Books and other stuff

 Books - you wait for ages and then three come at once.

I had an e-mail to say that 'Godmersham Park' by Gill Hornby was available so on Monday I popped into the library to pick it up.  I couldn't find it on the reserved shelves.  The librarian couldn't find it either, she checked the main shelves, peered behind other shelves and under the counter.  She made a couple of phone calls but no luck, it had disappeared.  'Leave it with me' she said, 'I'll sort it out'.  On the library website I was back to being second in the queue for Godmersham Park.   A couple of days later I had an e-mail to say that the other two books were ready to be collected.  I popped in again and they were there, thank goodness.  Yesterday I had an e-mail to say 'Godmersham Park' was ready to be collected.  I popped into the library today and yes, it was there.  I think I've visited the library more times this week than I have done over the last two years when casual visits changed due to Covid and lockdown. Perhaps soon I will get back to browsing the shelves.  I just hope I can read all three books before they are due to be returned as they are all requested by other readers so can't be renewed.

I loved these cycles we spotted recently.  

They were outside Time - The Vintage Hub in Uttoxeter.

It's good to be getting out and about a bit again although only  locally.

A week ago we visited Leek and had a walk around.  We parked near the Quaker or Society of Friends Meeting House.

We walked past the building and down the alleyway at the side of the meeting house wall.  It was built in 1697. It closed in 1848 due to the decline in the number of worshippers.  It was re-opened in 1880 but was later leased to the William Morris Labour Church.  It was re-opened as a Quaker Meeting House in 1939.

The wall was made up of half brick and half stone.

Around the corner looking up towards St Edward's Church.  The meeting house is on the right behind the wall.  The garden looked lovely, I'd love to have seen inside but both building and garden were behind locked gates.

The houses across the road from the meeting house.  I think it is quite an attractive row.

 

The blue plaque in on the building to the right in the photo above.

In the market place there was a busy Antiques and Collectors Fair.

There were lots of interesting items for sale.

Some of them at eye watering prices.  We had a wander around in the sunshine.

 

Wednesday morning we walked at Trentham Gardens.  I haven't been able to walk right around the lake yet but seem to be able to walk further each time we visit.  We seem to have missed the best of the wildflowers this year but there were still some showing colour. 

We still haven't spotted any of the two hundred water voles that were released around the lake earlier this year. (story here) I expect they have left the lake and made their way to the River Trent which is not far from the lake.  I've seen on one or two of the wildlife groups I follow on Facebook that some people have spotted them.  I did manage to take a photo of an elderly crow who didn't seem to mind us passing by or taking a photo or two.

We saw quite a few Lords and Ladies under the trees.  Their bright Autumn berries easily catching the eye.  This plant is also called Cuckoo Pint, which is what I remember it being called as a child.  It is also known as Devils and Angels, Adam and Eve and Snakes Head.
 

  I'll share photos of  our garden in a later post as this one is getting a bit long.

 

At the moment we have lots of sunflowers.

 

All for now.