Wednesday 15 October 2003

“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness …”. The geese have arrived at the head of Lochindaal.

Oddly for Islay where the first gale rips the woods to pieces, this year, after a wonderful summer, we have an autumn. I was going to do some household repairs, but I decided to take the German student I have staying with me (to learn English) into the woods for some woodland vocabulary.

In 2001 I was in Michigan for the fall and I was impressed by the colours of the leaves there, so I aimed today to try to get some of the colours in our woods, some vibrant enough to match those Michigan trees.

click on any of the pictures
for the 640 x 480 originals

It has been a great year for some of the fruits, the brambles were wonderful, as were the sloes. I have a bag of sloes in the freezer and two bottles of gin waiting to become this year’s sloe gin for Christmas. Not such a good year for the snowberries, but some of the bushes are showing a good colour.

Hawthorn has done well too, these bushes form a hedge to the edge of the road where we park to get into the woods.

There is much sycamore and beech in the woods. The beech gives wonderful colour and the sycamore coats the ground with crisp, dry leaves that make walking here a sound sensation as well as a visual.

The sycamore is covered with the “helicopter” seeds so beloved of children, and aging photographers, I did play with them for a minute or two.

The river too is looking good, along the bank the leaves glow red in the afternoon sun and at the bridge the water reflects the blue sky. It was a lovely day all together.

The woods were full of smiling people and we greeted many and chatted as we strolled along.

Finally two pictures specially for JJ. These are big files.

‹ previous page • next page ›