The last gourds of summer

I helped Woodpeckers to get to her voluntary work this afternoon, by picking her up at St. Rose's and driving her up to Severn View Academy, which is just about the last building in Stroud as you drive up the Bisley road. From that site you can look back over the Severn Vale and when it is really stormy like today it is very dramatic.

I decided to carry on three miles further to Bisley itself to buy some vegetables at the farm shop. I was a few minutes early so instead of waiting I drove into the village and out the other side to see if any scene caught my eye. I parked on the edge of the valley formed by the erosive power of the springs at Bisley Wells, where the hillside is lined with tall old beech trees. Today the beautiful brown leaves which had still been clinging on to the branches had all fallen, and the very strong winds had formed large piles across the small road under the beech trees. They were like drifts of snow, constantly rising in the air and falling back in new patterns with every further strong gust, or when a car drove down the middle of the lane between the drifts. I tried to capture the rather beautiful effects, but I couldn't master it.

So I drove on to the farm shop and before entering, I saw a customer perusing the stack of christmas trees leaning against the outhouses and sheds. I had a quick look myself as Helena had asked me to buy one, but I am going to wait for Ashley, the farmer, who I know will offer to let me go into the field to choose a specific tree, which he will then cut down.

The light was fading so I took my camera out again and took this picture of the last of the summer gourds that Ashley grew on the farm, next to a Nordman christmas tree similar to the one I will buy next week.


NB
I've just noticed that the picture from a year ago today is of the ducks at Bisley Wells, which I refer to in today's journal.