The Devon lane in early Autumn

To be precise these photos were taken on a lovely sunny afternoon on October 12th and others added on November 4th, 2010. The previous night had been wet and windy so leaves had fallen from the trees. We had a very wet summer, in South West England so the Autumn colours do not promise to be spectacular this year. You get more dramatic colours when the summer has been hot and dry.Nevertheless muted colours are also attractive. I live in a very beautiful place, the Blackdown hills, that straddle the Devon/Somerst border.

How pleasant it is to walk the country lanes at any time of the year, but when the sun is shining in Autumn it is very pleasant indeed. The sky is azure and there is a gentle breeze. The animals in the fields are at peace and the traffic is only light. These poplars are peeping over the hedge with their leaves half blown away. Summer has gone The night's are drawing in and we have the long winter evenings in doors to look forward to. Everything has its place and although we love the Summer, Winter has its joys too.

We are watching the Autumn leaves dying but for us it is a glorious sight. So it is with an elderly person who has lived their life well. They are failing in health but there is something glorious about them. Such is the much loved Grandma or Grandad. The life they have led is still mirrored in their radiant smile and welcoming voice. Later comes the resurrection of Spring.

These ivy flowers are amazing with parts that radiate from the centre of the flower. They look as if they inspired those massage balls you get for Christmas in a package of soap products. This plant is common on walls and this particular one is on the wall outside my flat. The walk down a Devon lane includes several house gardens which have their delights along with the wild flowers. Our part of Devon does not have great expanses of wild country; here the wild and the civilized live alongside each other.

There is an old wive's tale that lots of berries point to there being a severe winter. Others say that it just means it was a good summer for them to grow. It was certainly a wet summer so everything was kept moist. We can certainly see a plentiful supply of berries in this picture. Again they are on a garden plant on a garden wall. We have one more picture from a garden and then it's wildlife all the way.

I've only just discovered that this is Himalayan balsam. i consulted my flower book. Previously I have found it quite difficult to photograph this plant as I did it in bright sunshine and the colour washed out of it, but I am quite pleased with this photo. It is quite a tall plant and likes to live near streams and rivers.

You can make a syrup from these rose hips. It used to be a popular drink to give to babies in the U.K. I don't know if it still is. I will have to look around the shops and see. I believe it is full of vitamin C. These hips are a reminder that Autumn gives way to Winter and we don't like that very much, but beyond Winter is Spring when the seed pods will burst and the seeds fall to the ground and begin the cycle of life again.Here is a link to Rosehip Recipes

See how this holly bush is covered in berries.The birds will have a feast this year. It is amazing how the harvest comes each year both for the wild things and with our food. Our Earth is an amazing place provided by a loving Father. For those of us in the plentiful places it's our job to help those who are without.

Without water we would be in a bad way. It is essential for all living creatures. That's why they recently had explosions on the moon to see if they could find water or signs that it had been there. In the U.K. we get an abundant supply of water so much so that we moan about the rain. We would soon find ourselves in terrible trouble if it stopped.

Someone thoughtfully put this seat about halfway around this walk. I have not had to use it yet, but as the years go on I may well be thankful to take a little break. The walk is probably under two miles so I hope to enjoy it for several years yet. The walk swings out around the village and then in again and up through its centre.

One of the delights of Autumn is to see the different shaped seeds and seed pods. Acorns are charming with their little green hats (if you turn them upside down.) There are pepper pot seed pods on flowers such as the red campion. The himalayan balsam has a seed pod which, when fully, dry sends its seeds leaping out at a touch from a passing human or animal. Because of this it is sometimes called Jumping Jack.

The sun was not often seen this summer and yet it has done its work in bringing this bracken to maturity. The splendour of this golden show brightens the day for the passer-by. Bracken is from the fern family. It is found on every continent except Antarctica, but does not grow in desert areas. It provides good shade for bluebells but many other plants find it toxic and will not grow near it. Over the world some people eat the tender tips of the leaves but others believe it to be carcinoginous. However it makes a welcome sight in Autumn.

This is obviously a soggy field which the rushes love. Autumn sunshine makes them look all the more splendid. I remember as children we used to love to split the rush with our thumbnail and then push out the pith within. It fascinated us how long this pith could be. I don't suppose the rush was fascinated by our attention. This field almost looks like hair blowing in the wind. One feels a knight on a white horse might suddenly appear in this field in shining armour and offer to whisk one away whether one was a damsel in distress or not.

Blackberries and apple make a lovely pie or crumble. A truly well-matched combination of flavours. However beware, we are now in October and the old wives say that the devil gets into blackberries in October. No doubt there is some sensible reason for not picking blackberries in October, perhaps the birds have been at them too much and you may pick up some illness from them. These days it is not advisable to ever pick berries from the roadside as they can be affected by lead and other emissions. If between August and the end of September you can find a nice hillside away from the road, that is an ideal time and place to pick them. And if you have a freezer they freeze perfectly so then you can have them any time, but I don't think there will be any left for October.

The sun shines on the golden leaves and the green and the dark trunks add contrast. Trees are a delight at any time of the year. Soon there will be no leaves on these just the delicate filigree of bough and twig. Strange that we see death in such negative terms but the trees show us there is beauty even in dying.

This tree, some sort of weeping tree, is holding its hand to the Autumn wind to give up its leaves. Inside the tree life goes on un-noticed and at a lower level. The tree sleeps till Spring when the leaves will burst out again and draw food from the sun to continue the cycle which makes the tree stronger and stronger, till the final winter strikes.

Richard and Alison are friends of mine who live within four miles of my original Devon Lane. These 2010 Autumn photos were taken near their house from which they run their business Wildside Experience. They love to share their knowledge of the countryside and give their customers exciting experiences of living in the natural world. To find out more go to their website here

Drink in the glory of the

Autumn colours.

Saturate your mind

With this bliss.

For this dazzling blaze

Of differing hues

Will quickly pass.

One sharp frost,

Or one wet windy night

Will rob us

Of this wonderful display.

The candle flares up

Before the darkness comes.

Drink in the colour

And store it in your mind

To cheer you

In the grey days of the winter.

And then prepare for Spring's gentler splendour.