Monday 15 November 2010

In pictures

Posted by Tania Kindersley.

Yesterday was really an awful lot of words, so today there shall just be trees.

I have been banging on and on at my poor cousin about how we must go and see the arboretum at Westonbirt.

'The acers,' I say, about five times a day.

Finally, today, we went.

'Which way are the acers?' I asked a very capable looking woman in an official green coat.

She pointed in three different directions, and off we marched in one of them.

Of course I knew that most of the leaves would be gone, and because the minutes slide past us, and we had got away later than intended, the sun was setting and the sky was turning a flat pewter. I knew that probably in all the guide books it says: go in October, when the sun is high in the sky. But none of that mattered because it is such an extraordinary collection of trees, and their beauty is such that even with bare branches they still look like supermodels, and anyway, there were a few brave scarlet remnants clinging to the wreckage.

I sometimes think if there was only one more thing I was allowed to do in my whole life it would be to plant some trees.

15th Nov

15th Nov-1

15th Nov-2

15th Nov-3

15th Nov-4

15th Nov-5

15th Nov-6

15th Nov-7

15th Nov 1

 

One of the dear readers has very rashly asked if I have any archived pictures of the dogs I could put up. The dogs are not with me now (behaving immaculately at my lovely mother's house, apparently, and being walked diligently by the Heavenly Stepfather) so obviously I do not have the usual daily snaps. You will be amazed to hear that there in fact is some rare archival footage, and since I refuse to disappoint a reader, I present it to you here:

Dog 3

Dog 4

And I suppose I could stretch to a couple more, which I just happen to have on file:

Dogs 6-1

Dogs 6

It's almost too much beauty, really. Dogs and trees: that, and a kind word occasionally, and my cup is full.

10 comments:

  1. The colours! I thought after the recent cold snap that all the leaves would be gone but thankfully I was wrong.

    I never tire of looking at your beautiful photos.

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  2. oh wow... almost too much beauty ??? Breathtaking yes.
    Never, ever stop !

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  3. Thank you; the dogs were just what was needed (especially the second and third pictures, for some reason). With your lovely ladies and the border collie on the corner who rolls her own ball under the fence to be thrown, my mood is much improved.

    Also thank you for the beautiful maples. The trees don't turn in Texas; the leaves just fall off and get into your house and tick you off because you have to vacuum more. I miss red leaves badly (I feel the same way about the beautiful Scottish green you show us).

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  4. Oh I love your photos! I love taking photos too and love taking pics of my dogs & cats!
    Natalie ;0)

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  5. When I started reading the post I thought I am going to ask about the dogs! and there they were. it was almost like telepathy!!! Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

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  6. How I miss those autumnal colours. The reds of the maple and the magical mist are sensational. We don't really get autumn up here (Byron Bay way); nary a crunchy leaf to step on.
    Loving the expressions on the two gorgeous 'ladies'!

    Also, as a by-the-by, I must agree with your praising of Samuel West and that voice. He not so much delivers poetry and prose as inhabits it and invites you in.
    I've just heard a recent interview he did here on ABC Classic FM with our own Margaret Throsby. I heartily recommend. He's an absolute doll, and that voice...

    http://www.abc.net.au/classic/throsby/stories/s3059751.htm

    T

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  8. I am speechless.....stunning. Absolutely, totally and utterly stunning. Thank you!
    Anne.x
    PS-Open mouth doggie photo is perfection.

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  9. As ever. Wonderful. And as Liz says, never, ever stop.

    I keep a facebook album of my favourite views on my walks round our lovely Norfolk village, and this one was especially well received: http://on.fb.me/bnaIhG - it's not just the colours of the leaves themselves but the evening sun on them that caused one of my friends to say 'that actually hurt my eyes'! The friend who rather grumpily said that it wasn't a patch on New England was soon shouted down...

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  10. The acers were stunning this year. I hope you managed to see some in splendid color. My little acer (in Kew) was brilliant red and I felt incredibly proud of her. She's a bit naked now, but what a show she put on... As a former Vermonter, I won't comment on the comparison between the two places, but England was glorious this Fall. Of course the dogs are lovely as ever. Enjoy London.

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