Country diary 1918: summer life in Surrey

13 July 1918 Teasel is coming into bloom, the enchanters nightshade is plentiful, while foliage is full enoughSurreyFrogs made a quite audible croaking in the evening and a few hours earlier, while the sun was strong, toads came from the edge of the great pond, leapt about, and lay on the short, sere grass. Swifts and swallows flew very low, circling round the cattle assembled in the shade of oaks, skimming just above a few wagtails which were about the hoofs. A peacock in the distance hardly ceased screaming. Then, as the light faded, clouds rolled in from the west, folding everything, but suddenly disappeared as if lifted into the sky to let the stars shine. But a long, grey streak followed, and spread, and in the morning there was rain. Thrushes sang for an hour, but after that we had no song.Teasel is coming into bloom; there was purple to-day above the big leaf-cups, which held water almost enough to drink from. The enchanters nightshade is plentiful, and a stray gentian blooms on the heath. But a wild cherry which was great in flower has little or no fruit, and acorns, abundant last season, are scarce this. Foliage is full enough; you hear the doves call, but cannot distinguish them. Bees are busy among the scented blossom of the limes, now beginning to drop and to dust over a surface which shines with oil dripping from sycamore leaves. Continue reading...