Tags
autumn, berries, buzzard, common lizard, crane fly, family, flowers, Fruit, fruit trees, fungus, garden flowers, greater celandine, wasp nest, wild flowers
Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
We have had some very cool nights already and lots of rain. Autumn has arrived! The nights are drawing in and when I get up just after six o’clock in the morning on Mondays and Fridays I have to wait for well over half an hour before the sun rises.
I have no news to give you about Alice – I haven’t spoken to her for about a fortnight so I assume she is busy and coping alright.
To our surprise, the day after I mentioned in this blog that it would take weeks for probate to be granted, it was granted! Richard has spent two days in Manchester with his brother sorting out all their mother’s finances. They also went to a place that Joyce was fond of and scattered her ashes. Richard was hoping to spend three days with Chris and wanted to travel up in his new car but unfortunately his windscreen was hit by a stone chipping last week which left a four inch crack and it needs replacing! The insurance company is sending someone to our house to carry out the replacement today (which is when Richard had hoped to return home). He came home yesterday instead (Thursday). He will have to go back to Manchester in a couple of weeks to finish going through all Joyce’s belongings and deciding what to do with them – a very difficult business.
Elinor has almost completed two weeks at college, is working hard and her tutors are very pleased with her. She is enjoying the course but finds the social side of college life very tricky. She is very insecure and worries all the time that she is saying or doing the wrong thing. She has also been badly affected by her grandmother’s death and funeral. She is afraid of going to sleep in case she doesn’t wake up again and she is frightened of being left alone both now and in the future.
I have been busy in the house and with my mother; Richard has had a lot to do in the garden and has also been arranging our finances now that he has retired. We have had no time for a walk recently and in fact have done very few walks together during the whole year. We hope that in the next week or so things will have calmed down and we will be able to find time to go out together.
The photographs in this post were mainly done during one afternoon this week.
This is the entrance to one of the three wasp nests we have in our garden. They took over an old mouse or vole hole.
Crane fly (Tipula paludosa)
Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus)
I saw this plant just inside the stone wall that surrounds St Mary’s church in Bungay.
Greater Celandine
This plant is no relation to the Lesser Celandine we see in the springtime. It is a type of poppy, similar to the Yellow Horned-poppy I found on Dunwich beach a few weeks ago. Its orange-coloured sap has been used in Asia for burning away warts and corns since the beginning of Chinese civilisation. This caustic liquid was also used to remove soreness and cloudiness from the eyes! It uses an oil gland on its seeds to ensure they are taken a distance away. Ants feed on the oil and then carry the seed off.
Juvenile Common Lizard
For the second week running, I discovered something hiding under our wheelie-bin. Obviously, rubbish bins are the go-to shelter for small creatures.
Elinor and I admired these clouds as we neared home the other day.
We turned to our left and saw these!
The following song is dedicated to Elinor.
Thanks for visiting!
A Suffolk Lane 
Gorgeous photos of autumn color!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you Kate!
LikeLike
Clare Impressed that you know the Latin names of the extensive collection of things in your garden. We have many of the same plants here in Seattle – not too surprising in that we have a very similar climate – but in August and September Dahlias are the big show-offs. Nice to see your garden. Mark
Sent from Mark’s iPhone
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you Mark. From what I have seen and read I had imagined Seattle’s climate was similar to ours – thank-you for confirming this. I never used to add the Latin names but then I found that there was confusion when people knew the flowers by a different local name. Clare
LikeLike
Life throws in a some tricky times doesn’t it Clare. I hope Alice is doing well, does she phone home or do you phone there? I hope Elinor finds it easier too with the social side of college, its that old smile and the world smiles with you stuff. But thats easier said than done when looking for a friendly face to share lunch with. Is your mum close by to you? I hope this month settles down, take care.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you Julie. Alice phones me when she needs to talk. I send texts which she will answer eventually – usually! Elinor does have difficulty finding friends because many people are wary of her because of her anxiety. She is frightened of loud noises, crowds and boisterous behaviour so a large college full of young noisy people isn’t ideal. I hope she will learn to deal with it all in time. My mother lives about 15/20 minutes drive away so I don’t have any difficulty getting to see her regularly. It is taking longer to do the things for and with her that need doing. I hope you are settling down too after your recent bereavement.
