The winds and rain on Sunday brought a lot of leaves down on the Market Place resulting in piles of wet leaves during the Abingdon Marathon and Monday Market. However, today, the town council staff cleared away the fallen leaves on the Market Place, which is their land.

There is a regular litter sweeper near the town centre, probably employed by the district council. Additional staff members have been deployed to assist with the sweeping and clearing operations with the extra task of fallen leaves.

There are not as many leaves underfoot at St Helen’s Wharf today as during the marathon on Sunday. But leaves continue to fall, and there are lots more to follow.

How Leaves Fall in Autumn
After the tree re-absorbs nutrients from its leaves, hormones cause a corky layer of cells, called the abscission layer, to form at the base of the leaf stem. This weakens the leaf’s connection to the tree. Eventually, a leaf falls due to its weight or helped by wind and rain and frost. Leaf fall helps trees save energy during the winter.

The newly planted liquid amber tree on the Ock Valley Walk, dedicated to the memory of Peter Green (ex-Mayor), is turning gold.

The liquid amber trees near the War Memorial, are bushing together and creating a striking display, with their dense red foliage.

The liquid amber trees in the Market Place also add to the autumnal beauty of the town centre.

Liquid amber, a name that suggests flowing gold and red, is a slow-growing tree with maple-like leaves that turn gold and then red as summer ebbs.

Today was sunny and warm. The daffodils over the other side of the River Thames are in full bloom.

Sticky buds are bursting open on horse chestnut trees.

Blackthorn is blossoming.

Over the road, the trees have started to green, and the houses opposite will soon be hidden by leaves. The Spring Equinox was yesterday. Spring is here!

The harvest festival at church is not what it used to be. At Trinity on Sunday, the congregation brought tins, pasta, and cleaning products. More money was given than produce. The produce went to the Abingdon Food Bank, and the money went to Asylum Welcome.

There were displays of flowers, apples, and pumpkins around the church, but they were just displays. Reverend Ian, the minister, reminded us of the aroma of all the vegetables and fruit at harvest festivals when we were young and the bread that looked like a sheaf of wheat.

We sang the traditional harvest hymns, such as “We Plough the Fields and Scatter” and “Come, Ye Thankful People Come,” as well as some more modern ones. So that felt like a traditional harvest festival.

Later in the day, I saw some of the harvest from the gardens of St Ethelwold House for sale. People could make a donation to buy the produce. There were hollyhock and other seeds from the garden for people to scatter in their own gardens.