The march of the ducklings

New ducklings are hatching, but gradually rather than in one clutch. The rather interrupted and extended laying season is to blame.

Wimsey's memorial tree dropped its one pear of this season. Not terribly juicy, since the tree is still short on active roots, but the flavour was unquestionably excellent.

We have perhaps half a dozen volunteer apples around the farm which are accumulating a significant load of apples. We might well have over ten gallons of juice from them once all is said and done, although it's hard to tell before they drop. Despite no pruning and no thinning, they are quite fair sized apples. Most of the trees are significantly shaded by the lines of douglas firs, so they bear nowhere near their theoretical capacity.

Summer is back, however briefly, for this week or so, but the days are rapidly growing shorter. Every morning, nearly, starts with a fog so that things don't get quite as dry as one might otherwise imagine.