Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Sunday, 3 September 2023

Herefordshire 2023 (11) - Part 1: Hatfield

 

We returned to Herefordshire last week Monday to Friday. Sadly, the weather wasn't brilliant as it rained a lot on 2 of the days and there were showers another day but we did manage to get out a few times which I'll write about in the next two blog posts.  

The small garden and border at Hatfield is still looking colourful and monbretia is now flowering.









The Octopus Tree




The Herefordshire Oak and the



Constable Tree




There are signs of autumn appearing everywhere - Elderberries and Blackberries in the hedgerow to the side of the caravan and




Hawthorn berries are ripening.






Last year we got over 100 cooking apples from the small apple tree in the garden but this year I think we will be lucky to get a dozen.  We picked a few and some blackberries and B made an Apple and Blackberry Pie.







While we were there there was a Super Blue moon and the clouds cleared for a while so I was able to get a record shot.




A Blue Moon occurs when the pattern of days in a year means there are 13 full moons rather than the usual 12.   A Super Moon occurs when the moon is at its closest point as it orbits the earth.  The combination of a Blue and Super Moon will not occur again until 2037.

That evening the bats were out in full force all around the caravan.





After we arrived on the Monday we did the usual click and collect at Morrisons, Leominster and filled up with petrol.  Tuesday it rained all day and evening! But we did zip into Leominster when the rain eased a bit in the afternoon as D had to pay a cheque into the bank.  Wednesday was drier although there were still showers and we visited Berrington Hall. Thursday meant more rain although it stopped briefly in the afternoon and I dragged D along to a church I hadn't visited before which was thankfully open!  There were dragons and some rather interesting effigies there.  Friday was dry and sunny and we rather wasted it debating over whether we should stay another two nights. In the end we left at tea-time and stopped off for a meal at The Fountains Inn in Tenbury Wells on the journey home.


All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumiz FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).


8 comments:

Rustic Pumpkin said...

Soon, it will be time to do a comparison post on the trees again, won't it? How quickly the time has flown around again That was some mighty crop of apples last year. Not so good this year. but swings and roundabouts. I think the blackberry crop is absolutely phenomenal this year.

Ragged Robin said...

Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. No idea where the year has gone to again! Agree about the blackberry crop :)

Rosie said...

Lots of blackberries around this year, we gleaned a small bowl full from the brambles in our holly hedge at the top of the garden. I made an apple and blackberry crumble. Your apple and blackberry pie looks very tasty. The flowers and trees at Hatfield look wonderful. Shame about the rain, so different this week seems like summer has returned. Lovely photo of the moon:)

Ragged Robin said...

Rosie - Thanks so much. As Debbie says it seems an excellent year for blackberries. We too collected some from garden at home and a crumble was made :) And David collecated more yesterday to make some muffins :) It does get a bit claustrophobic when you can't go out as B has to have tv or radio on constantly which is a trifle wearing :( I suspect if I'd been there this week I may well have said it was too hot to go out!!! You can't win!

Billy Blue Eyes said...

That pie looks scrummy, our next door neighbor gave us a load of cooking apples, my wife made Apple crumble with them Mmmmm

Ragged Robin said...

Billy Blue Eyes - Thanks so much. I prefer crumble to pie :)

CherryPie said...

Loving the look of the autumal fruits. How soon autumn has come round again...

Ragged Robin said...

CherryPie - Thank you and yes it has.