Winter is coming!
As well as the Hawthorn being covered in Haws, the Holly trees a mile away are also loaded with berries.
I cycled the 6 mile loop round all the bits of the village last Friday stopping on the way to take this photo and a couple of other tree photos for the Ogham Tree Alphabet blog posts (which got completely forgotten this month). I hadn't been out on my bike at all since getting back to swimming, had to pump up the tyres before I could get going.
Brother-in-Law came yesterday with his old tractor and topper to sort the meadow, it's done and looking tidy with brambles gone from as much as possible. If there are no orchids next year I know I've done the wrong thing but hopefully the seeds should still be there.
He started off by saying that he would cut down everything but I managed to persuade him to leave a bit of the wildness down the bottom end on the right, leaving seed heads and undergrowth for a few creatures.
Mrs F. who we bought the house from, used to keep the whole meadow cut short all the time but I've got better things to do. The compromise is to keep the footpath cut and leave the rest and then every few years have a big tidy as above......that's my theory anyway.
If it doesn't bother you then it's good to leave some things wild for the much needed contribution for wildlife. I don't know much about orchids, but I'd say you'll be fine. Yes, in seven weeks where will we be indeed? Seems the nation is to be having a talking to this morning from Prof. Whitty.
ReplyDeleteBrother in law said that once he got started he'd have to cut down everything!
DeleteI saw some of the Talking To from the prof - suitably chastened!
How nice to have a bike ride. It was good that your BIL tided up fur you and hope the orchids come back.
ReplyDeleteMy Carol (D) came yesterday and we had a lovely walk thou the village to see the Harvest displays it was good to talk as well.
Hazel c uk 🌈🌈🌈
The meadow looks huge when it's cut short.
DeleteYour village harvest displays sound lovely idea
The orchids will be fine. We cut my wild patch down where the orchids grow much earlier than this and they come back every year. Your wild area looks good.
ReplyDeleteI hope the orchids come back in the bit thats been cut. There weren't any further down in the bit left untidy.
DeleteGood on you for tackling brambles. I know they are wild things too, but one thing that satellite imagery has helped scientists to do is to identify how much more of the 'wild' countryside is becoming overrun by brambles every decade since the middle of last century (interestingly they started out it recon photos taken from wartime planes). Apparently there has been something like a 40% increase in bramble cover - and brambles are not for all wildlife, so some species are being forced out by this expansion of the horrible prickly d....d stuff. We have fingers crossed for your bonfire party.
ReplyDeleteBrambles take over very quickly. Some right at the edges of the meadow - top of the ditch are left un-cut - good cover for birds.
DeleteDid he flush any birds or critters when he mowed?
ReplyDeleteNo bonfires around here - chance of forest fires are too great even here in New England because of drought.
No didn't see any sign of anything while he was cutting - the old tractor is so noisy I expect all wildlife left in a hurry
DeleteI am choosing to ignore your first statement. I am in denial about fall, much less what comes after. Glad you didn't have it all cleared away. We have a fence line with a neighbor that I have been tempted to have cleared but the privacy as well as the butterflies have convinced me that is not the right course of action.
ReplyDeleteApologies for the mention of the season that comes after Autumn!
DeleteThe meadow really needed some sort of tidy but there's quite a few areas of undergrowth left for the birds and small mammels
You are getting some great exercise between riding your bike and swimming! This is the perfect time of the year to be out on your bike too. I hate to think of winter but it's always better to be prepared. It's fortunate that your brother-in-law can help out.
ReplyDeleteI ought to have more exercise really but seem to be so busy in the garden and kitchen
DeleteLeaving some wildness always makes a garden or field more interesting in my mind.
ReplyDeleteHope you get to have your bonfire and fireworks.
God bless.