A Palette of Autumnal Contrast………

A marked contrast in colours. The Beech are now sporting a head of full autumn gold whilst the Oak is still in full green mode…just the occasional leaf starting to turn brown.

Silver Birch are still in leaf, all be it now pale yellow and contrasting against the blue skies……

For what is now mid-November this is quite exceptional for our part of the northern hemisphere. By all that is right our woods should be bare skeletons ready to face whatever winter can throw at them.

Early morning is still one of the best times to be out in the woods watching the sun first catching the tops of the taller trees…..

Then as it rises higher cutting through the Pines with a warming glow…….

But overnight the frost and morning winds have changed the character of part of the woods.  Trees like this Chestnut, now virtually bare, yesterday they were still full……

and the evidence of all this loss is now a thick carpet across the woodland floor ready to boost the cycle of life for another year…….

Winter may well be knocking on the door but lets enjoy the bonus of this late autumn while we can.

14th November

© David Oakes 2013