The weather has been perfect far about the last week there has been a high sat over southern Sweden. The nights have been cold and clear, the days starting crisp with frost, then wonderful clear blue skies. Autumn marches on and the swathes of red and gold are now pronounced everywhere.

The definition of a Harvest Moon is: the full moon closest to the fall equinox.  The Harvest Moon was thus named because it rises within a half-hour of when the sun sets.  In early days, when farmers had no tractors, it was essential that they work by the light of the moon to bring in the harvest.  This moon appears to be the fullest moon of the year.  When you gaze at it, it looks very large and gives a lot of light throughout the entire night.  No other lunar spectacle is as awesome as the Harvest Moon nor as useful.

Have you ever had one of those ‘If only’ moments? I know I have. Last night the dog started barking. Now he never barks at night, so naturally I got up checked around, looked through the windows. I even thought about going outside to check, but as Troy had quietened down by them I decided not to and just wrote it off as one of those things

If I never go through another weekend like the one I have just had it will be too soon. As I sit here looking out the window on a grey, rainy Monday morning there is a sense of relief that, possibly, we have got through. The weekend has had its effects however, rain usually makes me feel mellow, I take it as a time to think and reflect, a time to curl up in an armchair with a good book. Today the rain just makes me feel wet.

Last night was still and calm, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. As I walked the dog I couldn’t help but keep stopping and looking upwards. All the glories of the universe were on display. Living as we do out in the countryside, there was no light pollution. Once I had walked away from the road and across the river even the few streetlamps couldn’t distract me. The moon, just beginning to wane hung over the eastern horizon, seemingly huge. It was so clear even the Milky Way was visible running vaguely north-south; I could see Jupiter and Mars. It’s one of the great advantages of rural living that, weather permitting, we get to enjoy the full beauty of the heavens