Is There Any More Tea In That Pot?

Everyday events in the life of a tea lover.

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

November 15th 2011. Falling leaves.

I was eating my breakfast this morning whilst watching the leaves on next door's cherry tree.
It's the same each year. The beautiful colours of late autumn appear almost like an Impressionist painting.
They were shivering in the morning light, like individual tiny flames. And surrounding the base of the slender trunk, a carpet of intense reds, yellows, oranges, ochres, and burnt siena. A veritable pallette for a sunset picture.    


Fallen  leaves of the  flowering cherry tree.
I am always amazed that these leaves fall suddenly all at once, all together, almost as if they decide it's time. Leaving the remainder to be blown by the wind or to succumb to the next cold snap. But I've never seen them all fall together. I woke this morning and there they were..................a glorious carpet.  

And the reason for this.......the new growth for next spring has pushed them aside. But spring will come again, and until then there will be more glorious days in amongst the dying of the year. Time to put the garden to bed in readiness for a winter sleep. And yet, I discovered one or two bulbs already beginning to tentatively send out green shoots.  
Our maple finally revealed in all it's late autumn splendour.  

As the sun begins to set around 3.15pm, and the darker evenings close in, the trees are preparing for their renaissance.................comforting thought when winter finally begins to bite.

Friday, 4 November 2011

November arrives........with late Spring-like temperatures!

Sunbright nasturtiums
Cherry tree leaves and yucca spikes. 


My "Sir Cliff Richard Rose", a present, blooming in the 17C heat of November 1st!,
Each year I plant packets of nasturtium seeds in early May and more in late June. They are nondescript dried nobbly seeds, and I am rewarded with bursts of vibrant colour in late summer 

through to early autumn. This year right up to November. 
The first day of November began mistily, and then cleared to a glorious clear blue sky, and warm sunshine. I walked up to our local shops without needing 

a coat. 
It was the warmest 1st November I can remember.    

 Bright yellow Forsythia flowers, usually appear in February!

A branch of my climbing hydrangea creeping up to the front door. 

Maple leaves.

Early morning 1st November 2011

Sunset November 3rd 2011


Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Polurrian Cove. The Lizard. Cornwall.

Polurrian Beach looking towards Mullion Island
Sometimes there is just no need for words......................................


Footprints in the sand

Monday, 17 October 2011

Lizard Point.......the furthest point South in England....where the Atlantic meets the Channel. .

The most Southerly Café in England. 
A place to unwind, and relax the mind............sitting with a latté and a piece of Cornish Heavy cake. Watching the shifting sea running with light. Maybe a seal or two in the water close by. What's not to love.

To misquote Rupert Brooke:

"If I should die, let it be said of me, that there is some corner of a Cornish field,
That is forever England.
There shall be in that rich earth, a richer dust concealed,          

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware
Gave once her flowers to love, her ways to roam.
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Hidden by the sea, blest by suns of home."  


Silhouetted against the light, the café on the headland. 
Song sung by Norah Jones

 "Feels like home to me, feels like home to me,
Feels like I'm all the way back where I come from
Feels like home to me
Feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong."

Ever changing skies

Sunday, 16 October 2011

Saturday, 15 October 2011

Autumn has finally taken over........with the promise of one more beautiful day.October 15th 2011

Snail on the yucca. 
I woke up this morning and looked out of the back window and there was frost on the extension roof.
Going outside I could see my breath as it made a small vapour trail.
Glorious autumn day in prospect.
Tiger came along the path and played with the fallen leaves before dashing up the apple tree, which also doubles as a scratching post for his claws.
A lone snail slid along the smooth leaf spike of my yucca plant.
I was amazed to see that the yucca has been completely mystified by the recent burst of high temperatures and  sunshine, so has begun to produce new flower spikes.
Wonder how long it will be before a real hard frost nips them in the bud?
But just the day for planting my wall flowers..........

And a coffee sitting at the patio table.........in the warm sun. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz      

Maple leaves turning colour
Early  morning 15th October. 

The last of the apples

Tiger in the apple tree 

My yucca has begun to send up flower spikes, thinking  it is still summer!

Tuesday, 4 October 2011

Goodbye summer? Was that your very last word.........................?

September 29th Bracebridge Pool. Temperature 27C!

 September 29th. Jamboree Stone,.Sutton Park. Temperature 27C

October 3rd Autumn fungi in summer-like heat.22C

October 3rd A walk in the park. 22C

A carpet of beech leaves. Sutton Park. October 3rd. 

Horse chestnuts left on a wall. Or "conkers" as we know them. October 3rd. 22C 

A patterned toadstool.