And as for ceremony, already the leaves have swirled over, the wind has spoken. Some photos of a walk to Shobrooke, Devon

This morning Susanna and I walked over the hill to have lunch at the Red Lion, Shobrooke. It was a splendid, warm and sunny day so we took our time going and coming back. Along the way we also took the opportunity to linger at the village's holy well and parish church, St Swithin's.

Our walk began with us finding a dead small brown mouse on the footpath up the hill and I could not but help pick him up and toss him gently into the wood through which we were passing. This inevitably brought back to mind Mary Oliver's short poem called Encounter:

I lift the small brown mouse
Out of the path and hold him.
He has no more to say,
No lilt of feet to run on.
He's cold, still soft, but idle.
As though he were a stone
I launch him from my hand;
His body falls away
Into the shadowed wood
Where the crackling leaves rain down,
Where the year is mostly over.
"Poor creature," I might say,
But what's the use of that.
The clock in him is broken.
And as for ceremony,
Already the leaves have swirled
Over, the wind has spoken.

(Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems Vol 1)

All the photos here were taken with an iPhone 6+ and the Hipstamatic App. Just click on a photo to enlarge it.

The Red Lion

The Red Lion beer garden

Gate to the Holy Well

Window reminding us of the harvest being brought in all around us—see photo below

The signs encouraging donations for the repair of the cob wall.

A splendidly apt quotation from Isaiah encouraging parishioner's in their task of repair!