Friday 29th October.

I'm back....and hopefully more reliable, still busy but committed..

Bobblehead back with youngster, it is looking slightly more grown up, but hasn't got its white neck yet, I wonder at what point Bobblehead will stop tolerating the youngster...

They're back!! after the hard frosts these appeared in the milder mornings.

Can't complain, our neighbour has big problems. His moles are building castles. 

Wednesday 27th October

Missed a couple of days....Busy which is good.

The sun is out now after a wet night and morning and everything looks interesting again, Autumn has fabulous colour with berries leaves and Fungi. With the leaves beginning to fall views are opening to sights lost through the summer.

And lacy lichens become visible.

Not sure what this is , growing in the garden under beech and Douglas fir.

Horses had a wet night but enjoying the sun, varying colours of trees and Noar Hill in the background, trees beginning to fill the gaps left by the Great storm in October 1987.

Sunday 24th October

Another fantastic day, a frosty start and damp underfoot after yesterdays heavy showers.
Walked past the lake and through to the cow pasture, 2 deer in the distance it didn't take them long to realise they were being watched.

then back through Gollum's bog where I found these lovely seedheads , I think these might make it into a screenprint......

Saturday 23rd October

Bobbleheads youngster was back, he helped himself to breakfast.

Goosestep decided to show him where he is in the pecking order,

Ooops

(he was fine)

Farnham was windy with spectacular showers, the trees have let go of their leaves (wealthy area Farnham).

And a storm brewing over the field at sunset, interesting how the clouds follow the contours of the trees.

friday 22nd October

A Big day....
Sorry no walking today, bobblehead came for tea.....

That was after the Graduation ceremony.

and we thought he looked funny!
IOB back tomorrow. Well done girls....and boy.

Thursday 21st October

It is a fabulous autumn, a very british season making me crave soup and yummy bread! Walked towards Hawkley today and spotted this very English view, I think because of the 'recession' even the trees are hanging onto their leaves longer than normal..

I would love to live in this spot, although I really like where I am this bit of parkland has a wonderful mixture of safety and remoteness it really is a green and pleasant land.

and then my love of patterns again, who would think this is a chicken...

Not any old chicken of course..it belongs to a friend of mine and is a Lace blue...

Wednesday 20th October

Not a lot to report today apart from to say I don't think I have ever seen such a completely clear blue sky.
It is cooling down rapidly with a cold wind, the horses took to lying flat out exposing as much flesh as possible to the sun, 1 of course standing up as sentry.

Goosestep turned up which pleased me, I think yesterdays feathers belonged to one of the young collared doves as a lone one arrived today.

I have been thinking about Bobblehead as despite his war wound he is a respected bird, I wonder if his disfigurement gives him a higher status,

Tuesday 19th October

A lovely October day again, got out for a walk late afternoon after curtaining most of the day. Bobblehead bobbling about but haven't seen Goosestep for a couple of days, the sparrowhawk was raiding the newly cut privet bush twice today and there are a lot of feathers in the garden (not pigeon). But maybe he is a bit of a deterrant. The sparrowhawk is too fast for me even leaving the camera on and ready to go he spots me and gets away....one day....

It is very peaceful down by the lake apart from a bird that makes an annoying 'waaaat' noise ,any ideas?

I was brave today and walked through the boggy bit on my own, since Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter I have developed a fear of walking on bogland, just imagining things under the surface waiting to pull me under! Very pleased with myself I shall keep doing it now, I saw these Toadstools or Mushrooms there but am not sure what they are.

pretty things with their spot of yellow in the centre.

And home just before the hailstorm.



Monday 18th October.

 Bobblehead popped round for breakfast as normal, but without the youngster, maybe he only has weekend access.

A very busy day, but managed a visit to the barn, I am dreading it being redeveloped and not being able to go in.

Beam me up Scottie...

And a fantastic sunset, still leaves on the trees on Noar Hill so the silhouettes not as good as they will be in the winter.

Sunday 17th October

Another fabulous day and I got out for a long walk this morning....but very exciting news, Bobblehead arrived this morning with his /her latest youngster, wobbly on the wings  a lot of time was spent perching and it reluctantly used its wings, I hope it survives the cold night.

I walked to my favourite barn and took about 50 shots, I always leave this place feeling calm.

The patterns of leaves over the trees always please me.

Saturday 16th October

A work day today so no time for a walk...

Luckily Bobblehead and friends were up early to Provide me with an interest.

