Walking in the Neighbourhood

These ornamental cherry trees are just up the road from the attic and are planted in the grounds of the old Local Council offices (currently deserted and empty, waiting to be demolished and replaced with new housing). Yesterday afternoon on a completely spontaneous whim, I felt an overwhelming urge to go and look at them. So I grabbed my camera, took Little B by the hand and led him into the kitchen, out the back door, through the back gate, up the cobbled back street, up the hill and there we were. I didn't even lock the door or shut the gate. I even left our dinner simmering gently on the hob. But the urge to get out into the afternoon light was so incredibly strong, I just had to go right there and then.

I can't find the words to describe the beauty of the light that we've had here these past few days, but you can hopefully get an impression of it from my photographs. 

It's made everything look so golden and rich and glorious that I've felt myself almost swooning with the beauty of it all.

I don't think Little B noticed the Quality of the Light yesterday, but he was very happy to be taken out for an impromptu walk around the trees. He doesn't talk much yet, but he has a whole variety of sounds that he makes depending on the situation. Yesterday he was full of "oooooooooaaaaaaaahh!!!" which is his way of vocalising a kind of happy discovery. It's very sweet.

This is the view from the very end of my street. Those pine trees are very, very tall and make an impressive noise in windy conditions. I took the above picture at about 3pm yesterday when I was just setting off on the school run. Yes, I did remember to lock the door that time, and turned the dinner off too.

The canal always looks stunning when the sunlight is sweet.

By the time we were dawdling home from school it was about 3.40pm and the sun was very low in the sky.

I asked Little Lady if we could walk a little further along the canal than normal so that I could take a few more pictures, and she was happy to oblige.

I love it at this time of year when we see the smoke rising from the boat chimneys. It always makes them appear so cosy and welcoming, and the smell of woodsmoke in the air is oddly comforting and homely.

Ahh did I say how swoony yesterday afternoon felt?? I did?? It made my insides squiggle with delight just to be outdoors!

Loooooooooong shadows at this time of day look :: that's me on the left (I look large and lumpy cos the pushchair is in front of me) and Little Lady on the right. Her left arm looks incredibly long and dangly!

This morning I went straight from school via the supermarket to the cafe to meet a friend and her Little Boy who is 4 months younger than Little B. I ordered my usual Large Skinny Latte and enjoyed it enormously. Our Little People are well used to cafe life but there is only a shortish time when they can be relied upon to behave appropriately :: with Little B it's roughly 50 minutes, after which time things can go very rapidly downhill. This leaves quite a large part of the morning left to fill, so we decide to go walkabout.

From the centre of town we head to the canal side and walk past the waterfall into the woods.

We are very lucky to have this stunning woodland walk just a few minutes from the town centre. I wish I remembered this fact more often! I can't recall the last time I walked here, it was probably way back in the summer.

The Autumn colour is only just beginning to arrive in our local woodland...isn't it funny how one minute it seems so lush and green and then almost overnight it seems to change colour?

The pathways are pretty good for pushchairs, although it's a little bit muddy at this time of year. But we don't wheel our Littlies the whole way. No, we unstrap them and let them loose for a bit, let them toddle and run and kick through the fallen leaves, let them get muddy and dirty and at-one-with-nature. They are quite precarious actually, Little B and his buddy OJ. They stumble and totter all over the place. Little B bizarrely chooses to walk much of the way backwards which adds to the precariousness. But isn't it so good for their Little Bodies to get such grade-A fresh air and exercise? 

We end up at this pool of water, not sure if you would call this a pond or a pool? It's incredibly tranquil. We scoop up our muddy Little Boys and pop them back in their pushchairs ready for the return walk home. Little B's eyes are already drooping.

I think for the umpteenth time how much I love living here in this sweet, friendly town. How wonderful it is to be able to walk round the local neighbourhood and see such beauty all around. Just got to go and clean the mud off our footwear now.

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Comments

[Katie]

Beautiful!

[Donna :)]

I would love to live there toooooo!!!! You are sooooo blessed.

[Louise]

Fabulous photos. The light does look amazing. Thank you for sharing.

