Just a week since I wrote my last ‘Month in the Country’ post and it has seemed strange everyday since to not be writing every day; but I enjoyed getting back into the blogging habit again, so hopefully you'll enjoy reading these updates on a more regular basis.
The autumn is well and truly with us, but at the moment we are enjoying some very pleasant autumn days - that is, apart from the one day we chose to make a family outing last week, to the Cotswold wildlife park, when we were treated to a heavy downpour from midday onwards; Sods law in all its glory! I still enjoyed myself with my camera - I rarely buy a souvenir of anything anywhere these days (not that it would be easy with most of the ‘attraction’ shops still closed due to social distancing), my souvenirs nowadays are collected purely through a camera lens .
Clouded Leopard
On Friday, a very happy return – to the Hungerford Antiques Arcade, which I last visited before lockdown. Fully masked up, of course, but not a high level of anxiety, as there were hardly any shoppers there. Only a short browse – but I found that both Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I wanted to come home with me!
I'm also starting out on a different sort of new adventure this week; my husband has finally retired after 45 years of hard work, creating innovative computer equipment which has resulted in the employment of hundreds of other people – I think he can be very proud of that. It came unexpectedly in the end, though he was planning on departing in the next year or two, having already worked past the UK retirement age, and now I think he deserves to enjoy his leisure time (not too much though - I have a list of jobs ready and waiting for him!!) HIS adventure will be in deciding what to do with that leisure time and both our adventures will be in adapting to these new circumstances - interesting times lie ahead!
One thing with which we are blessed is the fact that we live in some beautiful countryside, so for even only a short car journey away there are many country parks and country walks that we will both enjoy together or separately. Indeed, we only have to step out of our front door to wander in Forestry Commission and private woodland. Yesterday morning we were able to take a walk around the Lake at Thatcham Discovery Centre on the other side of town, renovated gravel pits that are now home to a large variety of wildfowl.
Very popular with photographers - and mothers with small children who are able to introduce their little ones to wildlife up close, hopefully instilling a love of the natural world from very early days. Here are a few photographs from last week - aren't I lucky to enjoy my freedom to visit these places and the fitness to be able to do so?
You do have a lovely neighborhood. I spent a number of jealous minutes looking at all the bits and pieces in the photo of the Antiques Arcade. We just don't see anything like that here. At least I don't. I like the two pieces that are now yours.
Posted by: Darla | Wednesday, September 09, 2020 at 02:09