry and apple and Bird's custard but no blackberries around here.
Making peach crumble instead.

Do hope you feel a little better and are not contagious.
Have a peaceful rest of the weekend.

Heather said...

I love all your photos but especially the one of Tess's little furry bottom. So glad the heifer seems to be progressing but sad that her calf was aborted.
Do hope you will shake off that bug - there are so many going round at present. Hope you are having the same lovely days we are getting just now, though I believe it is all due to change next week. I shan't know what to watch tonight - the Last Night of the Proms or the Last Night of the Paralympics! I think I'll give most of the closing ceremony a miss as I can't stand all that awful loud 'music'! Must be getting old.

Eryl said...

Ooh, blackberries, I've been looking for a concrete reason to go out for a walk and that could just be it.

Hope you're feeling better by now, and that you find the perfect apple.

angryparsnip said...

Love the Autumn images and I love Tess' very cute furry bottom in the air.
I am so in awe of several bloggers this week that have been mentioning going down to pick apples from their trees. They must taste so wonderful and not like the ones I buy at the store.
In fact I rarely buy apples just for snacking, they always disappoint, and will only buy them when I need to cook with them.

Hope your walk with Tess made you feel better.

cheers, parsnip

Dartford Warbler said...

What fun for a dog to be out in the late summer fields exploring rabbit holes! I felt I was out walking with you and Tess. A lovely description.

I do hope that you will soon feel better again. That sounds a nasty bug.

Sad about the heifer. Let`s hope she has better luck next time around.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Isn't it amazing the way a few birds, those tiny scraggy bodies covered in feathers, can utterly transform a landscape: either rooks or curlews or, as I have been observing today, a few swallows will do the job.

ArcticFox said...

glad you're over the mystery bug..... the apples, blackberries and custard sounds lovely..... simple things are so often the best!!

ArtPropelled said...

Smiling at bottoms up. Glad you are feeling stronger today. Enjoy Last Night of the Proms. We finally got to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a great cast!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for visiting. Anyone who happened to watch the Last Night of the Proms must surely agree that it was about the best ever.

Golden West said...

I had to laugh at the picture of Tess - always so busy, always so curious!