Autumn Days

 I haven't written a blog post since the beginning of September.  However, Mr P is able to drive again so we've been out-and-about locally.  I went to the library in the park the other day, changed some books and walked in the walled garden.  The weather has been wet and windy, but it was good to get out again.

There were still a lot of plants in flower in the rose garden and in the walled garden.

                                         

                                                                          hydrangeas

                                                                           

                                                                        climbing roses

                                                             

                                                               delphinium, cone flowers

                                                                   

                                                                           sunflowers

                                                             

                                                                             hollyhocks

dahlias 

The new entrance to the library is a little confusing, but it leads to the stable block café, the park, lake and the wild garden.

 

rowan tree berries in the wild garden

The boat which acts as a planter was full of  Autumn flowers and Michaelmas daisies.

.... and here are the Michaelmas daisies in our own garden

Here are the books I collected from the library, a children's book, an autobiography about someone who worked for the BBC (British Broadcasting Company), a picture history written by an historian and a novel set in Rome, Italy.

Our son came for a visit recently and brought us a pot of mixed plants, mainly ferns.

It was our great granddaughter's first birthday on Saturday.

On the way home we stopped to take photos of the crocheted topper on the post box because of the Autumn theme.  There were pumpkins, red-capped mushrooms and a quirky looking owl.

I hope you have a good week.  Thank you for coming by, 

Linda P

This Week

Back home in Yorkshire the mixed hyacinths we planted in a wooden barrel have grown and opened and are still giving us pleasure.  

We're also back in our usual routine - shopping, seeing our local family who come visiting and generally catching up with admin paperwork and your news via blogger.

This morning I went to the park to take a book back to the library and collect the ones I had reserved.

Two of the books are large print so they'll be easier to read.  

The Agatha Christie book jacket blurb - "An urgent cry for help brings Poirot to France, but he arrives too late to save his client and who now lies in a shallow grave on a golf course. Why is the dead man wearing an overcoat that's too big for him?  Who was the impassioned love-letter in his pocket for?  Before Poirot can answer these questions the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse".

The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn - "Nature holds the answers for Raynor and her husband Moth.  After walking 630 homeless miles along "The Salt Path" (The first of the non fiction books I read recently) the couple continue living on the windswept and wild English coastline.  The cliffs, the sky and the chalky earth now feel like their home.  Moth has a terminal diagnosis, but he seems revitalized in nature.  Together on the wild coastal path they discover that anything is possible.  Now life beyond the Salt Path awaits and they come back to four walls. The sense of home is illusive and returning to normality is proving difficult until an incredible gesture by someone who reads their story changes everything.  There's a chance to breathe life back into a beautiful farmhouse nestled deep in the Cornish hills:  rewilding the land and returning nature to its hedgerows becomes their saving grace and their new path to follow".  

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner - "1950.  Bloomsbury Books on Lamb's Conduit Street has resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the manager's unbreakable rules.  But after the turmoil of war in Europe the world is changing and the women in the shop have plans.  As the women cross paths with literary figures such as Daphne du Maurier, Samuel Beckett and Peggy Guggenheim, these Bloomsbury girls are working together to plot out a richer and more rewarding future".

Patches of crocuses that have been planted by the park staff come up every year.

Cold, cloudy, but dry best describes the weather at the moment.  We're expecting snow next week and we're not looking forward to it if it happens.

  

As usual I went into the walled garden and it was good to see some colour because of the flowering shrubs and early Spring flowers.

Above, back in our own garden the daffodils remain in bud waiting for some sunshine.  We wait for warmer days although with the threat of snow that's unlikely to happen.  We have to make the most of  dry weather and get out and about when we can.

Thanks for visiting.  Have a good weekend wherever you live.

Recent Days

Each day this week we've had a range of different types of weather; from dry, but cloudy skies to wet and windy.  Autumn is transitioning into Winter.  The good news is that Mr P's chest x-ray result was clear and we're able to get out-and-about again as he's feeling much better.  We were advised to continue with the covid vaccination Winter booster when Mr P went to see the general practitioner doctor.  The appointment is tomorrow and thankfully at our local general practice clinic.  Mr P also has a physio consultation at the hospital next week so in between we'll be resting as much as possible.  

I had a quick look around the walled garden in the park.  It's surprising what flowers can still be seen, mainly hydrangea bushes and chrysanthemums now,  sheltered by the surrounding old walls.

On Wednesday looking out of the back living room picture window I caught sight of a tree surgeon who was obviously pruning some of the branches of the huge cherry tree in our neighbour's garden. He had all the necessary safety equipment and was using a rope and pulley system to swing from branch to branch.  It was just as well he did some of the work on that day as the following day we had heavy rain storms at night and during the day.

There are berries in abundance everywhere.  The robin and other birds are still finding shelter and food in the next-door-neighbour's hawthorn tree.

We were sent photos of a firework event at Kenilworth Castle which was held on the 5th November (Bonfire Night). 

Needless to say our heavy curtains are drawn every evening now to keep us warm and we could hear the bangs from local firework displays. We think of the animals who get frightened because of sensitive hearing. I'm sure the family in Kenilworth enjoyed the spectacular firework display at this historical venue on that evening. It's fun for families to watch such an event so long as it's well organised and safe for spectators. 

As for us, I'm thankful for Mr P's improved health and the shelter of a warm and cosy house when the weather isn't so good.  

Thank you for your visit.  Have a good day and a peaceful weekend.