Shades of Autumn

After my lazy indoorsy weekend, I woke up on Monday morning feeling pretty desperate for some fresh air, exercise and outdoorsiness. It was a very grey and misty day with low light levels and I was craving some woodland colour, so J and I drove to Bolton Abbey to stroll and breathe it all in.

It's always beautifully quiet and peaceful along these pathways on a Monday, a real contrast to the crowds that come over the weekend. There was evidence of the recent Pumpkin trail (a giant wooden spider, massive bat wings, a huge witches broom) but everything was slowly being dismantled and there was an air of calm which I greatly appreciated.

We walked the high pathway through Strid wood, a circular trail of about 3 miles or so with some good hilly bits to get you puffing and feeling it in your legs. I adore the above photo, you can see we were high up above the river where it cuts deeply through the rocks (this is the Strid) - can you spot the man wearing a red coat down below?

The colours were really striking, the beech trees in particular were putting on a good autumnal show with so many beautiful shades of copper, gold and lime green.

We are on the return route now, coming back along the lower path which follows the river....

....a very leafy affair which added an extra layer of autumn feels.

It was such a pleasurable way to spend a few hours on a Monday morning, and as ever I felt full of gratitude for having this extra day which feels like an extension of the weekend.

Yesterday the grey damp gloom was still there and I said to J that I felt like the weather was broken and stuck on the wrong setting. 

I had the pleasure of Christine visiting from Winwick yesterday which is always a lovely thing, and after enjoying a late breakfast with a solid amount of chatter attached to it, we decided to get out and stretch our legs. I took her along the very familiar pathways beside the canal....

....and into the woodland, which was a lovely way for us to carry on chatting while enjoying some pretty seasonal nature.

We spent the rest of the afternoon cosied up in a hotel bar of all places - it sounds odd, but we've found the bar at Herriots hotel is very quiet during the week and they are happy for us to spend a few hours crocheting/knitting over a drink or two. 

By the time we had said our goodbyes and I was walking home it was 4.30pm and the light was already starting to fade. I'm still getting used to our shortening days, it isn't an easy adjustment to make.

Today - more grey weather (I'm telling you, it's broken), but the autumn shades in the leaves and trees really helped lift the gloomy feeling.

I took the above photo this afternoon as I was walking home from the supermarket. I was crossing the swing bridge just after a boat had passed through and I thought it looked so picturesque, almost like a watercolour painting. I feel very grateful to live in a town that has canals and streams and a woodland, and is surrounded by hills, moorland and open countryside. It means I am constantly connected to nature and very aware of the seasonal shifts throughout the year which makes me very happy.

As I walked slowly up the steep hill towards home, I used my phone camera to capture some snippets of colour that caught my eye in the various front gardens I passed. When we think of autumn colours it's generally all about the leafy shades - yellows and golds, oranges, russets and coppers, with some lime green thrown into the mix. But there are still quite a lot of flowers about in early November, and the bright pinks were positively glowing.

↑↑ I love these leaves and am always fascinated by the way they change colour in this crazy patterned way. It's the leaf of a "smoke bush" which is a shrub that I would love to have in my own front garden. The leaves are a deep purple shade in the summer, and then in autumn you get this stunning effect, it's such a showy performer in the garden.

My neighbour directly opposite me has a huge and thriving hydrangea in his front garden and I've been watching the flowers slowly change colour as the temperature has dopped and the season has shifted. It instantly makes me think of my striped blanket inspired by autumn hydrangeas, and the huge amount of fun I had creating the colour palette....

....ahhh, such happy memories of seasonal faffery and creative sparks flying!

My Woodland blanket was another design inspired by my walks in the autumn woods, and I still adore this colour palette.

I find nature to be endlessly inspirational and love the blankets I've made which reflect my seasonal observations.

x

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Nadine G]

Merci de votre passage, un bonheur de lire et découvrir votre quotidien. Prenez soin de vous et à bientôt. Bises

[Patricia A]

