Still September, 2025
I walk in the stillness of late September. Summer clings on valiantly, but the Equinox has already spoken and opened the door to Autumn. Rosehips, hawthorn and elder berries still sing their presence in shades of scarlet and claret, while purple sloes entice the unwary, and the Devil has not yet found every blackberry to …...
Golden August, 2025
It’s safe to say that very few picnics or days out were spoiled by rain clouds this August in Suffolk. As the month comes to an end, we’re still mostly crying out for rain, but I’m sure we’ve also all thoroughly enjoyed the dry summer’s days and the heat on our backs. What a fabulous …...
Celebrating July 2025
July in Suffolk turned out to be a mixed bag of heatwaves and a few stunning downpours. On the whole it’s been dry, and our gardens, fields and wildlife have been feeling the pinch, but as the month comes to an end, temperatures are close to normal for the time of year. THE VILLAGE FETE …...
The Joys of June, 2025
After an early wave of heat, we went back to more ‘normal’ early summer temperatures for a while before bouncing back to a proper heatwave later in the month. As I write this at the very end of June, we’re currently languishing in the late 20s with tomorrow due to be in the 30s! So …...
Marvellous May, 2025
Writing this at the end of May, I can certainly say that this has been a really marvellous month. Hardly any rain (though obviously that brings its own trials), mostly quite warm and generally flora and fauna seem to be thriving at the moment. IN THE GARDEN From the scent of lilacs and the promise …...
Revelling in April 2025
It’s the 9th April and, until today, we’ve been revelling in some gorgeously sunny weather with blue cloudless skies. Sure, it’s still a bit chilly, but it is only April! Here are a few of the wonderful sights in and around our village that we can all enjoy. IN THE GARDEN From daffodils to hyacinths, …...
Otley blooms
As we reach the end of April, Otley’s hedgerows, fields and patches of woodland and groaning with greenery and putting on their best blooms. So what can you see around us at the moment? Well, ash trees have mostly still not sprouted, but our oaks are in varied stages of leaf – some very green, …...
A Spring Palette
The colours of mid-April Yellow, white and green. If you look around our countryside right now, these are the predominant colours, alongside the browns of the earth and the trees. In the hedgerows, the white blackthorn blossom is over and it leaves are pushing through, but the hawthorn blossom has not quite ready to show …...
Art in Nature
An exhibition of sculpture at Helminghall Hall Living so close to Helminghall Hall, I’m sure many or most of us have walked the public footpath through the park filled with deer, soay sheep and of course the many veteran and ancient oaks. Certainly Finn, my goldendoodle, and I go regularly. You’ve maybe also enjoyed the...
Otley’s Platinum Jubilee Oak
Part of the celebration of the Queen’s platinum jubilee in 2022 is the ‘Queen’s Green Canopy’ or ‘Treebilee’ – the planting of trees throughout the kingdom. In March 2022, a native oak was planted in our village. It was provided by the East Suffolk council and kindly planted by Chris Taylor....