John Keats’ poem ‘To Autumn’ describes the season beautifully; it has been misty here in Swaledale and there is an abundance of mellow fruitfulness: blackberries, sloes, elderberries and rose hips that seem plumper than usual this year. It is the month when the new school year begins and I am clearing my own desk, ready to start on the next novel; plotting has begun already but the serious writing will be done during the autumn and winter when I am not distracted by important jobs to do in the garden!