Beach profile

At Hengistbury Head, beyond the Double Dykes, the beach turns from predominantly sand to predominantly pebble until the sand returns towards the long groyne and continues to the far end of Mudeford Spit.  This pebble beach stretch is fluid and susceptible to change, it's profile moving between a gentle gradient and a more acute gradient. Currently the winter waves have scooped up the pebbles pushing then back towards the cliff and piled them up, sculpting a huge step, so high as to obscure your view from the bottom, 2 meters plus, easily. The power of nature.

Autumn Equinox

Man, that came around disturbingly quick, the Autumnal Equinox is here already! I say that, though out in the forest you know it. Today may be a point of equilibrium, though this cycle is definitely coming to an end, the forest and it's inhabitants are all winding down, and you can almost see the colour draining from the land as you walk through it. That's fair enough, nature deserves a well earned rest, it's done well under challenging conditions. That's not to say there's not stuff still going on. It's second harvest after all, and a time to gather in nuts (the Cob and Hazel in our garden have been prolific this year) and the last of the fruits, as well as a time to collect seeds for the future. It'll soon be mushroom season too, fingers crossed, now that the much needed rains have arrived. It's a good point to take stock of our blessing and give thanks. I hope that Alban Elfed finds your basket brimming, with all the seeds you planted earlier in the year falling on fertile ground and growing to rude fruition. Equinox blessings y'all. 

Lughnasadh

The wheel appears to turn at lightening speed these days, the seasons rushing past, it's quite alarming really, and now Lughnasadh is with us, already! It's astounding, it only seems like yesterday we stood on the cusp of spring. Now is the time of first harvest, the grain harvest, when we begin to gather in the fruits of our labours, as our plans sown as seeds in spring start to come to fruition (if we're lucky). Some of my plans have come to fruition, others are yet to bear fruit, while others came to nought. This has been a good year on the land, at the allotment the crops keep coming, tomatoes, potatoes, shallots, beans, greens, peppers, fruits and of course courgettes, so many courgettes.  Out in nature the first blackberries are out, apples are bowing their boughs, the nuts are swelling, mushrooms are poking through, and across the countryside the fields of grain stand golden. Fingers crossed, our harvest bounties continue. Lughnasadh blessings y'all.