Small Things

I've been looking for small things to bring colour and cheer to these dull, grey and damp days.  In the garden things are happening.

Winter Aconite

Snowdrop buds

Damp misty walks by the lake can be quite atmospheric.

There's always a robin to say hello.

Baking.  We bought lemons to put with honey to sooth coughs.  I made a blueberry and lemon tray bake.  It's in a pot dish as we didn't have a big enough tin.  Half has been frozen.  I saw the recipe in a free magazine from the supermarket.  I also made a lemon cake from the Cranks recipe book.  Both very tasty.

Post box topper in the supermarket.  The little creatures look as if they are off on holiday.

We popped into the Brampton Museum to have a cup of coffee and a look at the latest exhibition.

You will notice that there are some empty frames.  This is because they are ready and waiting for their works of art to be displayed.  Local artist Rob Pointon -link- is making a painting each day of January.

We will make a return visit to see what he has produced over the last few days.  There is also an area for works done by local artists who come to join him on Saturdays to sit and paint around the Brampton no matter the weather.

It's a great idea.

Into October

October already, where did September go?  It seems to have passed by so quickly.  We've had wet days and gloriously golden days.  Rich in warmth and colour.

Above October's calendar picture by textile artist Kate Findlay.  Below a photo of the Amelanchier tree in the garden taken from our bedroom window.  The window sticker is to stop birds flying into the glass, which they have been known to do from the trees beyond our hedge.

On Tuesday we took our usual weekly walk around Trentham Gardens,  The skies were blue, the weather was calm and warm and Autumnal colours were everywhere.

It was an almost perfect day.  I say almost because I have been struggling health wise over the last couple of weeks.  I'll be back soon as hopefully I will have a couple of future visits to share with you.

Take care.

Blogtober - Day Twenty one

 Shall we have a Five on Friday?  

Perhaps a bit of cheering colour is needed this week.

1. Spotted in the entrance to a supermarket

Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar in crochet.

 

  Very charming and colourful.

 

2.  Also very charming and colourful

This Robin stayed long enough for a photograph.  He was by the smaller lake at Westport Lakes where we walked earlier this week.  There were one or two Robins about but we still wait to see that bright blue flash of the Kingfisher.

3.  Halloween Displays

Seasonal displays at the farmshop and cafe in Hartington on our way back from Bakewell a week ago.

 

Halloween black cats decorate the fireplace.  The tables were trimmed with pumpkins or ghosts.  I didn't take photos of these as there were lots of people about enjoying a late lunch.

 

Pumpkins galore - everywhere. 

 

4.  Garden Visitors

 

A week ago I posted a photo of a bird on a barbed wire fence. We thought it may be a Meadow Pippit.   It was taken on Fenton Fields which is just two streets away from home.  Earlier this week this bird landed on the lawn.  I think it may be the same type of bird.  We've never seen one in the garden before but it could have decided to have a little adventure and vist some nearby gardens.

Edit 6.30p.m.  Thank you to Coastal Ripples and Ragged Robin who recognised the bird above as a Redwing.  First time I've known one visit our garden.

 

A lovely Red Admiral visited in between showers this morning.  It spent ages on the winter pansies in the hanging basket just outside the kitchen window.
 

 5. New Street Art

 

This small area at the bottom of the Strand just by Times Square and opposite the station has been turned into a memorial garden just in time for Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday next month.

 We've driven by many times over the last few weeks on our way home and we've seen the work in progress. Often just one artist up a ladder.  A couple of weeks ago we noticed it had been opened up so we stopped to take photos.

Monday Miscellany

Just a short post as I haven't written a 'Monday miscellany' one so far this year.

We had such grey and damp weather over the weekend. Friday night's snowfall seemed like just a dream.

 When we called at the supermarket on Friday morning I bought a couple of bunches of daffodils to bring some colour into the house.

The daffodil bulbs we planted in the Autumn are doing well in the garden.  Usually when we plant bulbs the squirrels dig them up, they seem to be partial to crocus and dwarf iris but they aren't interested in daffodil bulbs.

Perhaps they are as poisonous to them as they are to us.

The bulbs in the little planters we received as a Christmas gift have started to grow.  Narcissi to the left muscari to the right.

I took the first photo on Sunday morning and the one above this morning - the muscari have advanced in size over night.

Today is less grey and damp, there has even been a little sunshine.  It was too grey and overcast to see the beautiful moon early this morning so the daffodils will have to compensate with their vibrant colour.

I'll hopefully be back later this week with my photos for the Scavenger Photo Hunt - I still have some to find - and also our results for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch.

Season of Colour

This week I've been noticing colours, mostly seasonal colours as this time of year produces such rich, glossy colours, here are just some of the things I've recorded as I've been on my walks this week.

but first I want to share this photo I took a couple of weeks ago of a squirrel in our garden with a shiny, copper brown conker that it had just stripped of its outer layer.  It was fascinating watching the little creature with its prize - it ran off with the conker no doubt to cache it away for darker, colder winter weather.

 Lovely orange colours above and below in the gardens at Haddon Hall last Sunday where we went to listen to a performance by Piva in the great hall.

On Thursday we walked at Tittesworth, near Leek.  The reservoir was very low after all the exceptionally dry weather we've been experiencing over the last few weeks.

I can't remember what the plant above is called but it was very colourful with its dark red leaves and black berries.

The soft, gossamer seeds of the Willow herbs were lining the paths and drifting around in the slight breeze.

 This morning we walked around Trentham Gardens and lakeside.  Above - a Dahlia in The Secret Garden - one of the small show gardens in the grounds.

 Along the path we saw huge glossy red rose hips

 More conkers on a Horse Chestnut tree

 Sweet, juicy blackberries

and leaves changing colour

on some of the trees

Not quite so colourful but very seasonal and interesting were the different fungi we found on the forest floor.
 

A final burst of seasonal colour on the kitchen table - a bunch of cheerful red asters from the supermarket.