Clocks change

Today the clocks have gone back which means that the sun will set with us before 5pm. A bright cold day with another frost forecast tonight.

Autumn sunshine

Sunshine filling our living room and casting shadows across the landscape. The grass looks surprisingly green again and the areas we re-seeded have begun to sprout.

Snow

While I was serving breakfast this morning it started to SNOW! It has been a very strange year, grass just cut for silage and now snowflakes in October.

Dawn

After a sleepless night I was awake to watch the dawn unfold. Outside it's mild and damp with dew, lots of small birds sing unseen in the hedges.

Family time

Last night we sat around the kadai, lit sparklers and watched the stars! A lovely mild evening and time to relax.

Puss aka non-pet

Puss came and sat on the bench this morning giving us meaningful looks, we went and got her food and she immediately walked across the lane to inspect the sheep!

Sunset

Another beautiful but too early sunset, it's completely dark now before we finish supper and the sun has moved round to set at the bottom of the garden so I can watch it as I cook.

Still flowering

Flowers that survived the Storm Callum gales bringing late colour to the garden.

Haylage

The fine weather makes it possible to get a late cut of grass for haylage, very welcome after such a difficult year. It will provide the cows with some tasty winter feed. It is always scary to see the laden trailer squeeze past our stone gateposts!

Fog

We've had some very misty starts this week with still mild air. I love watching the way the mist tumbles down the Big Field, it moves fast and can form and be gone in minutes.

Walking

The wonderful weather is too good to be filled with domestic tasks so we drive to Alstonefield a little further up from us in the Peak District and go walking.

Grass cutting

With snow until March and the summer drought it's been a really difficult year for livestock farmers. This means that the fine sunny weather forecast for this week provides the chance to cut a late crop of grass from our fields. It will help feed neighbouring cows through the winter.

The grass is always greener

No matter how big your field is ... the tastiest bits are always just out of reach! I love watching the sheep in the field opposite us.

Sunny days

Pink roses against a blue sky ... it could be summer, especially as everyone is cutting grass and the lanes rattle to the sound of silage trailers.

Crumpets

Hot buttered crumpets with homemade Hill Farm damson jam, a great way to start a wet weekend!

Wet start

Woke to fine rain which has been falling most of the night. Again this morning I can hear geese flying over the farmhouse calling to eachother, I wonder where they go on their daily journeys. Little birds chatter in the hedge and the sheep have spread themselves out to enjoy the lush, damp grass.

Glorious colours

Last week's frosts have caused the leaves to start changing to their autumn colours. An afternoon of unexpected blue skies (and grazing sheep).

First fire of autumn

Tonight after a really grey day with plenty of drizzle it's a real pleasure to light our first fire of the autumn. I love the smell of woodsmoke.

Amazing sky

We have a glorious sky here tonight to mark the start of October.