Grey Day

 

Today was grey and wet from the start.  We headed to Warwick to look around while Theo went swimming but soon retreated to the warmth of Wylie's Tea Rooms..

 

This afternoon, Theo donned his splash suit and wellies and we set off for the park.  

 

Puddles on route were explored and splashed in and a number of leaves were collected too.

 

At the park, everything was rather wet and slippery..

 

 

 

When it was time to head home, energy levels were flagging a little..

 

Thank you for the lift, Grandpa!

Birthday Tea

 

This afternoon we went to deliver birthday gifts and cards to Kate and have birthday tea,  including this lovely birthday cake!

 

Earlier in the day, Theo had come for a visit and enjoyed playing in the sunshine with the big yellow activity bear that used to be on the side of his Mum's cot!

 

He also tested and approved one of the Cox's apples just picked from Great Grandma's tree.

Celebrating Dad

 

Today we were joined by many family and friends to remember Dad's 94 years of life, celebrating his love of family, music, antiques and railways.

There are so many of my memories and photos to share from the earliest..

 

To sixty years later...

 

Thank you to all those family and friends who have supported us these past weeks with so much kindness and so many wishes and shared memories.

Canal Views

 

When visiting the florist in Bathwick Hill today, I took the opportunity to nip down a flight of stone steps from the road to the canal bank below.

 

The Kennet and Avon canal winds through Bath, out along the Limpley Stoke valley and on to Bradford on Avon - a fabulous walk through spectacular scenery and with sight of many beautiful bridges and adjacent buildings when time permits.

 

This bridge, built in 1830 to enable the canal to pass under Bathwick Hill is preserved as a historic monument.

 

Many houses have gardens which back on to the canal providing a tranquil view.   However, although very quiet this afternoon, during the summer in particular both waterway and towpath are very busy.

Snaps on a Walk

 

I didn't have time to walk along this pathway yesterday when I was out and about, but it did look very inviting..

Nearby this enamel sign high on the wall has been there for as long as I can remember, but I am not quite sure why.  Perhaps this building was a local office.

 

Three icons of British life in one rather dull shot - the 'local' pub, a proper red telephone box and a wall postbox dating back more than sixty years.  It's amazing what you appreciate when you don't see it every day any more!

 

A rather overgrown gate and the familiar view beyond..

Above and Below

 

A chilly but sunny morning and I walked along past a local park which was very tranquil today but only a few years ago was transformed into a hive of industrial activity.

 

The reason for such a change was that, when a large tree fell down in the park, it was discovered that the eighteenth century stone mines beneath a substantial part of the field and neighbouring village were far more extensive and far less safe than was previously thought.

 

Disused since the mid 1800's, the mines comprised stone pillars and huge caverns and after much deliberation about how to make them safe, they were filled with a lightweight expanding concrete.

 

This large tree, similar to the one which fell, was fenced around during the works.

 

As was this war memorial which will be the focus of Remembrance Day commemorations on Sunday.

 

It is hard to believe, now, how much has happened here and beneath the village.

 

Bath in the Sunshine

 

Once the sun came out in Bath yesterday everything was transformed. 

 

The trees showed off their Autumn colours..

 

The huge plane tree in Abbey Green was looking beautiful..

 

And it's huge leaves made lovely patterns on the ground..

 

At the side of Abbey Green, the Crystal Palace - an old haunt for generations of Bath teenagers and students..

Bath Abbey - majestic against the blue afternoon sky.

 

It is a beautiful city in the sunshine!