You commented that you use nature to inspire you. I do the same when talking to people about how to mix colours in their clothes. I tell them to look at how God has put certain colours together to give them an idea how to put the colours in their wardrobe together for an outfit.
I am a bright girl and love to wear bright colours. Women ask me if this colour goes with that colour and I respond, look at the plants. If that colour looks good with that colour then try that combo with your clothes.
Before mobile phones I saw the most magnificently and vibrantly multi-coloured butterfly. It was newly dead on the footpath where I descended from a bus. I felt sad for the butterfly, but up lifted by the amazing colours that it was.
There is colour everywhere. We just need to open our eyes to see it and rejoice in it.
Now I need to hurry up and finish my current 'Lucy blanket' so that I can get onto the next one. :-)
Been sidetracked by a cat blanket and a couple of charity beanies.
My mind has been gurgling over with ideas on how to use the leftover yarns. Thinking C2C JAYG, 4 or 6 block squares. The possibilities for colour placement are endless.
But I need to have finished my blanket so that I have the leftovers to even test that thought out. :-)

[Joelle]

Beautiful photos as ever, thank you Lucy. I think the beech trees are especially lovely this year, and seem to glow in spite of the lack of sunshine

[Jill]

Oh Lucy! How your photos make my heart ache. I’m a Shipley lass (just down the road from Skipton) now living in the mainly flat and suburban midlands and I really miss the canal, moors and walks in the many woods of that area. Especially at this time of year. Bolton Abbey is one of my most favourite places and had many wonderful walks there with my sadly deceased parents. Thank you for the pictures and words, long may they continue x

[Elizabeth]

I love that you take us along on your walks through the woods -- the ones at Bolton Abbey and the ones closer by, near the canal are my favorites. So very beautiful! Your fireplace is an old friend and quite beautiful too, especially when bedecked with your garlands, needlework, tchotchkes, and a warming fire. It's just so homey and comforting. Like several of your other readers, I needed that comfort. It's been more than a little tumultuous in the good ole USA the past few days. Thank you for spreading your gentle joy over us. You really are a blessing.

[Heather]

Completely agree about the broken weather. It feels like a permanent grey ceiling has been installed in the sky.
Thanks for sharing the colours you found. It's a good reminder to look out for them myself.

[Kit]

I treated myself to a Cotinus 'Royal Purple' earlier this year because it's just the most beautiful plant! Mine is only just over 18in high so far but it's just started changing colour and it's definitely making an impact even though it's only small.

[Ann]

Lovely to see how you create the beautiful colours from nature. Also I agree with you about the weather and feel like it's non-weather. My daughter had a friend at uni who used to say "What a lot of weather" when it was very windy, rainy etc. Well, it's not like that!

[Isabelle]

Bonjour,
Beaucoup de plaisir à vous "accompagner" dans vos promenade. Votre travail sur les couleurs pour les plaids est vraiment très beau et très intéressant. Merci et à bientôt

[Deb]

Share the dread following yesterday’s news, of Debbi above, even though I live here in the NYM. So, as ever, Lucy, your blog was a calming tonic. X

[Debbi Robertson]

When I woke this morning and got The. News. (I'm in the USA), one of my first thoughts included an intense desire to find some word from you, Lucy, as I knew it would help assuage the sudden feeling of dread. I took myself out to the woods for a long walk beside stream and under golden trees, then when I finally came home, you were there. I don't think I can clearly express how calming it is to see your photos and just read a bit about your day. Surely it will be fleeting, but for now, it is just the panacea I am needing. The time you take to share your days with us matters. Thank you.

[Alice]

Thank you for another lovely post Lucy. We were up your way at the weekend and had a lovely walk in Strid Wood with our grandchildren. They thoroughly enjoyed the pumpkin trail but the best fun of all was catching the falling leaves.

[Vanessa]

A lovely blog update, thank you.
Walked at Bolton Abbey a few weeks ago for the first time, and loved it. Was thinking how stunningly it would be during the Autumn. Glad you can enjoy it and take such great photos that you’re happy to share with us. The ‘seasonal faffery’ and blanket colour scheme photos are just lovely and inspiring! So many projects in progress right now and a huge wish list which grows every time I see those pictures 😊

[Sue]

Lovely blog and pictures Lucy, but you are so right about the grey weather we are stuck also down in Leicestershire!!!

[Linda]

Lovely blog to read in such a dull day here in the south.
Really lifts me when I see your colourful pictures and love the blanket process.
Not a lot going on here. Too many phone calls and messages with good wishes for hubby as his operation is tomorrow, when did I become his secretary !!
Up early tomorrow. Need to be at the hospital just after 7:00.
Will be at my daughters with my grandson tomorrow to keep me busy.
Hopefully hubby will be able to come home in the afternoon.
Think of me if you have a minute to spare.
Regards Linda x