I really shouldn’t have been so amazed this morning. But I was, because it took me rather by surprise. The regular routine of coming downstairs, feeding Maggie and then letting her out for her first circuit of the garden was unchanged. I am usually close on her heels so that I can take my first deep breath of the early morning air, smell the freshness of the countryside, listen to the crowing of the cockerel on the other side of the wall, check the weather, and set myself up for the day. But this morning it was different because it was foggy and rather cool – in fact only 9c! It hasn’t been this cold for many, many months. Of course, 9c isn’t that cold, but when the mornings have been 20c, it felt positively Arctic.

Breakfast finished, and after a hurried rummage around in the drawers for an old sweatshirt, we set off for one of our favourite walks known locally as the Prairie. Like the majority of walking tracks here, it takes a flat course, but is a route I love in all weathers and it is rare that we don’t see deer, foxes, hares or any number of birds including herons and buzzards, owls and falcons. The list is endless and is always such a pleasure. Maggie is more often than not looking for food in the hedgerows and is usually totally oblivious to the wildlife around her. Perhaps that’s just as well because I do get to see it before she scares it off!

The road to nowhere!

Fruity favourites of Maggie!

The old lavoir

As you can see there is great beauty in the simple things like these moisture laden webs clinging to the dried teazles

The maize is almost ready to be harvested but sadly for cattle feed!

Some are still waiting for their breakfast!

As lovely as the morning was I hope that this isn’t the end of summer just yet…perhaps Mother nature will allow another few weeks before announcing that summer will exit stage left!

A Bientot!