Spiders

This spider has made it's web over the outside of the kitchen window which has given us a fascinating view of it catching its prey.  As the insects get caught and start to struggle the spider comes down and deals with them.

Yellow Plums

Autumn seems to have arrived and after a few days away we returned to see our plum tree ladened with fruit. The tree has been in the hedge for more than thirty years, before us even and didn't come with a name tag, so we just call it our yellow plum tree. 

They are delicious cooked but rather dry to eat raw.  Some years it is weighed down with plums and often the branches bend and break others years there are none. We knew from experience that we must pick and used them quickly. There are only so many stewed plums you can eat in a day so we have been giving them away, filling in the freezer and found a new recipe for plu and ginger jam which looks good.

Blackberries

The hedges are now loaded with the fruits of the bramble so it's a good time to get out picking to make jam or pies or just for a tasty snack while walking.

Grain Harvest

The wheat and barley harvesting is progressing in the Cotswolds and here the combine is getting a quick clean before starting the next field.

Autumn Crocus

Autumn Crocus or Meadow Saffron is a native plant of the UK and is found in damp meadows and woodland clearings at this time of year.

The flowers, only, appear in the Autumn when as here they push up through the grass, resembling a Crocus. The leaves appear in the springtime.

Paragliding

 It is obviously a good time for paragliding as we counted 10 enjoying soaring in the air near our cottage yesterday.None as yet today though as the wind has dropped.

Ragwort

Ragwort is the tall yellow flower you can see growing here on Uley Bury. It is a native plant and its flowers are prevalent at this time of year in grassland and other waste areas.

As many may know Ragwort is poisonous to cattle and horses although they don't eat it when green as the plant is very bitter in taste so the animals carefully eat the grass leaving the Ragwort standing tall. 

The danger comes when Ragwort grows in hay meadows. Then when harvested and dried along with the grass it looses its bitter taste and should the animal ingest it, the Ragwort can cause cirrhosis of the liver. Luckily records of this happening are rare as farmers and horse owners are very aware of the problem.

Woodlands green up again

 Recent rain has certainly greened up the woodlands especially when the sun shines through the damp leaves.

Harvest Time

The wheat harvest in under way but here a heavy rain shower causes a delay in proceedings.

Stormy evening

Stormy evening over the Severn valley after a day of sunshine and gentle breeze.