28th September, 2014...Autumn drought and the Great Hillman bake Off!

More beautiful autumnal weather, but the local streams and becks are looking worryingly empty!

 

 

Yes, that is the dried up beck....and it's like that as far back as you can follow. Really dry down here at the moment.

 

 

You've got to wonder how much prolonged rainfall it will take to get this filled again. Last week's short spell of rain obviously had no effect...no chance of spotting a kingfisher or heron with no food available...?

 

 

And yet another old tree fallen into the beck further up...there is nothing but dry soil for the roots on the banks of the river now and things are sliding in. We found a wasps nest fallen on to the river bed near Bow Bridge...nothing holding it in place now.

 

 

We spotted Barbra Dunn from  British Heart Foundation putting out markers down here yesterday, and there were lots of walkers today, so I guess BHF had a charity walk...we did our bit for charity on Friday, with a Macmillan Coffee Morning, our first event of the new school year, and raised £160.

 

 

 

Mad coffee ladies!!

 

 

Parents at our school are so kind and supportive! We had a 'bake off' of our own this morning....we got so fed up of eating rubbish food last week because we were busy, we decided to cook five complete meals from scratch and freeze everything to keep us going at least this week (and some bonus mince pies were made from left over pastry so that can't be bad!). We do this 'now and again'!!!!! Can't sustain it though!

 

 

 

 

So, this lovely weather....Late September is a very popular time to get married, and the Steve Hillman camera has been very busy...

 

 

 

 

 

 

.....and congratulations to all the happy couples past, present and future! There is only one photographer you would choose (but I'm biased obviously!).

 

 

Frankie is growing ever larger...I'm always shocked when I see him in these photos by Abbey Mill Café....their sausage buns are just too good! Well, I've purchased my Jack Wolfskin snow boots, but I kind of think we will still be in shirt sleeves in December this year, though the weather in the latest book I'm reading is making me shudder.....

 

 

 

 

.....even their eyes freeze if they step outside for a few minutes!!! Bring it on!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14th September, 2014...English Heritage...what are you playing at?!

 

Not a good week for Furness Abbey and it's surrounding manors....English heritage have pronounced that there would be very little impact on the site if houses were built on this beautiful field in the background here...what utter rubbish....imagine thirty eight houses shoe-horned onto this field...what a disaster!

 

 

Let's hope the local council has the sense to rule against allowing these houses to be built...there is no need, and if pros and cons are truly balanced for a decision like this, the cons are far heavier.

 

 

 

 

A flat, grey, clammy sort of day today, but what a beautiful week of weather it has been...did you see the Harvest Moon the other evening...beautiful!

 

 

The Steve Hillman camera has been busy again at weddings over the weekend, and he was at a venue on Friday that he hasn't worked at for at least fifteen years...Lakeside Hotel.....

 

 

 

 

 

.....so as well as the wedding shots, he did get some lovely autumnal photography whilst eating his 'Billy NoMates' pack up by the side of the lake, whilst the bridal party had their meal!

 

 

The lonely life of a wedding photographer!! I don't think so....we walk around the town quite a lot, and we can't go anywhere without people stopping us and chatting...I always say afterwards "Who was that" , and the reply is always...'Oh, I did his/her/their wedding in....'etc! Steve Hillman Photographer is now as well know as Ray Hillman, Postman!!

 

 

 

Frank treated himself to an Abbey Mill Burger today......well...he has had a hard week at school! Haven't we all!!

 

 

This running group use Abbey Mill as their base now.... It's great to see these different fitness groups starting up around here...I can't run, but a 'Power Walking' group might be more my style!

 

 

Any policemen reading this, there has been a bit of sneaky 'flytipping' down here, by the railway bridge...it looks awful...

 

 

 

This is us walking along the river bed today...the beck has pretty much dried up, which is strange...and further along towards Bow Bridge, there are fish dying on the dried up bed...it's pretty gruesome because there is nowhere to put them. Has it dried up or has it been blocked somewhere????

 

 

 

 

How strange...!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7th September,2014...Mellow autumnal weather!

As usual, back to school means the start of Indian Summer....I'm in my 29th year of teaching now and pretty much every September has heralded a spell of delightful weather...warm days, long shadows, beautiful sunsets and chilly evenings...lovely!! Perfect day for a walk and lunch at Abbey Mill!

 

 

 

 

 

Look at that sky!! We did consider heading up to Windermere today to watch the Lancaster Bombers fly-past, but we didn't make it...I'm sure it will be televised later. I watched a program last night reviewing footage from the 9/11 bombings on the World Trade Centre ten years ago this week. It still beggars belief when you watch what happened....all you can hope is that whatever comes after death has value for the innocent people who died. Elizabeth Kubler Ross...interesting work on 'after-death'....superbly clever woman!

 

 

 

 

There have been some stunning autumnal sunsets this week....we've walked up to How Tun Woods most evenings, just to sit and enjoy them!

 

 

Frankie think's he's back on his summer holidays!

 

 

As everyone was crowed around Abbey Mill today, we did manage to see some birdlife. Really annoying though....we saw a Kingfisher flying up the beck but were not quick enough to capture it on the camera. We did see this greedy Jay looking for early acorns, and this Wagtail grabbing may flies from the surface of the water.

 

 

 

 

Fruits and seeds in abundance down here, although my roses at home have got a second wind, and are in full bloom again!

 

 

 

 

 

My dad is a fan of sloe gin....and there are plenty of them down here, if you know where to look!

 

 

Frankie... not that thrilled to be back at school, whereas I was very happy to be back....I like to be busy, and with thirty kids in my class this year I AM BUSY! I work with some lovely, kind-hearted people....they are generous, non-judgmental and hilariously funny...thank you to all those folk....you make my working life so much fun! And in the words of that very wise and clever woman,

Elizabeth  Kubler Ross.....