Day 296 - October 23rd

The winter bedding plants I planted in the tubs by the front door a few weeks ago are doing really well. The Cyclamen are so bright and cheerful looking on a damp autumn day.

Day 295 - October 22nd

Today has been a day of rushing here and there. Lots of errands to do. So when I finally found myself with half an hour on my hands I decided to go for a walk.

Part of my walk took me down a footpath known as 'The Twitchell'. I don't know the origin of the word 'Twitchell' but understand that it commonly refers to a narrow lane or alley or passageway. At this time of year the footpath is quite slippery with lots of fallen leaves but its quite pretty too. At the top of the footpath there is a very polite sign which makes me chuckle. It says "All Persons passing by this Twitchell are to go directly up and down without loitering, collecting together so as to create obstruction committing nuisance breaking fences etc"

Day 294 - October 21st

This week Chris has been doing work experience at The Aircraft Research Association. The three days he has spent there has given him an opportunity to gain an insight into the activities that exist in the field of Aerodynamic Research and Wind Tunnel operation which is a career path he may choose to follow. Today was his last day and he spent most of the day in the Model Design and Manufacture Department and came home with this paperweight which he designed and made.

Day 293 - October 20th

After yesterdays very autumnal trees the tree in todaysphoto is still very green and only just starting the change colour and lose its leaves.

Day 292 - October 19th

Not the best composed photo but it's all I could manage today. A snap of some autumn trees on my way back from the school this morning taken on my phone.

Day 291 - October 18th

Outside our gate, set in the corner of our neighbours garden are some hollyhocks. This year one has sprung up on our side of the fence and surprisingly is still flowering even this late in the year. I guess if we have a frost it will quickly kill it but at the moment it is beautiful.

Day 290 - October 17th

We took Lara to a party this morning. After dropping her off we went to The Old Watermill Shopping Village at Barton-Le-Clay to kill some time before going back to collect her. We hadn''t been for a long while and were pleased to see a lot of new shops and the Christmas Cabin now open.

Day 289 - October 16th

Another fruity post today. Wayne made this wooden apple a few years ago when he was doing a lot of wood turning. He tells me its not very well made and points out all the flaws in it but I think it's lovely and it (as well as one or two other bits and pieces he's made) stands on one of the shelves in the kitchen.

Day 288 - October 15th

My friend Heather has a huge garden - well its more of an estate really, and every autumn she asks us whether we would like some of the fruit from the many fruit trees she has. So this afternoon my Mum and Dad and I went and picked some fruit. We each came away with several carrier bags full of cooking apples, eating apples, pears and hazelnuts. It'll now be my job to prepare and freeze the cooking apples so that between now and next autumn we have a ready supply of fruit for crumbles. Mmmmmmmmm

Day 287 - October 14th

Feeling uninspired today. Only thing I could find to photograph was this ivy growing up the side of the house.

Day 286 - October 13th

Today I went with Lara's class on a Victorian Day in Hitchin.

Their day began with a visit to The British Schools Museum. They were given a Victorian lesson in the stepped Victorian Galleried Classroom built in 1853. The teacher was very strict! The children had to read from texts of the time, write in copy books with a pen dipped into an inkwell, write on a slate with a slate pencil and learn about pounds, shillings, pennies and farthings.

I took my little compact camera with me and was able to take a few photos during the lesson. I think I'm OK to post this one as my photo of the day because it doesn't actually show the faces of the children. (Lara is on the right with a navy blue bonnet next to two little girls in white mop caps.)

In the afternoon we walked to Hitchin Museum where we saw some strange Victorian artifacts and learned how to polish shoes and do the washing (Victorian style) and got to play with Victorian toys.

It really bought history alive and I would have loved to have done something like that as a child. I was lucky to have been asked to go with the class on the trip and share in the experience.

All the children dressed in Victorian costume for the trip. Rather than try and make something myself I cheated and bought something from that well known auction site! Lara posed for some photos before we left for school.

I bought two different hats. A mop cap that I thought was particularly cute .....

........ and a blue bonnet. Lara choose to wear the blue bonnet.

I didn't know that Victorians had Nintendo DS's did you?

Day 285 - October 12th

Latch on an old barn door.

Day 284 - October 11th

Spent some time at my parents house this afternoon where we were only too willing to help consume some Krispy Kreme doughnuts ! LOL

Day 283 - October 10th

During the last week it was my brother and sister-in-law's silver wedding anniversary. This weekend they and their daughter and her fiancé came to stay with my parents and so tonight we went out for a meal to celebrate. My photo for today is of the happy couple.



The meal was lovely. I had a rather nice Pan Seared Salmon with sauté potato and spinach fricosse and white wine butter sauce.

Day 282 - October 9th

This popped up in the middle of the lawn a couple of days ago - a Shaggy Ink Cap Mushroom. Its supposed to be edible unless eaten with alcohol when it can cause severe illness. But, I don't think I'll be trying it with or without as it doesn't look the most appetizing thing. Ewwww.

Day 281 - October 8th

Today was the Harvest Festival at Lara's school so I went along to the special Harvest Assembly this morning. When I was a child everyone took fresh produce - fruit, vegetables and flower. Now a lot of people seem to take tinned and packets instead. But, no matter what the children take into school at harvest it all goes to a mother and baby residential centre in a nearby town and they seem to appreciate anything.

Day 280 - October 7th

"Ding dong bell"

Wet weather today meant I've been stuck inside so my photo today is of a bell that we have on display in the lounge. Up until a few years ago I regularly attended church and was a managing trustee. Sadly due to declining numbers we eventually had to make the decision to close the church. It was a sad day. Before the contents of the church were sold and eventually the building too, the few remaining members were asked if there was an object or two from the church that they would like to have as a souvenir. I choose a pen and ink drawing of the building and this bell. The bell was used in the Sunday school room and dates from 1897. I keep meaning to take the bell somewhere and have it engraved with the name of the Church and dates it opened and closed but never get around to it.

Day 279 - October 6th

It has been so damp today. On our way home from school we noticed lots and lots and lots of snails on the paths and fences. I picked up this little chap and carried him all the way home so he could be my photo of the day. Being the Google Geek that I am I googled my snail and I think he is a White-lipped banded snail

Day 278 - October 5th

After the cherry tomatoes were a disaster this year I had hoped that the other tomatoes in the greenhouse would fair better. They were planted rather late and despite there now being lots of tomatoes on the vines, they will not ripen. Unless these beauties ripen soon I think I may have to explore the world of green tomato chutney! My mum suggested picking them and putting them on the window sill to ripen. Does anyone know if that works?

Day 277 - October 4th

At the moment it seems that the most common request made of me is "Mum, can I play on your laptop?"

Day 276 - October 3rd

We went out this morning to a nearby nursery to buy a few plants to put in some planters outside the front door. There were lots to choose from but we plumped for some winter pansies, some heathers and some ivy. Now they have just got to be planted but it was so windy outside today that we decided to leave the planting until another day.

Day 275 - October 2nd

Jeans for Genes Day

Day 274 - October 1st

Inspiration for todays photo came from the garden again and just look at that lush blue sky.