Balmy Autumn

Walking through St James Park yesterday if it wasn't for the leaves on the ground it was hard to believe it is the middle of November and will soon be winter. So far it is turning into the warmest November on record, even some of the plants have been fooled into thinking it is spring and we've had a few spring flowers and an extended season for strawberries.
One of the things you will notice about the English if you spend any amount of time here is that they obsess about the weather. Most conversations will include some comment on the weather at some point. I recently made a comment, that perhaps we wouldn't have a white Xmas this year. I was immediately referred to 'an expert on weather' and specifically to his comments: I am fully expecting a significant and imminent pattern change
"I am fully expecting a significant and imminent pattern change...."
"I really won't have any of this talk about a mild winter, will the people who feel the need to email me every hour of the day trying to convince me otherwise, please stop this?"

What say you? Do you think I'll have a white Xmas?

New Season

Rain, wind and brown leaves. How can that all happen overnight?

A Walk in the Park

The last of autumn. Snow forecast this week.

Just hold it there

The Serpentine in Hyde Park without too many tourists. Is she really taking a cell phone picture of the runner?

Autumn in the Park

A sunny weekend is forecast London's parks a perfect place to be.

If you are in Oxford tomorrow get to Zuby's show.

Change of Scene

No doubt it is autumn in London. Very different to where I was last week.
However the colours and light this time of the year make good photos. Film festival about to start and lots on at the galleries. The rain wont be so bad.

Feeding the Ducks

I'm still nursing my cold so we are taking a dip back into pictures taken a couple of months back. I think the ducks are known to this lady, they started heading to the banks as soon as they saw her approach.

A Ray of Sunshine

No winter hasn't suddenly disappeared. I took this photo last autumn. Am laid low at present with a cold so thought a bit of sunshine would cheer me up. Nothing quite like a sunny Hyde Park to make one feel how great London is.

A Peek through the fence

Walking through Battersea Park you can see the now disused power station on the horizon. There have been plans for new generation here on and off for many years. The latest ambitions plans can be seen here.

Men at Work #14

Time to trim the trees. It always looks so incredibly dangerous high in the branches with a chain saw.

Stag in Richmond Park

He wasn't keen on my getting any closer than this. Probably not a good idea given it is rutting season. However a good time to see these fellows at their best and the park is looking beautiful in all its autumn finery.

Billy

Autumn, graveyards and Halloween today.

Billy's heart in Bow Cemetery was one of many in this style grouped together. Is this significant? Was it Victorian fashion or are they part of group who died in similar circumstances? Any locals know the answer?

I don't know why but I thought that Halloween was an American invention. But no, it's origins go back further than that. Back with the Celts a couple of thousand years ago. Samhuinn (pronounced.. sah'win) marked the end of summer or the beginning of winter. The cows all had to be brought indoors. The ghosts of the dead were all a bit cold so were hanging about. Hence a good idea to leave them some food and do whatever was necessary to keep them happy.

So I hope Billy is resting happily under the trees in their red and gold autumn robes.

Hyde Park

The parks in London are just magnificent at the moment. It is tempting to bring you an autumn image every day.
It wont be long before there are no leaves, no colour and the beautiful light has disappeared.

Busy Gatherer

The squirrels are furiously racing around gathering nuts and burying them while the rooks are impatiently waiting behind them to steal them.
Witnessed one rook so impatient it bit the squirrels tail to get it to move on a bit quicker.

The Flowershop

Racing past the flower shop.

Skywatch Friday - Autumn Light

Catching the last of the sun in Regent's Park.

Sometimes the light cast by the sun is prettier than looking directly at the sky.

Remember to catch other skywathchers around the world.

Views

How we both saw Hyde Park

The Long Walk

Most visitors to Windsor Castle enter from the gate in the town of Windsor and don't get to see this spectacular entrance, known as the long walk. Stretching 3 miles from the castle to the copper statue of King George III on a horse.
Originally lined on each side by 1652 elm trees, these are gone now, having fallen victim to dutch elm disease. An inquiry and lots of meetings to discuss the problem (sound familiar?) and then, nearly 50 years after the elms had died an agreement was finally reached, and the horse chestnut trees were planted in a widened walk.