Dog-hater...

Another dank grey day, although the golden leaves of the trees in Bluebell Wood looked so very beautiful. Rosie has become increasingly confident over the last couple of days, and clearly showed us that she wanted to go that way, a path I've been avoiding since Gemma first became ill.

I stopped to photograph a very splendid sulphur polypore on an aged willow next to the water's edge and shortly afterwards this cob swan came steaming across the river, all macho hissing. This aggression was directed at Rosie, but she took no notice of him at all. Thirteen years of river-side walks have taught her that our local swans are all bluster and never choose to pick a fight with a dog.

The afternoon was spent doing GCSE chemistry with Ben and N. Today we made oxygen and carbon dioxide, and then burnt magnesium in the oxygen we had made. I'd forgotten quite how bright the flame was! The boys were so impressed that we had to repeat it. I shall certainly miss it when I don't have any reason to play with chemicals any more!!