Calm, and Cold, After the Storm

Took Bella back to the vet's today - to sort out an ear infection this time. Hopefully the treatment for this will finally settle her down at night - or else we'll get a season ticket for the vet. Parked the van in Victoria Park and walked there past these imprisoned Christmas trees.

On the way back, we took our time wandering through the park. Bella happily found a couple of sticks and an old tennis ball.  She wouldn't let go of any of them...

After a bit of mooching around the house after Su had gone out with a brand new windscreen on her car, I decided it was too nice to stay in. So Bella and I jumped in the van and drove up the hill out of Bath onto the Gloucestershire plain to Westonbirt. There, saw this machine that I'm sure Su would like a go on.

The last leaves on the trees looked great against the bright blue sky.

 I tried to make a mountain out of this molehill but didn't get the phone low enough.

 It was lovely and bright but really cold, so we stayed up at the top of the site rather than plunge down into the woods proper. We were rewarded by some lovely sights.

 And Bella was happy with an enormous stick that she carried around and chewed for the best part of an hour.

 Proper moss on this dry stone wall.

 Coming back to the central part of the site, saw this dinky little roundabout.  Westonbirt light up the specimen part of the arboretum for Christmas, and there are a few stalls and attractions for the thousands of visitors.

 As the sun fell, there were some more stunning sights in the sky.

 The way the light caught the edge of the clouds really appealed to me.

 Back home through the dusk to a cup of coffee (it was too cold to hang around there today).  Su and I plan to go back tomorrow - a bit earlier in the day when the sun is higher in the sky.  Get some more light in our heads before the next instalment of winter weather on Sunday.


Stephen dropped round a claim form I have to fill in for the marking I have just done for UWE, and told me that I have to enclose a copy of my passport so they can verify who I am! I know that it's rules and procedures, and I'll do it, of course, but really! Work somewhere for 20 years and do them a favour...  Anyway, enough grumpy old man impressions - time for systems support on my laptop to try and sort out why it's being less efficient than usual ("Because it's a Mac!", chorus all my PC and Linux using friends :-)!)