Autumn: The sweet song of the robin, sleepy magpies and moongazy hares

Autumn has arrived with a vengeance here in the valley. Leaves dance out of rain sodden skies, buffeted by sharp westerly winds. The Indian summer we have been basking in throughout September is a now a distant sun-kissed memory. However the Robin who was the melodic soundtrack to September is still filling my days with its sweet song. Perched on either the Holly or Rowan tree in the garden, its song wakes me in the morning and is often one of the last birds to be heard at dusk.

Robin singing in the Rowan Tree © bevdunne

I have been busy making new brooches to put on my Etsy and Folksy stores. As a tribute to my red border collie, Carreg who is often neglected in favour of the cat collective, I have designed a brooch based on him. I have also created a wren and a blue tit design, inspired by the many wrens and blue tits in my garden.

Sketches and ideas for new brooch designs

Red Border Collie, Wren and Blue Tit Brooches (clockwise from bottom)

I have also begun a textile piece utilising my moongazy hare design using denim painted with bleach, floral cotton fabric, machine embroidery and sari ribbon.

Moongazy hare

Finally I spotted this family of magpies asleep in the yew tree in our garden a few weeks ago. They are there most nights and last Thursday I was honoured to watch them wake up at dawn. One by one they shook themselves, cawed loudly and flew off down the valley.  So beautiful.

Magpies sleeping in the Yew Tree