Bright and early do not figure in my repertoire these days, at least not if it means vacating the bed. This morning, though, if there had been larks, I would have been up with them. Just before 7 am the light was magical. It was a case of grabbing cardie and camera, and setting off in my nightie (black silk in case you wanted to know, and so chic with scarlet woolly, motley scarf and green rubber clogs). It had to be done though, and just as well there were no neighbours to see, or early morning walkers on the field path. So here are the pix, hot off the memory card.
Out in the garden Teasing Georgia was all dewy buds and drooping petals. She’s having a second flowering, although this time round the roses have a slumberous air even when freshly opened. As if to say, ‘Don’t like us too much. We’re not staying long’.
Over the fence in the field the light is golden. For the first time I notice the change in leaf colour in the wood on the hill. I also notice that the farmer looks to have sown the field with a green manure after harvesting the wheat. If so, heavens be praised. It’s about time the land had a real nutrient fix along with the chemical cocktails. The speed the seedlings are growing I’m guessing it’s a mix of rye grass and mustard. We’ll see.
Our garden is long and narrow, and several steps up from the house. At the top corner we have a gate onto the field path, and just over the fence we have our ‘guerrilla garden,’ planted with insect pleasing plants in mind and to make some reparation for all the pesticides used on the far side of the path. I’m making a similar unofficial planting along the outside of our neighbours’ fence. A floral gallery approach to gardening. We could also call it a flood alleviation measure, given the field’s tendency to create run-off. At the moment it is the season of Michaelmas daisies and tiny russet crab apples, along with the last of the sweet peas, sunflowers, helenium and rudbeckia. Most of the year I leave the border to its own devices, apart from some thistle, nettle and couch grass removal. It gives us a lot of pleasure through the changing seasons.
Another summer-long feature that has dominated the garden chez Farrell is Project Shed. He who has been building it, aka Graham, has finally finished the job apart from having the electrics expertly checked. He has built it from scratch from his own design, including re-purposing next-doors’ cast-off windows and door glass from another chum. The curved railway truck roof is both a nod to the fact that the Great Western Railway, before Mr. Beeching killed it, once ran across our road, and also to reduce the shed’s height so it doesn’t loom over our neighbours. Now that he has practised I think I must insist on one for me – a cosy hideaway in which to muse and snooze, and write word or two. Beside the gate would be nice…I could watch the field grow, the bees in the guerrilla garden and the comings and goings of rooks…
The Changing Seasons: September Please visit Max to see his fab September gallery, and to share your own changing seasons photos.
copyright 2017 Tish Farrell
Tish Farrell 
Black silk and rubber clogs…. how on earth will I ever get this image out of my mind!
Mr G has done a super job. What a shed! I can barely supervise the delivery of bricks stone and sand … which is happening the afternoon, without going through a tortuous arm-flapping windmill routine so’s the truck driver doesn’t knock anything over!
Windmill Ark, that’s a wonderful image. Good luck with the delivery.
All done! My front garden is now occupied with tiny hillocks of sand stone and brick. Tomorrow the builder arrives.
And builds what?
We are having an old gate removed from the lower part of the property at street level and walling it up.
Not a shed then. Am getting as bad as G, infected by shed-headedness. Btw I’m having a blogging break. TTFN.
Catch you on the flipside, as they say (used to say?)
🙂
Don’t know why, I had you down as an early bird, Tish!! The shed is fab, and I love your early morning attire!!!
I am often awake early – listening to Farming Today – just not UP.
Oh, OK!
Lovely images! Happy Autumn!
Happy autumn to you too, Roda.
England at it’s idyllic best, Tish, enhanced by Graham’s shed, of course. 🙂 🙂 The roof is a superb idea and I love the history behind it. In the interests of keeping him manfully employed I do think a second shed is called for. Space for an extra stool please 🙂
Of course there will be space for an extra stool/easy chair. I will commission it especially 🙂
Nudge me when it’s ready xx
Will do!
Make that a bench, you might have lots of company…
This is sounding like fun 🙂
…and crowded.
Lovely images Tish. But of course the image I will remember is of you in nightgown, scarf and rubber clogs. I had a similar morning recently (cotton rather than silk for me) trying to capture the Tuis (wonderful native birds) breakfasting on our Kowahi tree. No decent images, but a peaceful interlude.
Graham’s shed is splendid and Jo is right; a second is in order!
Two mad women together then, dashing out to capture early morning happenings. I like it 🙂
Some of the best things happen early in the morning 🙂
Love the amber light of fall. Even though it is still raining, during the brief moments when a ray of sun shines through, you can see autumn in the rays. Your golden field brings back memories of things I’ve never seen, but wish i had seen.
Yes, you’ve put your finger right on it – remembering somewhere you’ve never been. I feel that about the place, even when I’m here – as if there’s another dimension/parallel universe. All very fascinating.
What a lovely place to call home. I am in love with the new addition and all of that stone and rock and brick…well lets just say I could covet it. Great pictures by the way.
Such a lovely comment, bc.
So much to love about this post Tish. The light over the field, those Heleniums, Graham’s shed and the image of you in your nightie!
🙂
There’s only one photo missing from this superb collection; a selfie in black silk,cardie, scarf, and clogs.
Oh no. Much too shocking! 🙂
😀
Lovely golden light in that sunset photo!
Thank you, Max 🙂
Well worth getting up for, great photos of your lovely world. I think you could hire Mr. GF out as a shed builder extraordinaire!
I’m thinking you are right about the hiring out, Gilly,
That light! That light! And what a great shed. I also like your plans for your shed of your own. Snoozing and musing and all those observing delights.
I’m working on he who builds 🙂
Isn’t it wonderful to capture those unexpected and magical moments!
Your ensemble sounds like the perfect outfit for exploring your garden paradise.
Ha! So glad you approve 😉
So good to be back Tish and what a collection of delightful images of your garden as autumn arrives and what a coincidence, my Jack is at the moment building a garden shed, but a very pedestrian kit set one. I will not show him your Grahams beauty as his competitive spirit will kick in and he has been considering using recycled materials but I persuaded him that could be in the too hard and too long drawn out basket. I think your description of your early morning attire really should have been recorded…
Glad to hear Jack is busy. Men seem to reach an age when sheds become a necessity. Graham’s has just had the electricity connected to it, so he’s v. happy.
Our shed is just for garden tool and garden stuff storage as they are banished from the garage as that is being made into a “man’s cave” for Jack and his son to “play” in….
Ah, the garage sounds just the ‘cave’.
😋