LikeLike
I hope Elinor finds a way through all of this, it must be a real worry for you. Thanks for your kind words, it all just takes time but there is much to be grateful for.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you – yes there is always something to be thankful for 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The richness of the autumn berries and foliage is wonderful. The seasons usually transition well but for people the changes/transitions in our lives are rarely easy. I send many good thoughts as you deal with the changes in your life. And extra special thoughts for Elinor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you so much for your thoughtful message Ann. Elinor feels as though events are repeating themselves. My father died five years ago during August while Elinor was preparing to change from middle to high school. She was very upset when he died and because I was having to take him to hospital for chemotherapy Elinor was quite aware of his deteriorating health. The high school wasn’t as patient with her as they might have been, knowing her to have anxiety. She just about managed to get through her first year but after that she was too ill to attend regularly. I am positive that she will cope better this time as circumstances are very different and she is 5 years older and has more experience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What beautiful flowers! They fit very well into this post of the other colorful and equally beautiful signs of fall’s approach.
Also, thanks for the memories in the music video, I was a big Turtles fan back in the day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jerry! I’m glad you liked the Turtles video. My husband grows the chrysanthemums and dahlias and they are looking very nice at the moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The clouds were very good value and you did well to spot the lizard and catch it on camera.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you! I surprised it while it slept during the day.
LikeLike
The flowers and fruits show what an abundant season it is there. The dahlias are especially beautiful and I’ve always liked Chinese lanterns but have never grown them.
That’s great that you found another lizard. That’s 2 of your 4!
I hope things will calm down soon so you and your husband can enjoy his retirement. It sounds like he’s doing as much as he did with a full time job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you Allen. Richard has certainly been very busy! My chinese lanterns are in a few pots at present. I have yet to find a suitable place for them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you have a place where tomatoes and peppers will grow they will too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I was thinking that too. They tend to spread when they are happy so I want to make sure they don’t cause problems.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful abundant and rich Sept. it looks to be there this year. Such jewel like colours and spectacular cloud formations
. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure Val! Thank-you for taking the time to comment.
LikeLike
I’m so sorry to hear Elinor is having a tough time, Clare. I hope things get better for her.
As for your photos, stunning as usual! The clouds are magnificent. Our weather has turned as well. Cool, rainy and windy today, it was a great day to take a day off from work and cook the first pot of chili for the season.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you Jill! I am sure Elinor will get through all this and become a much stronger person because of it. It is sad when summer ends but there are compensations like pots of chili!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so envious of your lizard! Love this autumnal post, those berries!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you Chiara! How are you? Hope all is well Clare x
LikeLike
It does feel like autumn has arrived, the nights are drawing in and bringing a chill with them. Time to light the woodburner! Your photos are fabulous, gorgeous portrayals of autumn. 🙂 x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Becky! I would love to put the heating on during the evening but my husband says it isn’t cold enough! 😦
LikeLike
Dear Claire,
I’m so glad that probate was granted and things can start to become sorted out. The death of a loved one is a difficult time and the financial and organisational aspects afterwards can add to the stress. I do hope Elinor starts to feel more relaxed. The social side of college can be quite intimidating at the best of times and she’s also had her grandma’s death to cope with.
I loved all the beautiful shots of flowers, berries, leaves, insects and fungi. Thank you for sharing more news and pictures from your world again. Have a lovely week, Clare. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you very much! Yes, my husband is beginning to feel less stressed and more able to remember his Mum without worrying about duties to be done. Elinor is slowly getting used to her new routine and the members of staff at the college are being so supportive. They seem very pleased with her progress. I hope you are starting to feel a little better and I hope YOU have a lovely week too. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am on the mend, Clare. Thank you! x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so pleased! Take care xx
LikeLike
It looks like nature might be getting ready for a tough winter with all the berries that have grown. It sounds like Elinor and your Mom are lucky to have your support.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you! We have had two mild winters on the trot and I think we are due a cold one unfortunately!
LikeLiked by 1 person