[sam]

Lovely post as usuall.. looks very similar to where i live.!i'm in the North too - Lancashire xx

[Jenny]

Beautiful light pictures Lucy - I love shadows when the sun is low, and how it makes shapes and silhouettes so distored! I don't blame you for wanting to get out and about with such lovely scenery around you, you have the best of both worlds!! Jenny x

[Lucy]

lovely sweet photos!

[Archie the wonder dog]

Wonderful photos - thanks for sharing!

[Kezia]

Absolutely gorgeous Lucy, you capture that amazing golden autumn light so beautifully with your words and your camera. I could look at photos like these all day! Xx

[Rachel]

I would also love to live there. Your photos are amazing, in particular the tress and the canal ones!!!
And I'm totally with you in letting the little ones get dirty running around and exploring- nothing nicer!!!

[Helpful Mum]

I can see my house in one of those pictures! I love the walk round the back of the castle. In fact we'd lived here about five years before even discovering it!

[Joan]

Aaaaah, what a lovely place to live. Your photos make me want to wander about outdoors with my camera now. Thanks so much for your visit to my new little blog and your very kind words. XOXO

[Pauline]

Beautiful pictures, and really lovely autumn colors!
Lucky you!!
Here in my part of Norway it feels like it's been raining every day since summer, and the bright and fresh autumn leaves are missing this year.. :-(

Wishing you nice and happy novemberdays!! :-)

[Jenelle]

Your post also made me feel all warm and cozy! Fall is my favorite season, and you captured it perfectly. :)

[Sam@HappyHomebird]

I totally enjoyed this post and looking at where you live, it looks perfect. My LO is now 22 months and we are going through a phase where I can't even risk taking him to a cafe as he hates being made to sit. I used to get 30 minutes but now at least I am saving money as I have my brew at home :)

[the quiet homemaker]

Lovely, Lucy! I enjoyed our walk together, it was so pretty, and so invigorating! :)

[Annie]

I know your town, and it is a special place :D

[Jess]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52dsKDITbbo&list=PLCC67C796C9A9C860&index=50&feature=plpp_video
I listened to this song while reading your blog and it's very uplifting:) Your pictures and where you live are so beautiful! So many beautiful forest trees...here's a hint of where I live it's windy and so many ugly palm trees...useless huge palm trees!! I'm terrified that when we walk outside that I'll be killed by a huge palm tree leave falling on us because of the wind:(

[Kris]

Way before blogging, and many years ago, I was already quite enamored with England. Longing to go one day. I adore many English authors, and have read so many books about and taking place in, your lovely country. But since finding blogging, and your blog, and many other lovely British folks, I am just over the moon to come visit one day. I did go to Italy, and sure wished I had made it to England too in that three week trip. Next time!!! You have a charming life!!!
xo Kris in USA California

[Bonnie]

so lovely and refreshing visiting your blog. So wonderful to meet someone like-minded, who just loves nature, light, outdoors, homeliness, domestic bliss and the little things of life that make it real and full of value. I treasure your wonderful blog and today's photo's were extra lovely and made me feel all mushy and warm and cozy!!

[Taylor]

I am envious of your walking! What beautiful things to look at, just going for a walk! Sure I can walk around where I live, it just doesn't look as fun!

[jeannette]

the sun setting over the blazing canal reminds me of this book. i'm sure there's an equivalent in british landscape painting, but the notion of america as the city on the hill, and westward expansion to....heaven!...really produced some fabulous pix.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Paradise-World-Hudson-School/dp/0810911655

quality of light, ravishing. thank you for taking us on your walk.

[Actually Mummy...]

I want to live where you live! Your photos are superb and that looks like a beautiful walk. Makes me want to buy a dog - but then I probably wouldn't have been allowed in for a cappuccino ;)

[Sarah west mids uk]

Dear Lucy how delightful to have spent the morning in the woods.xx

[Sherry]

Ahhh... I just love reading your blog Lucy!
In the weekend I laid back on the lawn and looked up at the sky and saw your photo #10 through my own eyes - except our leaves are spring green here!
Have a wonderful day!

[Steph @woolythyme]

It's really a little corner of Heaven where you live!! So very very pretty. You captured the saturated colors of autumn beautifully. Thanks for sharing!