Back in August, I joined my nephews on a visit to their grandmother's farm. The farm is managed by the eldest son now, but, with the occasional help of her three children for the heavier jobs, she still keeps a vegetable and flower garden that looks out on the neighbour's old shed and apple orchard.

Immersed as the farm is in nature, they must protect everything that grows from the incursions of deer and birds, so there are fences and protective nets everywhere. Chickens must be brought in and locked up in their coop each night too, before the foxes start their night prowls. I asked her if she noticed more wildlife now that so many of the farms that used to dot the mountain region all around are abandoned or neglected, but she laughed and said she has had to "put away the chickens for the night" for as long as she can remember. "And even as a little girl, it was my job to get to the hazel nuts before the squirrels cleaned them out" she added.

HFF and have a wonderful weekend, hopefully with lots of autumn colors to enjoy and photograph for the North hemisphere Ipernians and lovely spring scenes for those down under!