The glories of a sunny day in early autumn

Polish autumn has two halves - złota jesień - golden autumn - with leaves changing colour before falling from the trees; and then there is the grey, leafless, muddy autumn under leaden skies that endlessly awaits the arrival of the first frosts and proper snow. Today was a most excellent złota jesień day. Jakubowizna was in a fine mood.

Perfect light for one of the XII Canonical Views:

Time, shortly after lunch, to set off for a circular walk taking in Widok and Machcin II before returning to Jakubowizna. Below: somewhere between the three.

Below: parasitic climbing vines live in the tall pines, trailing to the ground. Their leaves turn red at this time of year, looking spectacular in the low late-afternoon sunlight.

Another parasite I have mentioned recently is the oak apple, below; like the real thing, it ripens and turns red. Inside, a wasp larva. They do not cause significant harm to oak trees.

A sad sight, harvested tomatoes left to rot. The pickers were there; I suspect the wholesale price was too low to make their transport to market worthwhile. Note the solitary sunflower in profile, looking towards the sun (click to enlarge).

What made Grójeckie famous - apples, apples everywhere. There are still many orchards where the apples aren't sprayed, but are prone to various apple diseases and infestations.

Below: the collection point (Punkt skupu). Tractors towing long trains of apple crates were less numerous than last week - an early harvest this year. This trailer is piled high with 'industrial apple' (jabłko przemysłowe), destined for juices and preserves. 

Below: where the forest yields to orchards, sun streaming in from the west.

Back home, time to make a start on Phase II of making poziomkówka - wild strawberry liqueur. This involves straining the 95% alcohol from the fruit, which will now be subjected to secondary fermentation through the addition of sugar. I reckon I'll be lucky to get two litres of the liqueur from this year's harvest - although it will be mightily sublime. To be followed by blackcurrant and aronia (chokeberry) liqueurs. It's costing me a fortune in spirytus rektifykowany, the price of which has risen by up to 20% since before the pandemic.

This time three years ago:

The possibilities of a quantum multiverse

This time four years ago:
More about sleep

This time nine years ago:
On behalf of the workshy community

This time ten years ago:
Classic truck cavalcade

This time 11 years ago
Narrow back-roads clogged with commuters

This time 12 years ago:
Autumn gold, Łazienkowski Park

This time 14 years ago:
Of bishops and bands