Month: October 2020

Meet Cacahuète. Born on the 26th October. A little ray of donkey sunshine!

Did I really say at the beginning of the month that I’m not overly keen on October?

As the month reaches its end I find lots of positives.

Japanese Maples/Erables du Japan/Acer palmatum japonicum…

I wish I could say these are all growing in my garden, but I can’t! Most of the ones in my garden that I planted four years ago succumbed to some deadly lurgy, although I’ve still got three which are later to colour than the following.

These beauties are growing lustily in Michel’s garden. The last photo is a seedling from Michel. He’s also donated seeds… so, perhaps… one day….

A distinct lack of settled weather and sunshine, but that means I’m treasuring the short bursts of warmth and soaking up the rays when they manage to get through the clouds and damp.

A pleasing array of butterflies emerge every time the sun shines:

Red Admiral and Comma. Both typical, late season, butterflies. But in fewer numbers this autumn. I don’t know why?

Speckled Wood and Wall Brown. Both quite unremarkable at first glance, but such characterful, feisty – even pugnacious butterflies – I’ve got a soft spot for them both.

There’s not many birds that seem as stupid as a pheasant, unless it’s a Wood Pigeon! The pheasants whirr and clatter and squawk and seem to be unable to understand that they can escape from you by going sideways into a field (or even by flying away!) Instead they just keep running in front of me, getting ever more frantic!

I know all seasons are wonderful and all weather is just weather…However, I have to say that I am not a fan of anything much after September (October?) I don’t like the loss of light. I don’t like the damp. I don’t like the feeling of everything drawing back into itself and starting to dig in to hibernate…

I’m hoping that this post will fill up with wonderful things to disprove my title!

My last guy/gal standing… Despite the rain my last Swallowtail caterpillar continues munching on the carrots… One morning very soon I’ll go searching and it’ll be gone and I’ll be wondering whether it got eaten or whether it went and pupated… and I’ll never know the answer!

More Millers. What can I say that I didn’t say last year (and the year before?) I love these mushrooms. But I never get too complacent. Check the smell, is there that damp floury dough perfume? and if there’s ever a hint of not sure, do a spore print (pink) or throw away…

Huge chestnuts this year! Perhaps not so many as last year, but some real whoppers! Have been boiling and then scraping out the meat rather than just roasting on the fire… whatever way you cook them they’re lovely!

So… may well add to this but, at the moment, October is not depressing me!