TONIGHT we have just returned from a massive burn up of garden brash and mystery sacks and boxes.

My friend Jean had offered the end of her garden as the perfect destination for any flammable materials farming friends wanted rid of. That, plus food and drink and fireworks was an irresistible invitation.

As the bonfire had been several months in the making, Jean knew she had to make sure that no small animals such as hedgehogs had chosen the pyre as a suitable spot for hibernating in. To ensure this, the bonfire was rebuilt the night before it was lit.

"It was a good job we did," she said. "There were a couple of hedgehogs nicely tucked up in the pile. It would have been a disaster for them if we had lit the bonfire without checking and moving the heap."

Knowing that the hedgehogs would need an alternative safe haven for the winter, Jean had raked up a pile of leaves and grass cuttings into a sheltered corner of her garden and moved the hedgehogs into the safety of this new home, where she hopes they will settle in for a nice long kip.

And it's not only the hedgehogs settling themselves in for the winter; all of our cows are home now, and very contented they are too to be out of the rain and mud of the last few weeks.

Usually we have to have a big team on hand, roping in unwary passers by and visitors to block the lane and make sure the cows don't gallop off to pastures new when we open the gate. But we had already brought some of the cows with the youngest calves home. They were mooing encouragement to the rest of the herd, who had taken to hanging around the field gate peering wistfully at the farm buildings.

"Come on, the silage is delicious," they must have been mooing. Because only the two of us were necessary to bring the cows in, they were that desperate to get out of the mud and into that nice dry foldyard. Good job the lane was quiet. They would have flattened anyone fool enough to try and drive through them.

To finish, a cautionary tale about a greedy terrier, Moth, and a homeless hedgehog. My friend Graham is a keen naturalist. Not naturist. Too cold now for that. His current obsession is the need to have a hedgehog make its home with them.

This has involved the construction of a de luxe hedgehog villa, including entrance hall, choice of sleeping areas/bedding materials, cavity wall insulation and a constant supply of dog food.

He has taken a brick out of the wall dividing their garden from the farmhouse next door and watches avidly for their security light to come on, heralding, he hopes, the arrival of Mr or Mrs Tiggywinkle.

So great excitement when the lights came on. Even more when snuffling was heard coming from the hedgehog villa. But big let down when they discovered moth firmly wedged in the villa's front door. Jaws full of biscuits, she was pulled out by her tail in disgrace.