Friday, November 04, 2016

Five on Friday

It's Friday!  Time to join in with Amy at Love Made my Home for this weeks five.

So here are five things that have made me smile this week 

1.  Sunshine - glistening on the stone of the garden feature at Wolesley Nature reserve, headquarters of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust at Colwich near Rugeley.  We visited on Monday to have a walk around the reserve.

I loved the sight of the trees through the iron work roof.

2.  Halloween or All Hallows' Eve - as we wandered around the nature reserve and visitor centre we spotted lots of carved pumpkins the one above was our favourite.

There was also this 'chattering' bat hanging in the doorway.  Brush past it and it started up with the most eerie noise, the children thought it was fun but I think the staff were finding it a little trying by the end of the day.  I did my first thinking about Christmas and bought some Christmas cards. Back home we filled a bowl with little treats and had several witchy and ghostly characters bang on the door.

3.  Cat visits to the garden - we are used to neighbourhood cats visiting our garden but not this one.  She lives next door and is supposed to be a house cat and shouldn't have been out.  I've only ever seen her indoors so it took a second or two to realise who it was.  She was swiftly scooped up and returned to her unsuspecting owners. 

4.  The Tulip Tree - the Tulip Tree in the garden has been spectacular this year  I took the photo above from our bedroom window during the golden hour before sunset early this week, the light catching the leaves made them look golden.

In the pale light of a dull day they are more coppery in colour.


5.  Quarryman sculpture - on Wednesday we met some friends for lunch at the cafe at Poole's Cavern and Buxton Country Park,  We went for a walk first in the country park as far as Solomon's Temple.  On our way we passed the sculpture of the Quarryman.


He was made by Sheffield artist Lorraine Botterill with help from pupils at a local Buxton School.  He was very realistic and I loved his stoic expression.  Apparently he is so lifelike that dogs have dropped balls at his feet and waited for him to throw them.


Click on the link below to find others who are joining in this week with Five on Friday

http://lovemademyhome.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/five-on-friday.html

48 comments:

  1. Your garden looks beautiful, the tulip tree particularly so. Sounds like you have been enjoying similar glorious weather to us. Doesn't it make the autumn colour spectacular. Have a great weekend. B x

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    1. We have had some lovely weather this week, just had a wonderful sunny walk around the lake. The tulip tree has been splendid this year:)

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  2. Lovely things to cheer your week. The chattering bat looks interesting.
    We didn't get trick or treaters. Somehow we never do.

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    1. The bat did make a weird and wonderful noise but I think it became a nuisance if it went off when someone was on the phone behind the desk, we live where there are lots of young families as we back onto a primary school so we do get lots of 'trick or treaters':)

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  3. I too love the photo of the trees through the iron work, you have a good eye for a photograph

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    1. Thank you, I loved the light through the ironwork:)

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  4. Beautiful views Rosie - a lovely cat!

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    1. She is a gorgeous cat, a rag doll by breed so she is very cuddly and floppy when you pick her up:)

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  5. Beautiful cat! Your garden is stunning Rosie especially the golden coloured Tulip Tree. I like the story of dogs dropping balls by the sculpture of the Quarryman. He has such a faraway look about him as though he is thinking - wonderful! Happy weekend Rosie. x

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    1. The tulip tree just caught the low sunlight, it looked as if it had lights in it. Miss Lola from next door is a very beautiful cat:)

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  6. Lovely autumnal shots - the quarryman looks great and you have a lovely garden. I didn't know that some cats were purely 'house cats' - really? What is the world coming to...

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    1. The cat is a 'rag doll' and should be kept in at all times, we have ordinary tabby moggies but they are always kept in at night. The quarryman is wonderful isn't he?:)

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  7. It looks as though you have had a lovely week :) Your garden is beautiful and the colour on the Tulip Tree is stunning :) I love the quarryman sculpture - so lifelike! No trick or treaters here but my son always carves a pumpkin and I make Wizard's Hat pasties and Hooting Owl Cakes! The chattering bat looks fun (but can imagine after a few hours it would get a trifle wearing!). Have a good weekend.

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    1. Your hat pasties and owl cakes sound wonderful. We usually carve a pumpkin and then make pie or soup with the flesh but haven't bothered this year. I remember seeing old men around like the quarryman when I was a child in the 50s, he looks a bit like the old miners, with flat cap and moustache, we would see around the village and going into the pub:)

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  8. Hi Rosie, your garden is lovely and your Tulip tree is stunning. It certainly does look like gold shimmering in the sunshine. Have a lovely weekend, Marie x

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    1. Thanks Marie, it did take on a golden glow in the low sunshine. Hope you too have a lovely weekend:)

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  9. Loved the view of your garden, such an impressive tulip tree. I was also impressed with the quarrymen, what a delight.

