The valley in October

There was a chill in the air after the morning frost, but it was a beautiful, bright afternoon and a joy to be outside looking at the colours, shapes and details of the valley landscape. I walked beside the Nailbourne towards North Elham, though I knew I wouldn't have time to all the way to the lane and bridge which would allow me to return on the other side of the stream. The path along the field margin is bordered by a huge number of dry seed heads from the summer's umbellifers and thistles, and I can never resist photographing seed heads. I turned onto the path that climbs across fields to the top of the downs, but didn't go right to the top as the second field was home to a dozen or more black bullocks. They looked quite peaceful from a distance, but I'm wary of disturbing them (having narrowly escaped a herd of charging bullocks some 45 years ago). However, the path has wide views along the valley, and I was surprised to find large clumps of acid yellow rape flowers which must have been self seeded from a previous summer's crop and have sprung up between the stubble in the exceptionally warm weather that followed the harvest. The trees are transitioning into their autumn colours and hawthorns loaded with berries are reddening the hedgerows. 

I rushed back after an hour, as it was time for J's PA to leave;  I signed for her for the last part of her online chat with a friend and fellow AAC user, then left her posting her chosen works for tomorrow's art talk on the group's Facebook page. Earlier I had cooked a big pot of rhubarb, picked all the remaining basil from my tubs on the balcony and loaded it into the dehydrator, and picked a few more of the small orange outdoor tomatoes, which have slowed down but will fruit for a while yet - the garden, like the valley, is feeling increasingly autumnal.