Chilly Autumn Days

Hello Friends!

October flew so quickly by and how can it be November already?

(c) Susan Branch 2016 Wall Calendar

The clocks have fallen back an hour on both sides of The Pond, and the days are noticeably shorter; that blissful autumn nip has turned into the chilly days that herald winter, and ere long the gentle breezes will whip the fallen leaves about our feet as we quicken our pace on afternoon walks; wrapped up well in cosy layers we scurry home to warm up by the fireside, sipping mugs of steaming hot chocolate as we thaw from traipsing along the country lanes in the cold. It is time for crumpets toasted and dripping with butter, slathered with strawberry jam for tea ~~~

Tonight, there was an amazing sunset, a true renaissance sky, I rushed outside

~~~every cloud has a silver lining~~~

moments either way and I would have missed it all together ~~~ so inspirational and calming ~~~ 

Countless are the times I've taken this walk and visited this rocky outcrop near the cottage, and countless are the times I've seen this view, but I never tire of it, nor do I tire from sitting or standing gazing out across the fields to the ocean that lies beyond, and one of the many offshore islands that sit along the coast ~~~ there is always something new to see, with the slow turning of the days as each season takes it's turn to shine ~~~

Look! Poldark's horse in a nearby field ~~~ well, of course, it isn't really Poldark's horse, but we can dream he is somewhere nearby, right? This lovely mare is {apparently} called Henrietta, or Holly for short. She's a little beauty, don't you think?

Here she is, standing in the landscape ~~~

Let's take this path today, shall we?

Looking out from a higher point across the fields and moors, the hedgerows now bare of leaf but still some yellow gorse is scattered here and there ~~~

Goodness, the berries are red this year, a sign of a hard winter to follow ~~~

Follow me this way next ~~~

to find a lovely view across the bay ~~~

and out across the Shire ~~~ {I hope you will scroll right, it seemed a shame to shrink this panoramic scene to fit the screen}

there are always sheep grazing in a field somewhere nearby ~~~

Can you see the cathedral tower, peeking up from the valley where it lies hidden from marauding Vikings of days gone by?

This was the sunrise yesterday morning, Red Sky in the Morning, Shepherd's Warning ~~~ and it was, for the day turned windy and wet shortly after I took this ~~~

Finally, a happy little Robin Redbreast sitting atop my garden canes ~~~

Do you like the shorter days or do you prefer daylight until bedtime?
While I love the lighter evenings to work late in the garden, I also find something extremely comforting in closing the curtains across the windows and snuggling by the fireside as the nights draw in ~~~

Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah xoxo