Anybody else glad it's Autumn?

Swan Vesta don't have much headroom. They may have to kneel down.

I just caught a large Houseman spider in a glass. It was running about in the sitting room. I transferred it to the downstairs loo and told it to go into the cellar and eat silverfish. If it comes back in here it's getting evicted.

Elegran I think you'd be better off using an empty box of Cook's Matches. At least you could fit several in there!

(shudder...)

There would be room for a nice comfy bed and room service!

Sure sign of Autumn- just taken blinds down in conservatory

! I don't b****y want several!!!

Our roof blinds in the conservatory getting covered in dead flies which is really disgusting. I don't like dead insects.

Is it the drop in temperature, but after 3 weeks of coping very well with a SW inspired diet (6lbsdown) this evening I could eat my body weight in biscuits

The decorator arrived today. He is repainting the outside of the house. All the windows are open and the house is FREEZING. I am wearing a fleece, over a cardigan, over a light summer dress, over a sleeveless vest - and thermal socks.

And now I feel depressed ;) a decorator- what is that?

Talking about colours, have the trees began to 'turn' yet (and where are you). Here in the Swiss mountains, there is just a hint of colour, but only just beginning.
(about 950m)

No, not having a good change of season so far, and somewhat depressed by the far too early Christmas stuff in the shops.

Am I wrong in thinking that when I was a child, you didn't see Christmas things until November?

Bah humbug of North Devon.

PS Autumn is ok if it is reasonably sunny, and dry, don't mind if it's cold and frosty, but grey skies and rain, no thanks.

Purple doll yes it is.....tempeture has picked up and we saw some moose cooling off in the lake. Moved on to Edmonton now and it is 26deg today....strange trip with all this weather changing. Have loved every second of seeing our precious 14 month grandaughter lots of babysitting. It will be hard to say goodbye but we will see her in 9 weeks as they will be coming home for 6 weeks.

There is a dead tree in the middle of my new shrub bed which I use to support my climbing rose Paul Himalayan Musk.
Yesterday I was nose down planting duffs amongst my newly planted shrubs and noticed sawdust floating down. Stood quietly watching and could see an insect pushing it out of a hole in the trunk. I waited and eventually a wasp like insect flew out - must look it up! I think there are miner wasps not sure.

Daffodils - phone thinks it knows better!

Tree wasp!! Apparently makes a large nest in trunk. Just a hole to be seen though. It's about the size of ordinary wasps just more elongated. Must have powerful jaws!

Thanks Bbnan. I am glad to hear that. Don't like early Christmas stuff in shops here as others have said, but somehow a Christmas shop in June is pleasingly eccentric. Enjoy your trip!

Mice!!

It's that time of the year when the little buggers leave the fields after harvest and start start scrabbling about anywhere and everywhere.

Last winter we thought we had a mouse in our house in France. Before we left after our visit we put down what the French wonderfully call souricide (souris is the french for mouse).

When we returned we found 8 dead mice scattered around the house, whether the one had bred or we had failed to realise there was more than one I am not sure.

to MOnicaI'm surprised if you didn't get knocked out by the smell too.
We once went away for 3 weeks in October and on return the smell of mice was ....
I'm another person who loves Autumn , it's always been my favourite season. At our time of life, and living here, it marks the point where hopefully things stop growing, no more grass cutting or weeding etc. We're in the middle of the big clearup in the garden, then might get a rest.

Get a terrier - he spends hours watching holes in the greenhouse and shed and garden. Keeps him amused for ages, except he will try to dig his way in if he can

Our cat is working overtime at the moment. Dead bodies on the doorstep every morning!

Keep up the good work, Jazz!

Decidedly chillier today. Must get DH to run the heating and bleed any radiators. Anyone got their heating on yet? We haven't as the evenings still OK.

We were surprised by the lack of smell, but assumed that it was because it was winter and, although the house is well insulated, we do not leave the heating on and it was just too cold for them to decay.

We had a similar problem in England, the mice were in the walls of the house and voids of a flat roof and we ended up twice being unable to use the living room for a fortnight because they all obviously chose to die in the living room walls and roof void.

Our heating came on for a while yesterday morning, but we are currently having the outside of the house decorated so all the windows and doors are wide open from 9.00am to 10.00 at night. We both wear fleeces in the evening.

Every autumn and winter I get rats in the loft, scratching and scurrying. I have two electronic things up there so I don't think they stay long. I will not use poison. I worry they'll chew the electric wiring. I'd put my lurcher up there if I could lift her; she'd soon see them off!!