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| October morning, Rothamsted Park © Teresa Newham |
The clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in. For the last few weeks I've been making the most of any sunshine: taking a walk when I can, hanging washing on the line for a few hours, coaxing the last of the tomatoes to ripen on a sunny windowsill.
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| turning leaves at the side of the road © Teresa Newham |
September may have been cooler than usual, but October started deceptively mild; then suddenly we had a cold, damp, misty day, all the trees and hedgerows dripping with moisture; and all at once I was aware that Autumn was definitely upon us.
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| elderberries in the lane © Teresa Newham |
Everywhere you look trees and plants are preparing for Winter; leaves are turning, berries are ripening. There's still plenty of colour. but it's gradually fading; squirrels are much in evidence as they gather food ahead of going into hibernation.
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| red berries in the hedgerows © Teresa Newham |
I spotted plenty of red berries on my walks: an abundance of holly, hawthorn and one other which I couldn't identify but which struck me as being potentially poisonous - White Bryony, perhaps?
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| ivy on the trees © Teresa Newham |
Ivy, too, is starting to develop its berries, which are an important food source for birds in Winter, while toadstools are showing through the undergrowth. I had no idea whether they were edible or not, so I left well alone. Where's a forager when you need one?
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| toadstools near the golf course © Teresa Newham |
