The Great Autumn Clear Up - part 2.

After a few glorious days in Devon it's time to resume the story of the plot, or should that be the plot of the plot?

I feel very pleased with myself having actually cycled there today, bringing produce back in my rucksack.

This little fellow (I think it's a she) was enjoying an old flower pot. It is Araneus diadematus and is one of the most common and best known orb weavers. It is easily identified by the distinctive white cross on the abdomen (although in some specimens it is indistinct or missing). This spider is most commonly called in England the 'garden spider', it is also known as the cross spider. They are common in woodlands, heathlands and gardens. They build circular orb webs and can be found either sitting at the center of the web with facing down or in a retreat at the end of a signal line a short distance from the web itself.

Are you impressed?

Most of the beans have been taken down now, which opens up the view again:

I also removed the dead sweet peas from the front of the shed:

It's interesting to compare these shots with those of July, April and last October to see a full year's cycle... did I say a went round on my bike today?