Oh glorious day.....

My dears, what a glorious day t'as been. Why, the weather was crisp and cold with big blue skies. The landscape was at its autumn best, green and brown fields demarcated by dark, smudgy bare hedges, clipped into a semblance of tidy by the farmer and his trusty tractor. The leaves left on the trees creating a dappled but sparce canopy of autumn splendour, dotted through with evergreens, heavy with winter berries. As the sun crept high in the sky, before dipping low again, the pheasants were abound in the lanes, dashing hither and thither as their glorious plummed finery glowed in the caress of the sun's rays; carriages made their way carefully past females, less vivid but so becoming in their creamy brown camouflage. 

I took the opportunity, whilst the male guardian was once more at his professional toil, to visit a fine little town, renowned for its stunning location on Exmoor, as well as the delightful nature of its small but select shops in which to purchase one's desires. And, oh, dear reader, what choice, what temptation. One is always tempted by the wares on show but, with the festive season approaching, one must be prudent. I am uncertain to what caused me more joy, the small but select items purchased  or the stunningly beautiful scenery, coupled, of course, with my favourite crisp and cold weather. A day to dress warmly when one is out and about and to have the home fires burning early, with glowing lamplight to welcome the male guardian home. Nought is so welcome as a glowing home, the chimney gently smoking and the waft of something hearty and warming to greet the traveller. 

I do so love the autumn and winter months as we hunker down on our small estate. The fieldfares and blackbirds are making good progress through the windfalls left for their delectation and to help them through these spare months. The delightful Robin has kept me company as I go about my chores and stayed a bright beady eye upon me as I filled the bird feeders with fattening morsels for his supper. No sooner was my back turned and he was enjoying a snack of sunflower seeds, his red breast puffed and glowing as he did so; such a cheery sight, my dears.