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Mary's latest novel – the 11th in the Rossington series – was published on 4 November 2025. Look out for Don’t Tell Tales! Visit your local bookshop or friendly crime specialist for a copy – or order it from our stockist 
Bodies In The Bookshop, Cambridge.
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December 2025
Tuesday 30 December 2025
Thick layers of crispy browned oak leaves along the upper paths of Yarner Wood were just made for shuffling through, albeit warily as they overlay a litter of rocks ready to stub incautious toes. As we walked down through the winter-bare oaks that held up thin branches towards the sky, clear blue overhead, wispy white clouds to the east, the oak leaves gave way to a scattering of acorns.
Most of these have vanished over the last couple of months, either crushed underfoot or feeding small woodland creatures. When we sat down on a bench, I glanced down at the ground behind it which was littered with acorn caps, like discarded dinner plates after a miniature banquet. Many of the remaining acorns have sprouted red shoots, which are presumably incipient new saplings.
The seat has, at this time of year, a clear view over to the oak-covered far slope where the crenelated house, Yarner House, stands on a plateau. Today it stood in bright sunshine, which was deceptive as it was very chilly under the initial sensation of warmth in the sunlight. The ants in the nests that fringe the eastern path weren’t fooled, there was no sign of activity in any of them, even though they were lit by the sun.
Monday 29 December 2025
The orchard at Parke was lit by sunshine, the grass a deep rich green under the bare apple trees. Below, the walled garden was winter ready, the beds dug over, fleece flowing like a huge caterpillar over the more fragile plants.
Friday 12 December 2025
Buckfast Abbey’s Millenium Garden is a bijou beauty at all times of the year. Delicate silver birches edge a round pond where a silvery statue of a stag drinks perpetually from the water. At Christmas he is joined by a smaller silver companion.
Monday 8 December 2025
En route to Staverton hundreds of starlings swirled upwards in a moving spiral across a pale grey sky.
Tuesday 2 December 2025
Holly has been cut back in places in Yarner Wood, leaving a scattering of bright prickly leaves and a few vivid scarlet berries on the ground. Maybe the holly was for the Christmas markets locally, certainly it wasn’t to feed the ponies as they aren’t here during the winter months.
In the New Forest where we’ve walked regularly the holly was cut for both purposes, as the ponies stayed out year-round and enjoyed the holly leaves once they’d softened as a change from the hay that was left out for them by the farmers.