It always strikes me as odd that Autumn does not officially start until the end of the month (coinciding with the time when the Sun crosses the celestial equator (September 22nd or 23rd) and known as the Autumnal Equinox. There seems already a change in the air and the morning grass is often heavily dewed with misty horizons looking for all the world as if in a pastel portrait with all of its fuzzy edging.
Heady Summer days still hang around with swallows frantically working to build sufficient energy to migrate over many thousands of miles. One day the sky is full of their joyful calls, swirling together into the bright blue. The next they are lining up in rows and suddenly they are gone.
Like old friends I feel sad when they disappear and full of joy when the first one appears in the Springtime. Swallows have always been a feature of our lives since moving into this place. Nesting in the old barns, I never cease to be amazed by their capacity for acrobatics and how hard they work to bring up their babies, often more than one brood over the summer days. It is not always an easy time because we have a cat, ‘TC’, who is also a prolific hunter. When he changes his habits to being a nocturnal cat as the weather warms up, I feel happier knowing that the swallow babies have a better chance to find their wings.
Gardening today in the warm Summer Sun I can again enjoy their company and savour the last moments before they move on. I can only send them off with love and luck in the hope that they will travel safely and come back to us again. Wherever you are travelling today, I hope you go safely.