Golden October

Down to the river,again it is so mild, more like a summers day than a late October one.

The horse chestnut trees have dropped their precious load of conkers and are now shedding their brown leaves already twisting and crispy underfoot.I scuffed my way through them and once again felt the same joy that I felt years ago when I did this as a child, none of the guilty feelings that went with it though for either wearing my shoes out or scratching the surface, which I diligently polished every night, ready to look smart for school the next morning. Indeed it fell my lot to polish every ones shoes, my fathers included, but his had to have special treatment as they had for some reason to be polished underneath as well - on that area between the heel and the sole, and they were so big and my hand so small that they were hard to control, but I always made a good job of them.

I never say October without prefixing it in my mind with the word golden, yet this year the leaves seem slow to turn and I am still awaiting the wonderful, breathtaking views that trees will soon give us.

I was surprised at how many wild flowers were still out and at how low the river was for this time of year. I have heard there are otters in the river but as yet have never been lucky enough to see them. Occasionally I do spot a heron or a kingfisher.