Good morning Michael and all GN's on a cold dark morning in North Yorkshire. A rubbish night with wretched cramp to contend with to add to the hassle, meant that I gave up about 4am and got up, taking great care with the wretched leg.Despite my warm dressing gown and a fleece wrapped round me I have felt very cold and a bit out of sorts this morning. However I am cheered by radio 3 unwind, played very quietly, having lots of music I love today.
Yesterday I didnt get a great deal done, but made the most of the lovely autumn weather. Went to Strikes garden centre to meet my friend for coffee in their cafe. Really strugling to walk and was glad to find one of their little trolleys, which I shoved my things into and looked as though I was just shopping, when in actual fact it was being used more like a walking frame.! Even the walk through to the cafe seemed longer and took more effort. However I made it and was very virtuous , just having a coffee,no cake! We enjoyed our coffees and catching up with news and views, and then of course, went round the plants, especially the sick bay . I did quite well with 6 cyclamen for £5. They look bedraggled and sorry for themselves but actually quite healthy and so today I shall be giving them some TLC,going over them with the secateurs and then planting them up to brighten some pots.
We said goodbye and she went off to take her dog for a walk. I had plenty to do at home , but didnt want to miss the weather whilst it was good. Came back into town and did a few bits of shopping and then went to my fish and chip shop for a piece of fish with only vinegar on it. It was beautifully hot and fresh and I sat in the park, enjoying it in the sunshine and watching the world going by, before dutifully disposing of the box in the bin and going home to make a bit of an effort.
I enjoy the radio programmes on friday with gardeners world and the last word etc, so got some jobs done, and emails sent and had the local paper to read, and mark up the calendar with things happening next week. So a quietish day and enjoyable, which was a bit of a help to my back, which has not deigned to improve much for some days.This wretched cramp is the last straw at the moment, as it tends to hang around for ages.
Anyway plans for today, are to go to the market early on the yellow peril of course, get some vegetables and fruit, check how many potatoes and onions I have in, and then come home with the Yorkshire Post, and get round to making my venison stew, which didnt get done the other day. So that is the plan for tonights dinner with a jacket potato, followed by stewed apple and custard. That is definitely a dinner for autumn isnt it? I want to get the rest of the ironing done this afternoon and hope that I can at least start next week in a better way than this one!!
I hope your day goes to plan Mick and that you get good information and help from your medical person. RosesandLilac I have a friend who is very interested in Lichen and Moss, It can be a very slow walk when she finds a stone wall or a tree with lots of lovely lichen on it! I do very little these days but art and music are my things, and I used to go everywhere with a sketchbook shoved in my pocket. I dont know if you know or remember Andy Goldsworthy. I thought him a good artist and he was very in tune with his surroundings. I have a lovely postcard picture of him with a wonderful piece, where he took autumn leaves of many lovely colours and put them together into a beautiful group on a stream and so it floated down past us looking wonderful. He took pictures of it and I have one of those. I found it really marvellous, how this effemeral group of leaves were concocted and then went on their way, to no doubt break up and disappear somewhere in the distance. That all art does not have to last for ever, that you can see the juxtaposition of things for a short time but they have meaning. Here at the moment the fungi is going mad, and every time you step out there is another toadstool or whatever to see. Love this time of year,most definitely "season of fruits and mellow " Think I shall take my secateurs out this morning and collect a few twigs and grasses etc to have indoors to enjoy.
Heres wishing that the weather is kind and allows us another lovely autumn day to enjoy. Finding our gloves out and swishing through the leaves and looking for blackberries worth eating. That first cold and dark afternoon makes me feel quite gloomy at the thought of longer nights etc., but then that goes and I really relish the autumn weather and sights to see. I dont think I can do much walking about today, but I might pack up some coffee and get up onto the moors this pm to enjoy the views across and see how the heather is colouring up now. Wishing everyone an autumn day to enjoy, with friends and family or on your own with memories of past years to keep you company.