Flipping heck it’s wild out there! Even Nellie didn’t fancy it this morning, we only got about half a mile from home and she refused to go any further. I asked her “do you want to go home Nell?”, whereupon she turned on a sixpence and hurried back from whence she came. At least it was bright today, when we went out at 5.00 yesterday afternoon it was lashing with rain as well as blowing a gale and we both got very wet and really quite miserable. My face was glowing red for hours afterwards and Nellie ponged all evening like only a wet dog does.

What I did observe on that walk was that the land drain that runs beneath the field behind our house was discharging milky water into the ditch that it feeds; it was the first time since late spring that I had seen it running. However, by this morning it was dry again.

Later on in the walk as we headed down towards the river, with the light fading rapidly, I heard the unmistakeable call of Canada Geese on the wing. I turned towards the direction of the sound and saw a squadron of at least 50 birds heading west. Less that 2 minutes later a further 12 came over on the same flight path, and then a few seconds behind them were another 22 flying in echelon.

So we are back onto GMT, that means a very temporary reprieve from using the headtorch on the morning dog walk, but the payback is the sun setting at 4.40 – I don’t like that at all.

D’Arcy update. I have seen him several times in the past week, and on Thursday I spied him grazing at the edge of the orchard. I approached him slowly until I was about 4 metres from him at which distance I lowered myself to the ground and sat watching him and speaking quietly in his direction. He continued to nibble at the grass and then began his grooming routine, seemingly happy to have me at such close proximity. At one point he turned his back completely on me whilst continuing with his cleaning regime, which I took to be a great sign of trust in me, he clearly didn’t feel threatened by my presence. It was only when I pushed my luck by trying to shuffle a little closer to him that he decided to lollop off, but even then he only moved off another 10 metres or so before settling down again. I look for him every day, and feel quite deflated on the occasions that he is not there – or when I can’t see him, because he is a master of hiding in plain sight.

Look out at the moon tonight, it’s looking proper ansome.

It’s the end of the road for what remains of the summer goodies – tomatoes, sweet peppers and French beans have all now finished. But it’s almost the end of October so they haven’t done badly. This week there are regular and rainbow carrots, dirty parsnips, beetroot, sweet potatoes, leeks, and making its first appearance of the season – swede. As for greens there will be broccoli, January King cabbage, Cavolo Nero, and limited perpetual spinach. Potatoes are red Alouette and Charlotte salad potatoes. I lost money on the oranges last week so I have upped the price of them. Lemons are the yellow Fino, and apples are Cox again.

I prepared a bed last week for the garlic but then the rain arrived so I didn’t get the cloves planted. I could do with a couple of drying days so that I don’t make too much mess of the soil. That’s one of the downsides of heavy land, you can easily damage its structure by working on it when it’s wet. Looking at the weather forecast Wednesday looks like being the most likely day for getting the job done. What I did manage to do was to plant a batch of winter lettuces in one of the greenhouse beds, and in the remaining space I sowed some oriental salad leaves. By next week I am very hopeful that I can cut some Pak Choi from what had been the cucumber bed throughout the summer.

One lunchtime last week I set off my Merlin birdsong identification app to see what was about. It picked up the usual suspects – Robins, Finches, Dunnocks, Tits etc, but also a Redwing, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest and a Firecrest, and a Siskin. I was quite happy with the list that I ended up with. One other bird story didn’t fill me with as much joy. On Tuesday afternoon I got home reasonably early, and I looked out over the field behind the house and had a double take. Was that a solitary Swallow swooping about over the field hunting insects? Surely it’s far too late for it to be here? It’s weeks and weeks ago that I watched a mass departure of them when I wished them a safe journey, what is this lonely soul still doing here? I can’t think that there will be a good outcome for it unless it really got its skates on and immediately headed south. I doubt whether there will be enough insect life to sustain it as the days get cooler. I wish it the best of luck.

It’s the end of an era at the farmers’ market next Saturday when my good friend John the fishmonger takes his final bow before moving to his retirement home by the seaside. It will be a sad day because he is a larger than life character, my weekly sparring partner, and has been a stalwart of the market for many years. Yes he’s full of shit for much of the time and the two of us are polar opposites ideologically, but none of that matters because beneath all of the bluster he is a good man and I will miss him greatly. He has earned his retirement and I can only wish him well. I fully expect to have a lump in my throat as I bid him farewell next Saturday, the market will be poorer without him.

There are still some windy days to come, though thankfully not as bad as the last couple, so you might as well wait before clearing those leaves up. I didn’t go to the garden today so I am hoping that when I arrive in the morning the polytunnel and greenhouse are free from any damage (fingers crossed).

Have a good week.

Phil