The corn is cut now, the clocks have gone back and it's time to light the fires. This requires trawling the woods for kindling and the diligent drying of twigs and logs that in my impatience to heat the house ends in billows of smoke from wet wood and the need to open windows to be able to breathe - defeating trying to keep warm.
Rocket is hard to see here and rare for him to be standing still. Lurchers are running dogs and usually just disappear over the horizon so you can't see them. Standing still so you can't see them is a new and interesting ploy.
The Missing of Stanley Ruff is out on Kindle! Personally I'm not a kindle reader - I look at screens enough when I'm writing it and love the feel of a book in my hand when it comes to reading, snuggled up in front of the fire - oh - wait a minute -the smoke, freezing cold with all those open windows.
Pepys the duckling has grown up. Unlike Rocket these guys would not stay still when I tried to photograph them - they are running ducks after all I suppose. But Pepys is at the back with the boys in the garden. He is so sweet - fortunately has forgotten I was his mother - and just does normal duck things now.
We've had rather a lot of expensive visits to the vet this month. Dear Pixie had a near scrape with death by developing an infected womb and Rocket stole her anti-biotics when no one was looking. He ate them all which is odd because Pixie didn't like to eat them unless you smeared them with cream cheese or pate. He had to have his stomach pumped.
Pixie had to wear a T shirt to stop her chewing her wound (she asked me not to put a photo up) so I bought up a load of size 18 T shirts from the charity shop. Her favourite was the pink one I think though she looked very fetching in her stripy French one. I think she grew tired of us saying bon jour to her when she was wearing it.
Nothing untoward happened to Pocket and I asked him for his wise words on the situation.
We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression he told me. " Confucius eh? " I said. He scowled, looked appropriately confused and went back to sleep.
Any interesting facts this month Pixie ? I queried. Apart from the fact that the gate was closed and wasn't anyone going to let her pass she told me that Amazon originally used the codename Fiona for the Kindle and when they eventually chose the name, Kindle was chosen as it meant to light a fire. A fire without smoke I presume I quipped. There is no smoke without fire I heard Pocket mumble.
I see that Rocket is surrounded by endangered toys - tiger, bee, whale .............
The dahlias are putting on a late autumn show and the horses have moved onto hay.
Smoke
by Henry Thoreauu
Light-winged Smoke! Icarian bird, Melting thy pinions in thy upward flight; Lark without song, and messenger of dawn, Circling above the hamlets as thy nest; Or else, departing dream, and shadowy form Of midnight vision, gathering up thy skirts; By night star-veiling, and by day Darkening the light and blotting out the sun; Go thou, my incense, upward from this hearth, And ask the gods to pardon this clear flame.
