Into November

 Five things for Friday.

1. In the garden. 

Leaves and plenty of them from the Tulip tree all over the top lawn.  They have been raked up a couple of times so far and there are a lot more to come down.  Today there is a slight breeze blowing them about.

 

Our foxy visitor seems to have something wrong with its eye,  I'm not sure if this is permanent or if it will clear.  We have another fox that visits and that one has a slight limp.  Lets hope that clears up too.  Life is precarious for our urbn foxes. 

2. Lakeside Walks

Cormorant

 

Photos taken on a recent walk around Westport Lake.  There are not so many visitors now the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has closed its visitor centre and cafe.  Such a shame, it was a lovely place for coffee overlooking the lake.  Many locals used it to meet friends and there was a good community spirit.  The city council are hoping to find someone to take over and are still maintaining the lakeside walks, car park and children's play area.

Muscovy duck and Runner duck

 

They are  always together and seem to be great pals.

3. Halloween

Lots of pumpkins and pumpkin carvings at Trentham gardens this week

 

4.  Autumn Colours

A quick walk at the Dorothy Clive gardens on Tuesday as it was quite damp and grey.  The wonderful colour in the trees and shrubs made up for the dismal day.

The tables in the cafe were decorated with fresh flowers and small squashes and gourds.

 

 

5. Recent reading

 

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves.  The latest novel featuring DI Vera Stanhope.  One of my favourite series of books

 

The Comfort of Ghosts by Jaqueline Winspear,  the very last Maisie Dobbs novel. Another of my favourite series.

Bournville by Jonathan Coe, set in and around the Bournville area of Birmingham.  It's the story of Mary and takes her and her family from the second World War through notable times in our recent history right up to the Covid 19 epidemic.  

 

It's another grey day here but at least the slight drizzle we had yesterday has disappeared.  I think more leaf raking and gathering is in order for this afternoon.

Now it's November

I must admit November isn't one of my favourite months of the year but I have to say the last few days have been wonderful.  We've woken up to the garden white over with frost and smoky low lying mists in dips between the buildings in the distance. The low rays of the autumnal sun have filled the house with light.   The cats have been reluctant to leave the house but spurred by the bright sunshine have ventured outside stepping gingerly across the cold, hard grass.

At the weekend I finally gave in and  bought some Christmas cards from our nearest RSPB shop at Carsington Water.  Now I've dipped my toes into the still cool water of Christmas preparations I've started to think about buying just a few things in advance like postage stamps and the chestnut puree for our main meal, which is always Rose Elliott's recipe for Chestnut and Red Wine pate en croute.  I'm not going to think of anything else until 1st December;  then I will welcome all the festivities with open arms.

I discovered this lovely poem the other day so thought I would share it with you as autumn slips into winter

Leaves

How silently they tumble down
and come to rest upon the ground
to lay a carpet, rich and rare,
beneath the trees without a care.
Content to sleep, their work well done,
colours gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
to wait, like children, for the snow.

Elsie N. Brady

A much needed Splash of Colour

I found this super idea on Kathy's 'Postcards at the P.P. ' blog  and decided to join in and have a go at bringing some colour into November.  The idea comes from a lovely blog called silverpebble. I've been reading quite a few blogs this week and it seems that lots of us are feeling low and not particularly looking forward to the coming winter so 'Splash of Colour' is about helping us to feel a bit brighter.

Some of the photos are from this time last year as I haven't been able to get out and about with a camera this week; I hope you enjoy them!

Colourful hats in Cromford taken late October 2009

Rows of colourful mugs at the Emma Bridgewater factory shop, Lichfield Street, Hanley.

Colourful tree with dangling hearts - taken at Consall Hall Gardens - October 2009

Beautiful Acer tree - Consall Hall Gardens October 2009

Blue, blue sky - taken at Staunton Harold a couple of weeks ago

and Chloe - who always brings  joy and colour into my life

A Visit to Nottingham

I'm also including this post in the 'Things I am thankful for in November' series of posts (see the button on my sidebar) because this one is about good friends and neighbours. Yesterday we visited friends in Nottingham. We set out early and were in the city centre by 9.40a.m. I've always loved Nottingham - I remember coming here as a small child on shopping trips with my Mum, aunt and cousins. The things I remembered most about the city as a child are the lions in front of the Council Chambers on Old Market Square, what we used to called Slab Square. I'm not sure if the name has changed since its recent re-design. I've yet to see the whole square since it has been refurbished because the first time we came the hoardings were still in place before it was opened, the next time the ice rink was in place and this year again the ice rink is there. They were also decorating the huge Christmas tree using a scaffold.

Here is one of the lions, I couldn't get far enough away to photograph both of them but I remember they were always the place to meet - 'see you at the lions' was the usual arrangement.

In this part of the city the trams whizz by with a clunk and a clank. They are great fun! They also all have names - the one below is named for footballing legend Brian Clough manager of Nottingham Forest from 1975 to 1993 - see here for the other names including Jesse Boot founder of Boots Chemists.

We had parked in the Broad Marsh Centre but actually wanted to visit John Lewis which is in the Victoria Centre; the walk between the two isn't far and I enjoyed window shopping along Bridlesmith Gate and Clumber Street on the way.

I was pleased to see that the Roland Emett water powered clock or 'The Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator' is still in the Victoria Centre although for some reason it didn't play the usual music on the hour as we watched the birds and animals with their musical instruments whizz round at exactly 11a.m. Installed in 1973 it has become, like the lions in the Square, another meeting place for shoppers and friends. More information about the clock here

We left the city and drove up to where our friends live and had a lovely lunch catching up on news and chattering about books, films, cooking, food and lots of other things around the lunch table and then in their comfy living room overlooking the park. All too soon the sun disappeared and darkness fell over the park and tree lined promenade - it was time to get ready to drive home. Thankfully the strong winds that had been promised didn't materialise and we had a good journey back to Stoke. Our kind neighbour had been in and fed the cats, closed curtains and put on the lights for our return home. So after a lovely day yesterday I'm thankful for good friends and neighbours.

Things I am Thankful For - 1

I've decided to join in with Ginny at Sweet Myrtle and her 'Things I am thankful for' during November. November can be quite a misty, grey month between the golden glories of autumnal October and the rush and excitement of pre-Christmas December. The idea is just to reflect upon a few simple everyday things that bring a little colour into our lives.

So what am I thankful for? That I can still put on my walking boots and walk in lovely places, like the one below.

November Skies

Although I've been getting up and going to work in the dark for the last couple of weeks I'm usually home about an hour before dusk and this week I've been sky watching.

The colours are spectacular and ever changing. In fact, they change so quickly that by the time I've run upstairs, grabbed a camera and got out into the garden they are completely different but still very beautiful.

I love to watch them change from pale gold, to soft pink and then turn more vividly intense before the sun finally disappears and the early evening darkness makes an appearance.

I think this is one of the most wonderful shows nature offers us and we can watch, for free, from our own back gardens.