Turn of the season

The harvest is in and I should therefore not have been surprised last night, when languishing in the bath, to hear the first of the sleekit beasties scrabblin' away underneath me.

Ther are further signs of the season's turn in the mass of hips that are upon the rugosa. We still have the last of the roses of summer but they are rapidly being outnumbered by the ripening fruits. Difficult to photograph today in the blustery autumnal weather.

My thoughts are turning to winemaking and chutney but I am busy today, stocking up the campervan with games and books etc. as our next trip is likely to be less full of warm, still sunsets. I shall be packing jumpers and wellieboots too. At least I can call in at the supermarket and bring back a load of sugar and vinegar in the van - I am temporarily barred from bringing home half the contents of Tesco in my shopping trolley on foot passenger trips. (Isn't that wonderful!)

I wonder if there is any blackberrying to be had on mainland Orkney.