Sunday 12 October 2014

Another day.

This time of year, every time there is a day like today, we ask ourselves 'will this be the last day of Summer?', for it is still, warm and very sunny.    The horse-chestnut trees in particular are a deep orange colour, the ground is littered with ash leaves and time seems to be standing still.   Tomorrow is forecast to be wet.

The farmer and I together with friend W. have been out to lunch - proper Sunday lunch - roast beef, roast pork and roast lamb between us - and delicious it was too.   Then we sat for a long time over a cup of coffee before beginning the short journey back home.

Taking Tess for a walk then I passed the meadow where the ten heifers are.   They were all lying full length in the sun - I couldn't help wondering whether they were asking themselves the same question I asked earlier - 'will this be the last day of Summer, moo?'

Driving through the village it was good to see various folk around doing jobs - friend C was cleaning 'his' section of the village beck out (the section which runs across the front of his garden.)   I was pleased to see that he was leaving the glorious golden mimulus and just clearing out the weed and digging a layer of mud and pebbles from the bottom. At the village pub garden the bonfire for November 5th (Bonfire Night) was already under construction - old doors, palettes, window frames - all piled high.   What a blaze that will be.   Friend T was out tending his begonias, which cover the front of his house and make such a splendid show every year.   It is as though everyone is thinking the same as me - will we get any more days like this when doing chores is pleasant work?

Looking at Cro's blog today (Magnon's Meandering on my side bar) it was really interesting to compare the French village photographs with our village.   There is really no comparison at all.   All the houses in the French village look so ancient, as does the church.   I suppose the only similarity is that as in our village, these houses and cottages were built long before cars were invented, which means they were built too close together for space for modern vehicles, so they are left on the road.

Another feature today is the quantity of spiders' webs everywhere.   I suspect they are always there but because the sun is getting low we can now see them more easily.   As I sit here typing I look through the hall window and the gap between the Scots pines is festooned with shimmering lines of gossamer.   They are so beautiful, unlike the huge spider which friend W had to capture last night by the glass and card method and eject from the house.   Of course it will be back, but she didn't care to sit watching it perfect its dance steps across the carpet all evening.

12 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

Yes, wondering if it is the last day of summer. The sun warms the morning to tolerable levels and it seems it is.

Heather said...

It has been grey and overcast all day with no sign of the sun at all. Quite chilly too, so maybe we had our last day of summer earlier in the week. I am so pleased I did my gardening yesterday in more pleasant conditions.

Sheila said...

What a lovely post.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Hi Pat,
Josephine is a little heat seeking missile, but she seems to be relishing romping outside in the cooler weather. She bushes herself up, and goes dashing back and forth at top speed.

It's going to be cool tonight. We sleep with the bedroom window open. I can see right now that she is going to be in snuggle mode. She is sitting on my chest as I recline in bed. She's also doing a pretty good job of obscuring the laptop keyboard. Not to mention impeding my lung capacity. But she's purring. The cute factor trumps lung capacity.

Just as an aside. I read recently that Prince Philip always sleeps with the window open even in the coldest of weather.

Hildred said...

The morning was beautiful, - sunny and bright, but I see a few clouds gathering and the forecast is for showers, but no frost yet and to work in the garden is heavenly.....

jinxxxygirl said...

Your comments on spiders got me to thinking about the Kamikaze Spiders (as i used to call them) that were in the Garden Center where i used to work in TX. I was very fortunate to work the very early morning hours there for 15 years. So quiet and peaceful. I came in a 5am and the store did not open until 7am ..Just me the plants, the water hose and the spiders ...Oh and the stray cat or two........
I call them Kamikaze Spiders (perhaps they do not deserve the name) because in my mind they lived on top of the light poles and at night when it got too cold they would jump off the light poles kamikaze-like and look for some place warmer...You see when the early morning light came up over the top of the building the light would reveal looooong strings of webs coming off the light poles floating in the breeze..odd huh? I only ever saw them in the Fall or early Spring. I never did see any spiders just the webs hanging off the light poles....... Hugs! deb

Cro Magnon said...

Surprisingly warm here, but for how much longer? I gave all the lawns a final (?) mowing yesterday.

Elizabeth said...

A lovely evocation of autumn's fleeting pleasures.
As regards the nail scissors - I'm glad they did not pierce the electric blanket!

Elizabeth said...

A lovely evocation of autumn's fleeting pleasures.
As regards the nail scissors - I'm glad they did not pierce the electric blanket!

Gwil W said...

A late summer in Austria is called 'an old wives summer' but has nothing to do with wives, but to do with long weblike strings that drift on the air . . .

Frances said...

What a wonderful picture your words have painted for us of a certain Sunday afternoon. Many thanks for allowing the rest of us to take that walk with you, after the proper lunch.

Best wishes.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for calling in. I love the idea of Kamikaze spiders, as long as they are nowhere near my house.