Summer's End.

Well, it's typical August Bank Holiday weather in my neck of the woods... wet, windy and none too warm! It's a real shame because there are loads of things going on round here over the week end hoping to attract the final flush of visitors and raise money for various worthy causes. There are village fetes, horticultural shows, beach clean-ups, guided walks, even a classic car show! I suppose we should know better than to plan outdoor events that rely on good weather in this country at any time of the year, but we always hope for the best. It's a prime example of the triumph of hope over experience!

It's really starting to feel as if summer's almost over now. The swallows have left for sunnier climes, the Elderberries are darkening, the Sycamore leaves are curling up and turning brown. Before long we'll be taking baskets with us every time we go for a walk to gather Elderberries, blackberries, hips, haws and Rowan berries for wine making. Not to mention the plums from the garden, which make a deliciously fruity rose wine, as well as the apples and pears for cider and perry! But we always make sure we leave plenty behind to feed the wildlife over the winter... "Take three and leave one" my grandfather used to say and I still stick to that today.