And lastly september seeds and berries from the Shropshire hedgerows. Hawthorn, rosehips, snowberries, a sloe and a rose gall. And willowherb and scabious seeds. 

Lovely rolling Shropshire countryside.

Summer is drawing to a close. The air is just a little nippy at nights, and the hedgerows are full of seeds and berries. The cornfields are mostly gathered in and baled. And the schools and colleges and universities are back in business. 
I've just spent a last summer holiday in Shropshire, which I've not visited before. The countryside was beautiful, rolling hills and fields, bathed in light, and quiet, but for the birds and insects, and farm animals, cows and sheep mainly.

Saw so many buzzards they almost became common place, their call was the sound of the week, haunting, ethereal, wonderful.

I saw Breakfast at Tiffany's for the first time last week, and now I can't get this song out of my head, lovely.

Last few weeks of the summer holidays. There's a nip in the air in the morning and evening. And the hedgerows are full of seeds and berries.

These photos were taken on a good walk from Sheringham station (Norfolk), along the beach to East Runton, and back inland through woodland and along the cliffs back to the station and home. A wonderful day shared with my son.

Just felt like I needed a song 

Not much blogging of late, but I've just spent the past few days turning my compost heaps, and it's been so lovely I guess I wanted to put it out there. 
The final stage compost heap gets sifted, which is a slightly physical but relaxing job. I have put the clinker (twigs and bits) under the two tall redwoods at the end of my garden. And some of the soft compost has already been put on the flower bed near my back door. The five sacks left over are ready waiting to top dress the island bed where I have planted strawberries, black-currants, a camelia, hardy geraniums, astrantia and columbine, amongst other things. 
The second stage compost heap was a bit exciting. It's just a case of shifting it over into the final stage box, but it seems I have bumble bees nesting right at the bottom. It was a bit of a stop-start affair as they weren't very pleased to be disturbed but I moved it over, because, well, I had to. This morning they were still there when I started to move in the first stage material so hopefully this will be o.k with them until the Spring when I will be doing the whole shenanigans again. Maybe the little fledgling robin, which has been my companion while I've been busy doing this, will be nesting too.