Jayne Lockwood Books

Some gorgeous views of the Aylesbury Vale, taken this Monday morning from Coombe Hill. In one you can clearly see the Council building in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire’s one and only skyscraper! All of 13 floors – bless. Ugly as sin but a real landmark.

We’ve had a beautiful Autumn so far this year. The colours are really coming through and every day has seen some sunshine. Now as I speak, the echo of gunshots bounce from one side of the valley to the other, as hunters quest for pheasant and partridge. And the barn owlets at the bottom of our garden are fledging. At night, you can hear their hissing calls for food in various places in the trees, rather than concentrated in their home in an old trailer. The parents are are busy, trying to sate their offspring’s hunger for warm food. There is plenty around. Keith (my cat) caught a shrew last night, the first time in weeks he has felt like hunting since his thyroid operation.

And Madge has been seeing off the red kites after her food, which was left out last night after she didn’t want it. It’s all gone now, so something has had it! The kites don’t mind settling on the patio for a moment if they think the risk is worth it. Pedigree Chum seems to be quite popular…