1978 August to October
August 2nd
When I set off for school this morning the weather was
like yesterdays. Then it began to rain. The clouds were bursting
right over my head. I knew this because the rain fell straight
down. It made a drumming sound as it pounded against the leaves,
like a million taps dripping at once.
August 5th
This morning the sky was overcast but the clouds were high
up and the sun managed to shine. I went a walk up Hill Sixty and
then through the Back Meadow. On the far side I saw an adult Fox
jump over the wall and run across Radcliffe’s moor because it
was startled to see me and Cindy. Last night my Dad saw a young
Fox cub at the gate onto the road. Just lately I have seen quite
a few Foxes, so a new fox community must have set itself up on
the land about the farm.
August 6th
The sky has been grey and overcast with clouds all day.
There have been some showers of rain. In the afternoon at about
quarter past two my
brother saw a young Fox playing on the wall where the bridge has
fallen down. When he followed it, it ran away. Then about ten
minutes later he spotted two young Cubs cross the second bridge
in the meadow. I saw them as well: they were busily playing
about and sniffing every blade of grass. Then they went to hunt
rabbits in the rushes. One came face to face with our cat,
Truffle. Not knowing what Truffle was he passed her by, while
giving her curious glances.
August 7th
The weather has been the same as yesterdays. Last night my
brother saw both Foxes on the lane. This morning I saw one of
them in the Farm Field. The three dogs that I had just let out
didn’t even see it but Cindy was sniffing at its scent in the
wood shed. Later when my Dad got up he saw one Cub surrounded by
about 40 Bullocks. It was in the Lane Field and tried to ignore
the Bullocks, but they were chasing it, so it ran into the Farm
Field for safety. As it ran up the drive it saw Daddy’s head
sticking out of the window so it ran the other way. Finally it
escaped from the Bullocks after they had chased it across the
meadow. These two young Foxes seem to have taken a liking to the
farm, so I think they are here to stay.
August 8th
Last night my brother said he saw four young foxes in the
meadow. The only possible explanation can be that he was drunk,
but now I think he was sober because I saw two in the Farm Field
tonight. I watched one take a drink from the well and some dog
food that I had left on the lawn. The other was just sat by the
car. The foxes must have been very hungry or else very
inexperienced. A few years ago foxes never went near houses that
had dogs, and ours are tied up outside.
The
leaves are starting to fall off the trees. On the way home I saw
a small party of Swallows and House Martins sat on the telephone
wires. Soon they will be flying back to Africa.
August 10th
When I set off in the morning to walk to the village the
sky was a clear blue and the sun was shining. There was only a
strip of white cloud at the back of the house. Everywhere was
calm and the only noise was the hum of insects and birds
singing. On a post in Radcliffe’s field I saw a Little Owl. It
seemed such a lovely day that secretly I wished that I could
miss the coach, and I did.
When I
arrived back home I decided to walk right round the reservoir.
It was a walk that I had never been on alone. I set off with
Cindy. When I came to the first stony shore there were three
female Wheatears on it, besides some Skylarks. On the wall by
the ruins I saw a pair of Wrens. There was a Robin in the only
Elm tree in the Croft.
August 15th
This morning the sun was shining and the sky was blue with
clouds. I saw the young Foxes at the back of the barns. On the
way home I saw a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly opposite the
well. Every night since August 10th a fox has visited
the garden. On Friday the sun was quite hot again and I saw many
Cabbage White butterflies flying over the rushes and marshy
areas. I also saw several pairs mating.
August 16th
Today the sun was shining with a blue sky and just a few
white clouds. Across in Pump House Wood I saw a Willow Warbler
playing about in the trees. I only rarely see Willow Warblers on
the farm.
August 19th
Today the weather was the same as on August 16th.
I saw many Cabbage White and Tortoiseshell butterflies, Daddy
Long Legs and Bumble Bees flying about the fields in the
sunshine. In My Place, Knapweed, Field Scabious and Yarrow
plants are flowering. Yesterday I picked a fully grown Frog up
to save it from being washed down the water pipe. It felt slimy,
like a mass of horrible jelly, but I had to save it.
August 30th
Today the sky was a deep blue colour, with many hundreds
of clouds in it. Some were large others enormous and very small
ones. They ranged from white to a dark grey, and I could see
them being driven along by strong air currents. Every now and
again the sun would shine through a gap.
By the Elderberry tree in
the Farm Field I saw a small Frog. It was a brown colour with
black blotches for markings unlike the green one I saw on August
18th. About two days ago I saw a frog with the same
sort of markings and colour in the ditch by Jack Ash Tree. That
frog was larger then the one I saw today but a lot smaller than
the one I saw on August 18th. Perhaps frogs change
colour as they grow older because I can never remember seeing a
young green one.
September 18th
Today the sky has been full of clouds of every different
shape and colour clouds could possibly be. The sun was shining
and I could just see patches of blue sky between the clouds. On
my way home I saw a Dragonfly hovering between the Alders in
Pump House Wood. It was about twenty cm long and flew right past
me.
September 20th
Today the sky has been overcast all day. In the morning
fog poured off the moor and visibility was terrible. I could not
see Jack Ash Tree from the house. In the evening I went outside
to see what the dogs were barking at. There was a young fox
stood by the Elderberry tree. When it saw me it ran away,
stopping every now and again to peer back over its shoulder
inquisitively at me.
September 21st
Today there has been a blue sky with the sun shining and
many large white cotton clouds. Several leaves have fallen from
the trees and in the breeze I could smell the lovely musty smell
of autumn. On the Alder trees in Pump House Wood small green and
brown cones can be seen.
September 23rd
In the morning the fog was so thick that I could barely
see the outline of Jack Ash Tree. The smoke from the chimney pot
seemed to hang around the house. This made the perfect setting
for a damp, gloomy, musty and mysterious autumn morning. The fog
cleared whilst I went into Bolton with my sister to do some
shopping. There the air was really warm and close. The sky was
overcast and a bright greyish white colour. I thought it would
rain, and in the evening at home it poured down.
September 26th
In the morning the sky was full of many clouds. They were
of every different size and shade possible, from the creamiest
white to the darkest grey. There was a strong blustery wind but
the sun shined through every now and again. Also patches of blue
sky were visible. Across by the barn I saw Blue and Great Tits
flying about on the telephone wires and trees. It is a long time
since I saw a Great Tit on the farm.
October 14th
Yesterday I came back home after our two-week holiday in
Spain. All day it has been foggy and the air is damp. Along the
banks of the streams you can see dead Foxglove stalks and
bracken. On the Alder trees there are many thick, hard, little,
green female catkins. The cones are shedding their seeds.
Underneath the Chestnut tree I found several conkers and the
Hawthorns are covered in red berries. On the ground everywhere
you look there are hundreds of dead leaves of every shade of
brown, gold, yellow and green.
October 17th
Tonight there is a full moon and it went dark at seven
o’clock. One of the grown-up foxes visited the yard while Cindy
barked like mad.
October 20th
I saw a Jay in the tree plantations while coming home on the
school coach. I have seen the Kestrel in the Lane Field nearly
every day this week. Buttercups, Daisies, Thistles and
Dandelions are the only plants still flowering.
October 30th
The sky has been overcast today and sort of hazy with
mist. There was a group of about 70-80 Teal on the reservoir,
which is the most I have ever seen at one time.
The dead
tree trunk (Elm) across the river is covered with crumple cap
fungi, and there is also a patch of this fungus on the Elm near
the barns. On the farm this fungus seems very attracted to Elm
trees. In fact I have never seen it grow on any other kind of
tree.