Calm before the storm . . . .

 

The weather is unseasonably warm and I have been making the most of it today with loads of washing hung out before I had to pick up son from the railway station.  Tomorrow I have resolved I must get the lawn mower out again  – could it be for the last time this autumn I ask myself?  The weather forecasters predict high winds and rain for the weekend. ( I  sincerely hope no more trees come down, but having lost a few very large hazels in a severe storm in January 2017,  the wind pattern down our heavily wooded field seems to have altered and caused the latest casualties in the first  autumn winds this year when there was  still a lot of leaf on the trees).  We have had a few frosts, which have finished off the runner beans and tonight we had the last marrow for dinner. ( A courgette, which hidden from sight, had reached gargantuan proportions!)

Sunday morning we had a heavy frost which soon cleared in the warm sunshine.  I was walking with friends in the Black Mountains  for the day and it was absolutely glorious.  The trees are all starting to take on their autumnal colour.  It was quite chilly starting off  on our hike from the car park and I was beginning to wish I had had the forethought to bring gloves, but we soon warmed up as the first 3 or 4 miles were all up hill!  By mid morning I had removed two layers of clothing and by lunchtime at our highest point it was really hot as we sat in the hollows of ancient castle ruins to eat our picnic.

I didn’t  have time to paint anything new but here are a few images to give a flavour of the day.

Unfortunately, I am unable to upload many of the photos to this page.  We crossed and recrossed a very pretty stream running through a woodland valley before we came into fields and then climbed to the high hills.  I really wanted to show you these and some views from the tops, but the computers says “no” – it won’t load  these particular photos into my WordPress account. (The internet speed today is very slow though;  so it could well be that, I suppose,  causing a glitch).

 

I hope you like what I have been able to post  . . . . . I haven’t time or patience to fiddle any more tonight – apologies.