What a fine figure of a bird.

He is also very territorial as poor Goosestep found out.

And then a new boy arrived...he didn't last long.

Amazing really as I didn't think he would survive when he first arrived with his half his head flapping around.

Friday 15th October

A typical Autumn day, dull but getting cooler we had been warned of a frost but I don't think it happened.
I got out mid afternoon after a busy morning and was surprised how quickly I relaxed when walking just 5 minutes from home.
The furled mushroom on Monday was a Parasol as I had surmised.
But what is this? It looks ceramic or lunar but I think it is edible.

I thought all the spiders had moved into my house but spotted this one (almost trod on it).

And finally ....it makes me so sad when this happens...the most beautiful Redwing, it must have flown into the window and I found it on the patio. A winter visitor to this country (it didn't weigh a lot for its size) it was truly perfect.

Thursday 14th October

Well ...no pictures of Bradshott today as IOB left the country and went to London, Tate Modern beckoned with an exhibition by Ai Weiwei, sadly it was closed for essential maintainance, the exhibit is made up of millions of Sunflower seeds each one created from ceramic and individually painted. Today they were being raked by two laddies, it was just like raking the leaves back in the country....apart from mention on the website that there is a problem with the porcelain dust created by people walking over it, also mentions of treasure buried by visitors (I hate to think). Good Job bobblehead did'nt see the seeds or he would have a broken beak as well as two heads!

it was a cloudy day looking out over the Thames, Gilbert White would have had a very different view of St Pauls.

Wednesday 13th October

A much cooler and cloudier day today. No walk as too busy, also a big problem whereby I have lost my inbox, (luckily I still have my folders) and its all my own fault...rats! Gilbert White didn't have these problems.

I did go and talk to the horses at the end of the garden , they are getting used to me poking my lens at them and seem to enjoy my company. Lots of what I think is grooming going on (is that where the term comes from).

Something I said?

Tuesday 12th October

It was a perfect day....drank sangria in the dark, and then later when it got park...y.....I went home.
(Lou Reed with Kim English intervention).

Walked down to the lake and loved it that the reflection looked more real than reality!

Also spotted these mushrooms, one is aptly called a Parasol mushroom and is apparently (I find out now) really tasty and good to eat, the other is I think an unopened Parasol but could be a Shaggy ink cap which doesn't sound appetising at all.

Tomorrow I hope to get past this stile and head to the Upper Orchards..

Monday 11th October

No time for a walk again....
But the garden is still providing interest, it was a perfect Autumn day with clear blue skies nce the mist lifted.
On the 10th October 1781 GW writes of the departure of mature house-martins, and the holes left in nutshells by various animals and birds and I will be looking for these when I eventually walk further than the end of the garden.
Bobblehead was very much in evidence today, filling the birdtable trying to conjure up more seed and napping heavily under the bush...

and waddling off in disgust at the lack of service..

Meanwhile circling above, anticipating a bit of pigeon a la raw is Buster the Buzzard III !

to be continued.....

Sunday 10th October

The One that got away.....

Didn't have to go anywhere this morning, as I walked down the stairs I saw through the window a rather stunned sparrowhawk, I had heard a flapping and tumbling of feathers, but missed the spectacle. I couldn't get to the camera without startling it further so called to himself who didn't have his glasses.....we didn't get a picture but happily the bird flew away unharmed.

Not obviously photographed by me....or himself.

Saturday 9th October

A full days work in Farnham today so not much time for walking. A quick whizz to the orchard and my favourite Barn, this is currently for sale dropped from 1.25m to £950,000. It has planning for a grand house the views are just fantastic, I will be happy to see it being used and hopefully becoming a happy home for a family rather than the abandoned building it currently is....but I will miss the feeling of peace and time suspended that I have tried to capture in my photographs over the past 10 years.

8th October 2010

No guidance or template from Gilbert for this mornings walk, so just the walk as it was for me.
A warm but misty morning, the horses stepping through the mist as though surprised at their own hooves.

My Neighbours cat 'Little' (not an apt name) wishing for some vole action.



 Hops in the bottom orchard. (Blackmoor apple tasting this Sunday 10th October) .

Hops are used in the creation of real ale and are also hung in the local pubs, traditionally to absorb the smell of tobacco, nowadays they cover up other odours...

Hop bines are available for sale from Hartley Park Farm, they are dried and sold on the bine to provide natural decoration and absorb cooking odours.