As I walked Olga on the Heath on Sunday, we kept hearing popping and rustling sounds in the trees. Olga, who is very attuned to treetop noises because they could be a SQUIRREL, just about went crazy. But the sounds were just acorns, falling by the thousands, because it's that time of year. I noticed that they're a bit pinkish, which I've never seen in an acorn before.
We're starting to see more colorful leaves, too. England never has leaves as psychedelic as North America's -- my hunch is that overall we have more oaks and fewer maples, and it's the maples that really take on those deep red colors. Here's an interesting article about why Europe lacks the vivid red fall tree color found in North America and Asia -- it may have to do with the position of mountain ranges during the last Ice Age. Who knew?!
The chestnuts -- or as the English say, conkers -- are falling now, too. They always look so beautiful, clean and shiny, jewels of the forest. They look too nice to be left lying in the dirt!
This has been a good week for finding things on the sidewalk. I found a credit-card holder (no identification) containing a subway card with £15 on it -- and the holder is a little handmade cloth thing that's pretty cool. I think I'll use it.
I also found a box of discarded music CDs from which I pulled a few that I thought I might like -- some homemade mixes and a copy of "Forever Changes" by the '60s band Love, which is a terrific album! I am getting my psychedelic groove on with that one. (How often can I use the word psychedelic multiple times in one blog post?)
Finally, did I mention that the squirrels have completely destroyed our squirrel feeder? They got impatient with having to lift the lid, and decided it would be easier to chew the side away and remove the plastic window. The feeder has been reduced to a ragged box with an open front and nothing to hold in the nuts. I'm going to try to glue the window back in place. We'll see.
Those pesky rodents always find a way to get what they want...Good that you had an extra Kong on hand for Olga...That little dog has the best adventures.
ReplyDeletesome great pictures.lots of leaves falling here but they are all just brown. my son was/is a finder. I guess he still is. as a kid wandering around the neighborhood he would always come home with something. he found money a lot too. one day we were walking along and he leaned over and picked up a $20 bill.
ReplyDelete15 pounds on a tube card, that's a pretty good find. Are going to roast any of those chestnuts?
ReplyDeletei am intrigued by your squirrel hospitality...lol
ReplyDeletethank you for finding the CD , I had forgotten how much I loved " being in love with almost everyone". What a find! and THE CARD - a ticket to ride which comes in very handy! Lucky day! It is karma because you are GOOD! - so some people say- I kind of think it's true. Even Olga is the luckiest pooch, Kong lucky, boy lucky, walking lucky.
ReplyDeleteThose chestnuts are remarkable. I'm used to only seeing them roasted -- or smelling them roasting, something I loved when I lived in New York City. And acorns! We don't have many acorns here in southern California unless you go into the woods --
ReplyDeleteGEEZ I meant that it 's kind of true about KARMA not about you being good...that is a given, Karma is the question...
ReplyDelete