Sunday 24 November 2019

Sunday 24.11.2019

A dreich day, damp air and soggy ground. Nevertheless, we squelched around the woods which had its own particular beauty on a day like this: tiny glass baubles decorating the trees; lustrous lichen; reflections caught in puddles and the last few leaves just hanging on.

Mist draped across the hills in the distance, rendering everything slightly our of focus, and the still air sent the raucous cries of the crows and sudden distinctive alarm calls of disturbed blackbirds echoing around and over the trees. As we turned for home it grew greyer and greyer, turning the woods into a place of mystery, shadows playing tricks on the eyes. A deer ventured out from the trees to graze but soon turned tail when it realised it wasn`t alone. Magical.


Thursday 14 November 2019

Thursday 14.11.2019

Early morning perambulation with the dogs to the top of our hill just now and what drama in the skies and the landscape. Snow overnight, not a thick white blanket but enough to give a satisfying crunch underfoot. In places it looked as if the snow had been shaken out across the fields through a large sieve, while the tops of fence posts had carefully sculptured little caps and large lumps had been jammed on the spikes of the gorse.

The rising sun was colouring the snow a pale pink while in the sky opposite a white moon hung above a dark grey cloud. Large columns of smoky cloud swirled away to the north while the next batch of snow looked as if it might be on its way from the south west. The visible sky was a startling blue, the air was crisp and the dogs scampered around like puppies. Not a bad start to the day.
The camera is currently "mislaid" but being without it reminds you that sometimes it`s better simply to enjoy the moment.

Wednesday 6 November 2019

Tuesday 05.11.2019

Good to be back from peregrinations, not to say perambulations, south of the border, including taking high tea courtesy of Jane Austen in the City of Bath which I shall mainly remember for....chimneys!



All those poor housemaids up pre-dawn to light all those fires.....




At the other end of the scale the high tea meant we all ate far too much but in a nice touch, what we couldn`t manage we were able to take home for later.
Friendly, knowledgeable staff made it an instructive and enjoyable visit though sadly there was no sign of Colin Firth.On the upside, dressing up like one of Ms. Austen`s characters was not obligatory.



Welcomed back by three or four days of persistent heavy rain, the kind of weather that seems like it will never change. However, change it did today, still showery but with enough gaps to allow us to head for the very soggy woods where the gloomy light enhanced the autumn colours and shapes, and drenched tree trunks looked like they were cloaked in black satin.




And all to the soft,spellbinding musical accompaniment of drips and splashes which it was necessary to just stand and listen to for a while.

Welcome home indeed, 29 years to the day yesterday that we arrived "up here" and a good move it has proven to be.