Daffodils in November

It is hard to believe that these daffodils are so far ahead. Everything is out of kilter. Maybe it is a floral tribute to the sinking of the SS Europa after she hit a transatlantic debt mountain.

more autumn colour 4

Stoke Climsland from the south west looking unusually picturesque for the time of year. And below our lovely scented climbing rose has decided to flower again

more autumn colour 3

Apleasant but fairly dull picture, until you see the little black spot towards the bottom of the tree trunk on the left, which is a very late flying red admiral sunning itself

and adding to this picture of unseasonal warmth there was also a late comma out and about.

more autumnal colours

Bracken has now turned reddish orange and brown. The dearth of mushrooms continues but at least there is fly agaric around to add some colour.

Innycent fun

our morning walk (or in Spot's case madcap sprint), along the Inny, through the woods, bathed in golden sunlight and enjoying the warmth. The lower picture is at the same place where we came across a deer in September at much the same time of day. It shows how the colours change (see link).

autumn colours

late flowering geranium and brilliant red of a fallen leaf.

autumn in the Tamar valley

 this cut down jpg doesn't quite capture the beauty of the woods in the Tamar valley below Greenscoombe meadows (unlike the full version). Devon and Dartmoor are in the background. We went looking for mushrooms today but there are very few around. I think it must be too mild for them and the undergrowth is still quite green and heavy. Strange warm weather for the time of year..

getting on with life

a walk on Bodmin moor on a stunning day, a raven flying above us all, and below Spot recharging his endorphin levels after what has been a period of obvious uncertainty for him after his mother's death.

Cassie's demise has left an emptiness in our house. It has left me pondering why we experience grief. As an emotion it seems to have no biological value at all unlike every other emotion, all of which seem to map on to some sort of survival activity. I do not share the view that animals are mindless automatons, I think their minds are just not quite like ours, but I suspect we are the only animals to experience grief (perhaps elephants?) and so maybe it is the price we pay for our ability to articulate that we are alive.  If so it feels like a bad deal.

Morning has broken

The clocks have gone back so we caught the early morning sun bathing the mists in the river valleys below on our first walk along our favourite lane since yesterday. What a difference a day can make in the sense of things. One person, three dogs and the spirit of the fourth poddling along behind us. Everyone is very quiet now that the leader of the pack has gone.