Autumn colours

A day of sunshine and showers again! I attempted to take Chris to a ground beetle course at Ring Haw, and having left early, we found that the A47 had been closed because of an accident! So we dashed back home to find an alternative route that avoided the closed section of road, and amazingly I dropped him off and arrived at Orton Pit, where I was leading a water plant identification day, only five minutes late.

I had a fairly small but select group, but it meant that everyone was fully involved. The showers were pretty hefty, but I was impressed that no-one wanted to give up - I think enthusiasm is infectious. I really enjoy the interaction of a training course - very different from my usual work which tends to be quite solitary. I took my camera, which was carried around all day by a very nice young man, but I was too involved in teaching to take any photographs!

Once I'd finished there was just time for a cup of tea at home before rushing off to collect Chris and deposit him at his girlfriends for a family birthday party, and then off to Ferry meadows to walk the dogs. The skies were amazing - brilliant blue, dark grey shower clouds (which fortunately stayed away) and huge cumulo-nimbus clouds like giant white cauliflowers.

The vegetation along the river was looking very autumnal, particularly the dogwood, whose leaves are turning an amazing shade of red. This is always one of the first species to show colour - but you can be sure that other trees and shrubs won't be too far behind!