I love this time of the year when the sun sits low in the sky and the last of the Autumn leaves fall to the ground like confetti – this makes any walk seem more like a parade (I must remember to play some brass band music on my iPod next time)! Our very favourite walk actually starts at the gate… we simply turn left and walk. When we reach the red postbox (below) it always makes me smile. When I first moved into this area I tried to post a letter and was surprised to find that I could see daylight through the slot. The front of the decommissioned postbox was retained by the owners as an attractive feature but I often wonder if they ever find any errant letters or unpaid bills fluttering around in the garden!
The circular walk is only five miles long but there are a couple of good climbs that make your legs realise that they need to get out more! It’s great to take deep breaths of fresh air and enjoy the beautiful countryside, especially knowing that there’ll be a hot cup of coffee on return.
It’s hard to believe that we started the year with an official drought due to a cold but very dry Winter last year. Ironically, there are now flood warnings in place and thousands of homes throughout the country have been flooded and emergency evacuations are occurring. The ground is so saturated that any small amount of rain makes the situation worse. We’re lucky as the house is not near a river and it’s not in the valley, yet despite this, we still need to put on our Wellies to open and close the gate. My thoughts are with those who aren’t so lucky and who will be cleaning up and paying the price of flood damage for a long time.
About half a mile down the Lane there is a tricky bend that often becomes flooded… I’ve noticed that I can guauge if this bend is passable or not by looking at our driveway… if the flood water is all the way across the gateway then the lane is not passable!
I’ll end with happier news – the kittens have settled in beautifully, they’re outgoing, used to being handled and very playful. I can add “an armful of kittens” to the list of things that make me very happy! I’m also on holiday this week from work… another thing that’s on my happy list 🙂
The Pyjama Gardener 
The light is wonderful at this time of year, there’s just not enough hours to enjoy it in! Beautiful photographs, I love the frosty leaves!
Have a wonderful week off,
-E
It’s so nice seeing daylight in the week! I love Autumn and Winter but the short days do make life more difficult. I’m going to try and get most of the Christmas shopping done and spoil the kittens 🙂
Enjoy your week long holiday! The kittens will be happy to have you around 🙂 I love walks at this time of year too. Really worrying about the floods. There’s been random ones all year long. Very strange weather. My plants are totally confused.
It would be so good to have proper seasons… I was in my garden wearing shorts in March and frantically hunting for the sunscreen. We had hail in August and the wettest Summer in over a hundred years. I’m certainly going to buy hardier plants next year 🙂
Lovely photos – the light from the low sun is beautiful. And as for those kittens… I’m sure you’ll enjoy your week off with them around!
Thanks Sarah – we hope that by spending a full week with the kittens it will help them to settle in. They already look settled though LOL!!
All this rain is driving me mad as I can’t get anything done in the garden. Am reduced to cleaning the house, that’s how bad it’s got! As for confused plants, I spotted some magnolias trying to come out on my way home from school this morning. I expect the forecasts frosts will remind them that they should wait a while longer.
The plants certainly are confused so goodness knows what it’s doing to the wildlife. I hope the Magnolia doesn’t wear itself out… it’s like going straight to work after a party!
Thank heavens for housework 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
Your collections of photos look like postcards from your walk and your kittens are too lovely. The floods are terrible – so many people are suffering as a result and the weather doesn’t seem to be letting-up.
Enjoy your time off – I would wish you lovely gardening weather, but I guess you’d rather be playing indoors with the new additions to your family.
The floods are terrible and I really feel sorry for all those involved. Hopefully this will be the worst of the rain and we can go back to fog and frost! You’re right, I’d much prefer being indoors at the moment 🙂
Great photos! The kitties are too cute. There really is nothing better than a lap full of kittens.
Thanks Heidi – it’s only the smell of the litter tray that keeps me grounded!
Love the red mailbox! It would make me smile too! I agree that the lighting is fantastic at this time of year and makes for some great photography. Enjoy your week off and those kittens!
Thanks Karin – the light is lovely and makes most photos look special (and I’ll take all the help I can get!).
I, too, love going on walks in the country. If I pay attention I notice something new every day. But alas, I often walk with my head in the clouds and daydream
The clouds are so lovely Mary and we all need to daydream more! Walking is a good way of clearing your head and blowing the cobwebs away!
Lovely pictures. Enjoy your week off! 😀
Thanks Cathy – I’ll certainly make the most of it x
Those photographs are so beautiful! They are like postcards beckoning me to live in the country! You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area!
What a lovely comment – and your photos make me want a slice of Toronto! That’s why I love blogging – I get a great peek into other people’s lives 🙂
Thanks for the walk PJ. I really enjoyed the views. We’ve been watching the flooding in the UK and Whales on the news. Things are really a wreck in places. I’m happy to know it’s not affecting your home and hope others will find the help they’ll now need to recover. Thank goodness for your lovely new distractions, they seem ready to be little super models, ha they’re perfected posed. Holy Toledo they’re are soooo cute! Take care x
They are darlings and the photo doesn’t do them justice… they’re itsy, bitsy and full of fun and the photo above makes them look quite big and serious! They are really well behaved though…
Thanks for your good wishes Boomdee x
Enjoy your holiday! An armful of kittens sounds like a warm and wonderful feeling. Sorry to hear about the floods. Such devastation. I hope your place will be o.k. after the water subsides.
Thanks x I’m sure everything here will be fine but the weather has been very strange world-wide this year. An armful of kittens is an antidote x
Super adorable kittens!
Thanks Jeannine – they are super soft, super cute and super gorgeous!
Oh my, your kittens are too cute for words! Enjoy your week of bonding with them! 🙂
Thanks Jen – I’m making the most of them as they won’t be kittens for long 😉
What a beautiful walk! I especially love the mature trees. So great to see the sun, too! Have a lovely week off PJ Girl 🙂
I almost forgot what that bright, shining thing in the sky was! Sunshine makes everyone a little happier x
Soggy and sappy. It’s such a lovely combination. One shores up the other. Keep Calm & to Higher Land! 😉
Ha, ha… what’s life without contrasts? We’re nice and dry and the waters are receding 🙂
Your lovely images remind me of how much I miss trees. Sigh….
I love trees too and would be sad not to have them around… but living in the middle of England means that we don’t see the sea (although there’s plenty of water around at the moment!).
We have lots of flooded fields around here and when the sun comes out it certainly looks beautiful.
mother nature has been very unpredictable this year… there is beauty in all of it, but the water is much prettier than the scorched earth of drought. oh, and your kittens..lovelove..!
Love the country lane and other rural aspects of your neighborhood. Keep us up to date on the kitties!
I would love to take a walk there, it’s beautiful!
Wow! I hadn’t realized how bad it had become. I’m glad you are situated optimally, but share your concern for all the others less fortunate. Oh my what a mess.
Love your photos, PJ, and your always-thoughtful words.