The Turning of the Seasons

There is always beauty to be found in the turning of the seasons, but the move towards Autumn is particularly special. The sun is rising a little later in the mornings, it’s glow a little softer, the light more diffused. The sun and moon often hang in the brilliant blue sky at the same time marking East & West. The morning dew lingers on the lawns without the strength of the sunshine and if there is a breeze, it chills and cuts through those summer layers.

While we only find ourselves in the middle of the month, September does mark the meteorological start of autumn. Already, pathways are lightly littered with fallen leaves that are a shade of gold, the mushrooms are beginning to make an appearance and the perennial plants are dying back. Among the changes, the landscape is still clinging onto the colours of the summer. The lillies are in full bloom whenever the sun shines and the stone troughs around the putting green are resplendent as the bedding plants retain the pinks and reds that gave so much pleasure in the summer. The lawns are green and lush and requiring regular upkeep. It seems like a special time when much of what we enjoyed of summer, lingers as we prepare ourselves for the turning of the wheel.

Day’s like these, really lend themselves to exploring the woodlands. My morning walk took me through the woods that leads to the Oaks area of the park. There is a gap in the canopy of trees in this woodland due to some storm damage taken by a beautiful oak tree in the winter of 2018 when we were hit by the “Beast from the East”! You will notice the carefully cut logs that remain. The tree itself, two years on stands majestically in the woodland with only a small tell tale scar of the damage it sustained.

The ancient rocks that over spill from Brimham onto our land are also very much a host for life at present. It always astounds me what can actually grow out of these spectacular rocks. This morning I spied a self seeded oak tree sapling among the heather and grasses. I will keep a close eye on it to see how it develops.

Please enjoy the photographs below taken this week and if you see any of the beautiful red capped spotted mushrooms on your walks around Warren Forest, please send them in. I haven’t found any this year…..yet!!