I AM always interested in my old school friend John Porter’s colourful observation and information on old Andover. I cannot comment as eloquently as ‘like what he does’ but I too take a huge interest in my surroundings and the passing seasons.

This year has been such a fruitful one, almost a marathon runner bean crop, blackberries as big and tasty as raspberries and foliage on trees and bushes seemingly more dense than I can remember.

As climate change is able, by the extra rainfall and particularly long, hot summer, to give us an abundance of most fruits and vegetables then, perhaps, we should celebrate.

Those of us in the countryside would be hard pushed to find a sky devoid of buzzards and kites. Deer and foxes are common and even the lovely sparrow seems to have made a recovery. Recently in Mudeford I was delighted to see hoards of chattering, squabbling starlings fighting over a discarded digestive biscuit.

Eventually, after several goes at flying off with it and loads of small pieces removed, one particular bird made off with almost half a biscuit.

So good has the summer been that I almost welcomed the first real rains for some time although no doubt by February I will come out with that oft heard exclamation ‘roll on the summer’.

Paul C Agers, Elmstead Park, East Cholderton