Sunday 16th October 2022

I am at the point now when there is no fretting about going out, getting things done.

The orchid season is pretty much over, no matter what Frog Orchids might say.

I have seen a Queen this autumn.

Wild flowers are still flowering, but reducing in mumbers.

And in the last five weeks I have photographed qabout 14 Kent churches, and four on the Isle of Wight, about eight of those I have yet to process and post.

Maybe it was a day for just going out.

I might take a camera or two. Just in case.

I took three.

Before going out, we have fruit and then crioissants for breakfast, and one then another coffee.

Washed up, and all was set.

Trees, woods and forests now have a golden tinge to them, some more than ever. I had planned for us to go to King's Wood for some colour and fungi, but why go to the other side of Ashford when we have Barham half as close?

Why indeed.

So, we drove out along the A2 then through Kingson to our favourite wood.

It was clear right away that autumn was yet to arrive, with dappled sunlight falling through the very green canopy. No worries, there's always fungi to seek out and photograph.

So, we set off up the path, it rising slightly until the slope to the beech wood, where there was a clamber.

There was fungi everywhere, mostly ones I have no idea of their ID, but there were sulphur coloured, black, brown, small ones, large ones, in sigles and in groups of up to twenty or more.

We did the loop, through the beechwood, then down the path the other side, past where in six months or so there will be crowds of Lady Orchids and Common Twayblades, back to the car.

Shall we go home?

We shall.

I drive us home, back via the pet shop to pick up some bird food for the wild birds, then home where I can prepare lunch.

Lunch is boiled chicken, bacon and rice. Sounds horrible, but is wonderfully warming and tasty. That is done by half one, meaning time to eat and wash up before the football. Because by that time, the sunshine of the morning had given way to clouds and a cool breeze.

The football was diverting, especially the Citeh v Liverpool game which Liverpool won, 1-0, though there was much more to it than the goal.

And then it was evening, so a shower, then tast for supper, and amazingly, despite being half way through October, temperatures were to drop to only 17 degrees overnight.

Windows open all night, and even then it was warm.