Thursday, November 07, 2019

November Days

What does November hold?  Wet breezy days,  falling leaves, darker evenings, misty mornings, frosty cobwebs and the first fogs,  occasionally the first snow too.  
Wet gardens covered in fallen leaves from the now skeletal trees. The bang of fireworks on most nights but especially on the fifth brings back memories of childhood bonfires, of warmth from the fire, hats scarves and gloves, sparklers and baked potatoes from the fire.  Making the Christmas pudding on Stir-up Sunday and in between that and Bonfire Night the solemnity of Remembrance. 

 Towards the end of the month festive  lights will be switched on across cities, towns and villages and households vie to see who will have their Christmas lights up first.


I love the curlews on the November page of the calendar.  It's time to turn to


Warming soups with homemade bread.  Above cauliflower, cheddar and kale soup.

and good books to read.  The latest novel in the Simon Serrailer series by Susan Hill and the latest Mephisto and Stephens novel from Elly Griffiths one of them starts with a funeral the other ends with one. Also on the small pile is 'Hidden Lives' by Cathryn Walton.  It's about the women members of Leek Embroiderers Society which was founded in 1872.


The Tulip Tree in the garden has gradually taken on a different hue over the last week.

in the last few days it has turned  from the gentle colour above to the more vibrant colour below.

 It's the colour of orange marmalade and

it has looked wonderful in the different light of both the early mornings and at dusk.   The colours of Autumn have been outstanding this year.

Fallen leaves have been raked into piles and within minutes have been replaced by others swirling in the breeze and drifting across the gardens like falling snowflakes.

The Squirrels have been busy burying, bustling and chasing each other across the garden.

They look very plump and healthy 
The garden is covered in fallen leaves

We've also had feline visitors to the garden

Pip lives across the road.


This is a new cat who chases those chasing squirrels high up into the Tulip Tree.

Peanut who visits our garden every day lives across the road with Pip and a tortoiseshell cat called Pumpkin.

It must be getting colder as the town pigeons (rock doves) visited in a gang to pinch the breadcrumbs we had put down for the wood pigeons and collard doves.  They seemed to enjoy the homemade bread.

22 comments:

  1. November is my birthday month, it's nice that we have the same calender. :) Your squirrels do look radiant with health. Cheeky chops cats. :) X

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    1. Snap on the calendar this is the third year we've had an Angela Harding one. Squirrels and cats all look healthy and well fed, foxes too at the moment. I hope you have a super birthday this month. I have two friends with birthdays in November one at the beginning and one at the end of November:)

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  2. What a beautiful, beautiful description of November.... -happy sigh- Just lovely...

    Love hearing about the special "Days," in other countries. And things like how people fie, to see who will get Christmas lights up, first! We need to separate (in our minds) the commercialization of the Holidays, from the Joy part. And settle happily, into the Joy part. -smile- Me'thinks...

    That tulip trees changing leaves must be gorgeous. I do love (well, did love now) to see the changes, from day to day, and even from different times of day... Of Autumn leaves.

    Enjoy your soups! 'Tis time!

    And your books!

    🍁🔥🍁

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    1. Thank you WoW, we passed a house fully decked out with lights yesterday on our way home from visiting friends, that is really early. The leaves on the tree went from green to pale brown and then to the bright orange colour, by next week I expect the braches will be bare I love soup in warm weather:)

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  3. The leaves and the cats are beautiful!!! I am sooo with you on the soups in the Fall and Winter! Also, I love my crock pot in the winter - soups and chilis are the best!

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    1. Thank you Ann, soups, stews, casserols all good food for autumn and winter. We have lots of cats visit the garden some will allow photos others run for cover:)

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  4. Glad you have lots of feline visitors. I noticed you had added Susan Hills recent one on the side bar, it’s now ordered from the library van . Fireside reading here too in this awful weather. B x

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    1. Thank you Barbara, I love to see all the local cats,they seem to like our garden. I love the Serailler novels I just can't put them down once I start, I read that one very quickly same with the Elly Griffiths one. Hope the library van can get the book for you soon:)

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  5. Lovely words about November - you have helped me remember what an interesting month it can be :) The colours of your tulip tree are amazing :) The soup looks delicious - I'll see if I can find a recipe. The books look good - I had forgotten there was a new Stephens and Mephisto on the horizon so thank you for reminding me. I haven't read much Susan Hill so will check the series out. I'm currently reading Black Dog by Stephen Booth which I am really enjoying - so many thanks again for author inspiration :)

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    1. Thank you RR, The new Elly Grifiths Stephens and Mephisto has moved forward in time to 1964 and I really enjoyed it. Glad you are enjoyng Stephen Booth, Black Dog is the first of the Cooper and Fry novels and it is good to read them in order if you can as the characters develop. Interestingly his latest book is a stand alone novel set in Lichfield it was readable but I did miss Cooper and Fry:)

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  6. I really enjoyed the seasonal changes in your description of November days. I've never thought to describe leaves as the colour of marmalade - but looking at your photo that exactly how they do look!
    We're supposed to be out enjoying the Spring sunshine here but it's soup and fireside reading for us as well. All I can say is the weather gods are not treating us kindly.
    Take care
    Cathy

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    1. Thank you Cathy. The weather is very strange at the moment, many areas we know over here have experienced floods over the last couple of days, I hope things improve for all of us soon:)

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  7. The cats are adorable!

    We had snow overnight here.

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    1. Thank you William. Oh no, not snow already, once it starts it stays for months over there doesn't it?:)

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  8. What a lovely post full of colour. I love your marmalade tulip tree and all your garden visitors, happily making themselves at home. You've got three excellent books on your bookshelf to keep you entertained on these chilly, wet days too. Have a good weekend. 🍁🍃🍂😊

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    1. Thank you Karen, the tree is still looking colourful but with fewer leaves as most are underneath it on the garden. I think sitting and reading is going to take up a large part of this weekend. First frost this morning too:)

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  9. November sounds lovely from your description Rosie! I agree that the autumn colours have been particularly vibrant this year. Your cat visitors are very obliging posing for the camera! I hope you have a lovely new week Rosie - full of autumn hues and sunshine too. x

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    1. Thank you Simone, November is such a dreary month so I wanted to find the good things it holds and there are quite a few. I love all the cat visitors some are inquisitive and friendly others just duck under the hedges as you spot them. Hope you have a lovely week too:)

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  10. What lovely feline friends you have visiting. The squirrels seem to be very active this month, we had 6 in our garden at the weekend all at once!

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    1. Thank you Julie, I love our cat and squirrel visitors and the birds and foxes too:)

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  11. This looks like some great reading for the darker days of November. Your Tulip tree is gorgeous and such a wonderful colour. Marie x

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    1. Thank you Marie, I've enjoyed all those books. The tulip tree is almost leafless now:)

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