Welcome to this monthly post ‘Harvest’ that explores and harvests from the heart of the month, the stories it contains and the ways in which we can explore it for ourselves.
December has arrived at my doorstep and wrapped their beautiful dark blanket around my days.
The leaves that have fallen are becoming a blackened soup and sinking into the soil, enriching its body. The Beech leaves still atatched to the branches are breathtaking in their russet shades.
The swallows have left to fly amongst elephants, buffalo and wildebeest. The fieldfare, redwing, waxwing and brambling fly in from far away lands to make home here for a while. And many geese, swans and ducks fly in to winter here, yet the robin, feels more alone and solitary, coming towards us humans more and more as winter takes hold. Mornings are coloured with early mist, and the crows and ravens toad like calls are magnified within the trees and valleys.
The plants have mainly descended into the earth, leaving hardy fellows like bay, rosemary, thyme and sage within the gardens. Dandelion, plantain and yarrow leaves, wet yet alive are still available for my teapot, and nettles too, from areas previously strimmed and mown, are around to regularly help nourish and mineralise my days.