Calke Gardens on an unexpectedly hot day

Summer has somewhat unexpectedly returned this week, so it seemed like a good time to visit Calke's walled garden with its palm trees looking suitably exotic in the heat.

The formal beds around the trees are looking a bit ragged as summer draws to an end but there are still flowers here and in the herbaceous borders attracting bees and butterflies 

And just over the wall, dahlias line the path with flowers of almost all shapes, sizes and colours.

Through another gateway lies the kitchen garden but before dashing into it, stop and admire (and smell, because the roses are heavily scented) the flower beds which curve on either side away from the gate.

In the vegetable beds, scarecrows are hard at work supervising all that goes on, keeping birds away, and watching the pumpkins and apples swell.

I'd thought my apple trees at home had a lot of fruit this year but nothing like this abundance!

Our route to the exit took us by the deer enclosure. 'Let;s just go and see if any are nearby', I said. And they were. Right by the fence again, more interested in grass than me trying to peer over and take photos.

 

September - and another restart to the year

Summer seems to have flown by, and here we are in September. Meteorologically at least, it's autumn, and it's been a suitably dull, dismal couple of days to start the month. I'm hoping, as always, that there's still some sun to be had among the mists and mellow fruitfulness, but whatever the weather this for me is always a month to knuckle down and get things done. 

Maybe it's a hang over from long forgotten schooldays but July and August feel to me like months for lazing in the sun (if there is any); September is back to work time. A time for rolling one's sleeves up and getting down to doing things - finishing off uncompleted projects, planning new ones, and maybe making a resolution or two (maybe if I start now I could lose a couple of pounds before Christmas). First though it's time to finish those summer crafting projects that are lingering around - a pair of flowery trousers (not really suitable for winter months) and a knitted cotton jumper (might still have use if autumn's nice weather-wise). And then there's the allotment's bounty to organise and store. August has been a month of plenty - courgettes, and runner and french beans have cropped well, and the freezer is starting to groan. Now it's the turn of tomatoes, blackberries and pumpkins. Soon apples will be ready to harvest. Autumn will be a busy time of pickling, freezing and making jams and chutneys.

In previous years I've thought about heading to autumn festivals but I've been slow to commit and found events sold out. So these plans are on hold till next year ... I have just booked a holiday for mid-month, and I'm hoping for another couple of short breaks if the weather stays good.

September!

 Happy September!



We've a nice bright, blue sky start to the month here. Sunnier than it's been for days, but there's still a coolness in the air, warning that autumn is just around the corner. 








How on earth did it get to be September? Everything externally says the seasons are moving on - shadows are longer, pumpkins are ripening at the allotment, apples weighting down their branches and sunset seems shockingly early. But my body-clock doesn't believe it. Surely it ought to be only be July?
I always wonder where summer disappears to - I have so many plans of things to do and places to go, and then autumn suddenly arrives, and everything is put on hold till another year. This year seems worse - it's like I nodded off, Rip van Winkle style, in spring and just suddenly woke to find half the year gone.

What next? is the big question this year. Are we heading back to normal, or sliding straight into the next wave of the pandemic? It feel's like there's no certainty about anything and all we can do is take life one day at a time. 

For today at least you'll find me here, sitting in the sun.