velour mists drifting over reeds

Lovely gentle light octobering the leaves as the music of the spheres chimes from an evening breeze.

A bunch of ducks faffing around on the bank spot me and come running.

Ginger duck is with them. She's a different kind of duck completely, a size bigger than the others, and coloured orange no less, but she hangs around with these and they seem to accept her.

I wonder could she be a goose.

For now she's Ginger duck.

Presently I'm aware of Baybay Swan at my elbow waiting quietly. This is the only swan on the three lakes that doesn't bite.

The other swans would have announced their presence by taking a chunk of arm into their generous beaks and giving it a good pinch.

As we sit another baby swan, big as a labrador dog, dashes by on the path.

She's not a part of any of the lake families but has strayed in, and she's running because Cecilia the Mama is in hot pursuit trying to drive her off.

Jess and Pancho are on extension leads but they're as good as gold staying clear of swans n dux.

Maybe the fleeing swan has been weaned from somewhere nearby. I hope they'll let her stay. I reckon she's a girl swan because it's the Mama chasing her. Normally X the Papa does the territorial enforcement work but he might opt out when it's a girl.

I haven't seen Ceecee do this before.

People are sauntering around the lake in quiet good fellowship.

The ghost of the singer Van Morrison appears. He is keen to reprise a line from his best song.

"Ah Heelers," he says, "if only it could be like this all the time, eh."

It is a very pleasant evening.

The ghosts of a music combo styling themselves U2 arrive and set up a piano under the trees.

Then their lead singer tootles, possibly trying to impress Van Morrison:

"October

And the trees are stripped bare

Of all they wear

What do I care

October

And kingdoms rise

And kingdoms fall."

There are still leaves on the trees, lovely gold and yellow and red ones but the song is very good really, quite poignant and plaintive and perfect.

As I walk home I realise I've lost my mobile phone, a realisation followed quickly by a cosmic frivolity.

Maybe I don't need a mobile phone.