It is mid-November and despite what the calendar says, this perennial sow thistle is still succeeding in blooming and producing seed heads and just to be more confusing we also saw a butterfly today!
Could this be the precursor of a hard winter for us and the wildlife? If the flower completes the cycle through to seeding like the earlier blooms already have, the finches will be very pleased. We have counted flocks of up to one hundred goldfinches but can't be too accurate because they keep moving and already the redwings and some fieldfares have arrived earlier than expected from their summer retreats further North.
I reckon we'd better pop out with the dogs and collect some more firewood!