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    1. Thank you, the tree looks impressive as you can see it over the fence as you walk up the street. the quarry man has such a wonderful expression doesn't he?:)

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  10. Wow! Your Tulip tree is spectacular. Really liked the sculpture of the quarry man too. Have a good weekend.

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    1. Thank Janet, the quarry man is great isn't he? The tulip tree has been extra wonderful this year:)

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  11. A brilliant five Rosie. Your tulip tree looks wonderful with all the golden leaves, something to look forward to each year.Halloween lanterns should have a smiley face on the other side for display in November! :-)

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    1. Thenk you! Not sure if that lantern has a smiley or grimacing face but I rather liked his greenish colour, the tree does look wonderful at the moment although the leaves are dropping now:)

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  12. Your garden looks spectacular particularly the Tulip tree.What a glorious colour.

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    1. Thank you, Barbara the tulip tree has looked wonderful this year:)

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  13. Another vote for your Tulip Tree. Isn't it magnificent!

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    1. Thanks Jessica, it has looked splendid for a few weeks now:)

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  14. Your garden is beautiful. The golden tree is the frosting on the cake.

    I can sympathize wih the doggies. I'd probably stop and ask the quarryman directions.

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    1. Thanks, Patsy - the sulpture did look very real from a distance:)

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  15. Beautiful! I love that garden feature especially the roof.

    Glad you scooped up the cat! Way braver than my cat. He is an indoors cat and is scared to go outside. If you try to carry him he digs his claws in.

    Happy Five on Friday

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    1. Thanks Sharon, it is a lovely gazebo insn't it? I loved the lacy effect of the open roof:)

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  16. Your Tulip tree is stunning and your garden has so much lovely Autumn colour. I wonder if the cat was trying to escape and explore the great outdoors? The Quarryman sculpture has so much character and how lovey that children were involved in creating him.

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    1. We have had some lovely autumn colour this year. She is a very adventurous cat and most unlike the rago doll breed she is supposed to be:)

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  17. Wow! I just love the Quarryman sculpture. Your garden is looking wonderful - I love Autumn colours and your tulip tree certainly shows these colours at their best. xx

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    1. The quarryman is wonderful isn't he? We have had some super autumnal colours this year:)

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  18. Hello Rosie, Lovely post....Im trying yo catch up on posts!
    Hope you are keeping well?
    xxx

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    1. Yes, very well thanks, Lyn - we had a bad couple of months Sept and Oct but things are easier now, hope you are ok, have a lovely weekend:)

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  19. Lovely Five...that Tulip tree really stands out. I think the sculpture is quite special. Hope you are enjoying a good weekend.

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    1. Thank you Ellen - the tree has nearly lost all its leaves now, we've been sweeping them up today:)

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  20. Your five are gorgeous, especially the tulip tree in that golden hour. The cat made me smile, naughty puss! That moment of freedom, but quite rightly, I would make sure such a lovely animal was kept safe indoors. Have a great Sunday. Chel

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    1. Thank you, Chel, I'm glad we spotted the cat before she went any further, her owner has MS and couldn't have chased after her. The leaves are nearly all off the tree now but it was glorious whilst it lasted:)

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  21. The light on the tulip tree is stunning. Most of the leaves have fallen from the trees around here, but we have the photos to remember them. The statue is a lovely addition to the park.

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    1. A lot of the leaves have now fallen from the Tulip Tree - it has been the most amazing colour this year:)

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  22. A good week ~Rosie. Loved the sculpture and the picture of your garden and that amazing tree in the sunlight. The weather round here has taken a turn for the worse, the best bit of autumn seems to be over - it has been a good one hasn't it.

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    1. It is colder and greyer now but the last few weeks have been amazing and so wonderful:)

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  23. I love the sculpture. I imagine it does make people smile to see the dogs sit and wait for him to move. The tulip tree is lovely and does look like shining gold.

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    1. The sculpture is very life like isn't it? The tulip tree has lost a lot of leaves now but has been an amazing colour:)

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  24. wonderful to share your tour. the quarryman story about the dogs waiting for him to throw the ball tickled me. We need a little cheer in the states today!

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    1. Thanks, it is a funny story isn'tit? Good luck for today, times are strange and unsettling at the moment:)

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