What with Storm Ali and now the impending storm Bronagh (where do they dream this up?), the trees have been taking a bit of a battering. Interestingly, the oaks seem to have borne the brunt, with barrowfuls of twigs and small branches bearing golden, russet and green leaves littering the lanes and fields. The trees are obviously getting ready for Autumn, as the twigs all have clean abscission layers at the base rather than broken ends. Abscission is what lets us pick apples easily when they are ripe and not before!
I collected up a few to act as a background for one of my pottery designs, together with some stray haws and late wildflowers.