vivid memories, late summer and autumn

 

Vivid memories from late summer and autumn.

Robin's pincushions near Bampton in west Oxfordshire, growing on brambles in ancient water-meadows.

The extraordinary Buddha's Hand lemon, seen in Santar, Portugal.

And, finally, exotic spindle berries near Newbridge, west Oxfordshire.

robins, happy christmas!

 

Loved these knitted robins, seen in Faversham when visiting family!

Happy Christmas!!

eek!, first post since late summer, apples, pears, diploma, portugal, kellogg centre, jane draycott, malachi mcintosh, analog days, go with the flow

 

Eek! The time has whizzed past!

The late summer, the early autumn - with days spent on the allotment and a reviving trip to Wiltshire, Michaelmas Term, all happened since I last posted.

There were the two Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing teaching Saturdays - loved meeting the students. Not to mention a trip to Portugal to stay with dearest friends (see photos, above, which include Viseu cathedral, a gigantic beam that works a wine press and a ruined mansion in Santar) - fantastic, as always! 

There were two Kellogg Centre for Creative Writing seminars, which I hosted - wonderful to meet both Jane Draycott and Malachi McIntosh!

There have been harvests of winter salads, which have continued after the sharp frosts, and carrots, beetroot, turnips and daikon radishes. Plus the odd late gladioli and supplies of marigolds and nasturtiums (latter to float in glasses of white wine).

The apples and pears kept us going for almost three months.

Happy times. And soon, Christmas and New Year!

Don't know why I've not posted, though I'm pleased now to go with the flow. Once - justthoughtsnstuff.com days - blogging at least once a week (sometimes way more times) was essential to identity and mental health. But now, thankfully, there is time for things like reading (paperbacks these days rather than ebooks) and keeping a writer's notebook (in pencil rather than on screen). Changing times. Go with the flow!