Local friends called in and stayed for supper.  Courgette soup, courgette quiche, potato salad, tomato salad, french beans, pickled cucumbers and lettuce salad, followed by apple and plum crumble and plenty of wine and whisky to keep us warm as the sky darkened and the air cooled.  Little owls called in the dark and Wiggle tried to attract our attention with his baaing.  To light up the table we put on the large searchlight that had been bought for us last year by good friends from London.  It was it’s first outing and the beam shone on the ash tree and illuminated the branches.