Tuesday 30 October 2012

Dentist, Left At The Lights & UWE

Woke early this morning, but I was rewarded with this sight of a glorious sunrise for my wakefulness.
Bella dozing after breakfast on the rug at the end of our bed - waiting for me to take her out for her morning walk.
These teazle heads are still good value, long after the flowers have gone.
Still some wigelia in flower 
This house has two lamp-posts like this. I don't recall ever seeing them lit.
This car has still not moved… 
Little geranium flowers.
Douglas Adams' answer - now what was the question again?:-)
Went off to the dentist for a check up before going on to UWE, where Left At The Lights reconstituted for the first practice of all three of us in over a year. Astonishingly we managed to remember some of the material, and are even talking about playing an open mic night or two before Christmas! After that I had a tutorial with my Information Systems dissertation students before talking to Dan Buzzo about the teaching I will cover for him over the next three weeks while he is off in Hong Kong. Chatted to a few other colleagues before heading home.

This day a year ago, we made our last visit to our allotment, and left it ready for the next tenants to take on.

Monday 29 October 2012

Sky Surprises

An unexpectedly bright start to the day - with blue skies and wispy clouds.
Our hornbeam continues to delight. 
Later on the sun illuminated the top of our silver birch tree.
I spent the morning getting diverted into an unanticipated cleaning binge. Happily escaped into a much darker afternoon - reminded by the view that that Autumn is a time of big skies.
In the fields, the larch and beech trees are stunning. 
The sun came out  up the hill behind me, and as I turned I caught a glimpse of this rainbow.
In full view, it was magnificent - doubled right the way across the valley. What a treat!
The skeleton of the Summer's umbellifers are all that remains.
The rainbow kept on and on, even as the skies cleared. 
 The sun caught these trees on the ridge.
Sunset comes so much sooner since the clocks went back
This day a year ago, we decided that we were not going to be around enough this year to warrant keeping our allotment on, so it was time to clear the ground and harvest our crops - including these tasty beetroots. 


Sunday 28 October 2012

Stray Dog and The Beach

Our neighbour was followed home by a lost dog yesterday, and - being a cat person - asked us what to do. The upshot was that she kept the dog in her house last night and I took it out for a walk with Bella this morning before we took her up to the Cats' & Dogs' Home. She is a cute little dog, and will hopefully soon be reunited with her owners.
Out on the walk, I was taken with the variegation pattern on these autumnal leaves, which are usually deep purply-red. 
The weather today has returned to overcast and drizzly, but without yesterday's cold wind. The autumn foliage shines through the greyness.
We took ourselves off to the beach, where the skies briefly looked as though they might clear. 
Looking across Bridgwater Bay to the North Somerset coast. It was much windier here than in Bath.
There was lots of driftwood on the beach today.
We decided not to go up onto Brean Down,, where the wind looked pretty strong.
A poignant memento of a tryst on the beach
Walked up to the nearby farm and met a small herd of heifers happily chewing the cud. 
This day a year ago, the day started misty then cleared - and then misted up again. There was a lovely light as it finally cleared, after which we enjoyed a sunny trip to Westonbirt.

Saturday 27 October 2012

Sunshine - and Cold Wind...

At last some blue skies and sunshine. Even if the cold north wind dropped the temperature the sun has lifted our spirits. This was the morning view out of the back of the house
Out the front of the house, all was bright. 
Driving around Bath this morning, the architecture was enlivened by the sunlight. 
 Terraces on Bathwick Hill.
Even this concrete warehouse building looked more interesting against a blue sky. 
This chapel conversion looked its best. 
This afternoon we went off to Newark Park in Gloucestershire. Walked up the avenue and admired the trees.
Passed this cottage with a sheep statue .
 A spooky Halloween tree. 
Peacocks wandered about, scrounging off people without dogs.
Walked around the grounds - I've never seen a copytighted tree before… 
Handy arrows on fenceposts steered us round the path, most of which was shut off, but Bella found plenty to sniff anyway.
 Looking up at the big house. 
Drove home via a circuitous route, taking in Wooton-under-Edge and Hawkesbury Upton, in our successful attempt to find the Somerset Monument, which we had seen from Newark's Park vista on the edge of the Cotswolds.
This day a year ago, I spent over half the day waiting for BT Infinity to be connected. As my strain of Symi cold was in full force, I didn't mind much - an attitude helped along by a bottle of beer. 


Friday 26 October 2012

Clouds Lifting, Cold Descending

The temperature has dropped quite a bit in the last day, caused by northerly winds. This has shifted some of the blanket of cloud that has smothered Bath over the last few days. It's still cloudy, but at least it isn't a featureless grey.
I was contacted by UWE again this morning to ask if I can do yet more work for them - some to cover for someone who is teaching in Hong Kong, and some for an ill colleague. No spare capacity in the staffing system there, by the sounds of it… It looks as though I will be busy for a few weeks in November! Took Bella out for her afternoon walk - my eyes were drawn by this jolly holly.
Wallflowers getting going where sunflowers bloomed not long ago. 
Liked these ivy flowers. 
Still more gravel for the bulldozer to play with making a path up the hill. 
Some brightness over Bathford by the middle of the afternoon. 
These trees are still hanging on to their leaves. 
These have just about shed all of theirs in the winds that have blown today. 
What sort of tree do these crisp packets fall from, I wonder? 
This day a year ago, I was succumbing to Su's Symi cold and we were treated to this impressive double rainbow over Charlcombe Valley.