For most of November it’s been rain and gloom on the weather front, and hate and smear in the mass media. When it comes to the upcoming general election it feels like a no-win situation. We’re dying for it to be done with, but horrified by the possible result. I further give my position away when I say the only bright spot this last week was when Channel 4 ‘emptied chaired’ Boris Johnson who refused to take part in the leaders’ climate crisis debate and replaced him, as they said they would do, with an ice sculpture. This served to generate the Twitter hashtag #BorisIsAMelt which in turn made me laugh out loud, and briefly lifted the spirits.
And then on Friday the sun came out so we popped over to nearby Ironbridge and turned it into a proper outing, mooching and lunching. And then yesterday, though Wenlock was again lost in murk, when we drove out of town into Corvedale there was the sun floodlighting the valley through a thin gauze of mist. Goodness! Sun – two days running. So we went to the off-season opening at Wildegoose Nursery where we had last been in August when the walled garden was alive with butterflies and all round floral brilliance. Yesterday it was transformed to muted tones, here and there lit up by plumes of ornamental grasses as they caught the sun. The place is pure magic however it comes, and especially its magnificent glasshouse. Yesterday it was hosting a special course of Christmas wreath making plus some arty works from our much loved 2020 Gallery (even though it’s moved from Wenlock to Ludlow).
And so making the most of November’s sunny intervals, the following photos are mostly from the last couple of days: first off, yesterday at Wildegoose Nursery:
*
Ironbridge 29th November:
*
And on home territory earlier in the month: fog over the garden fence and brighter vistas in and around the Linden Walk and Wenlock Priory parkland…
copyright 2019 Tish Farrell
Tish Farrell 
What a sham if the seasons didn’t change. I am always ready for the next.
That’s a good attitude to have. Looking ahead.
It seems the month of November has been wet for you and us equally. It has led to loss of lives too.
Politically, it’s like we are always in campaign mode the minute election results are out. It’s even a wonder things get done
V. sorry to hear about the loss of lives. Flash floods? As to politics and the never ending electioneering seems we’ve both been suffering from that. And of course nothing much does get done.
No, just floods after heavy downpour in Pokot that resulted in mudslides
Too much tree felling?
Could be part of it I guess
The autumn leafs are beautiful. Great shots.
Thanks, Thom.
A beautiful changing season series, Tish.
Thank you, Amy.
November sun is almost ethereal in its golden, glowishness. It is appreciated when it appears.
That is true, Pam. The light is remarkable when we do have it.
It has been quite dismal for far too long. The only bonus, if it can be called that, is the temperature was quite mild. Great photos.
Cheers, Trev. It has been so grim and squelchy, hasn’t it. Perishing this afternoon despite the sun Just got back from the allotment where it was too chilly to linger.
Always good to have a bit of sun on your back, Tish 🙂 🙂 It’s been coming and going here of late too, but at least I don’t have to put up with the politics. Isn’t Wildgoose Nursery a lovely name? I looked for them! But I did appreciate the grasses.
It is such a lovely spot, and I love the name too.
http://wildegoosenursery.co.uk/ Here they are – in case you didn’t actually find them. The cakes there are fab too. The cafe was jam packed yesterday.
‘Jam’ packed! Tee hee 🙂 🙂
Ho, ho. And with scones too 🙂
Marvelous post. Here in northeastern the US the politics and weather have been very much like yours. So grateful for moments of sun and beauty!
Indeed. We need to treasure the good moments.
Love grasses in sunlight and frost on leaves. Sad to hear that those pink towers are to come down soon, a shame they weren’t listed and used to develop a further museum in the gorge. I rather fancied a coracle ride along the river to get there.
This coming Friday morning is the time fixed for the towers demise. I agree. It’s a shame. And it will be an even bigger shame with 1000 houses on that flood plain.
A museum and a nature reserve would be much better. Who on earth is going to live there? Commuting to Telford or Shrewsbury?
Couldn’t agree more, Jude. And yes, who is going to live there, in a bottleneck beside a river that floods. They have to remove all the toxic waste first of course.
Will you go to watch?
Am pondering on it.
Great that you’ve had some sun and blue sky, inspired you to get some nice November images!
Thanks, Sue. A little bit of light works wonders, doesn’t it. Hope you’ve got some down your way.
Oh yes, sun is streaming through my blinds in the front room – always uplifting!
More power to the sun! Happy Monday!
And Happy o day for you, Tish!
🙂
Your photos always seem to capture so much of what is beautiful and wonderful about England Tish — and these are no exception. The glasshouse images in particular are lovely and somehow feel hopeful. With family in both England and Scotland, I’m feeling anxious, so I can only imagine how it must feel to be living this frightening farce.
Wishing you winter sun and days of peace and small contentments.
Am so glad you like the photos, Su. I really enjoyed gathering them in. And thank you for all those very good wishes. I’m usually quite an optimist, but it’s hard when the forces of Mordor are on the loose! I think I need to wield an up-scaled version of Gandalf’s firework inducing stick.
Definitely time for a female Gandalf, and I think you would be splendid in the role 🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂
That is a beautiful photo of the backlighting on the grasses giving them an ethereal look. Oh dear what a mess your political system is making of the UK. Hard to imagine a good outcome. Right on Christmas too, the season of supposedly peace and goodwill. Despite the gloom I hope you have a peaceful Christmas
I much appreciate those good wishes, Pauline. Thank you.
🤗
It’s truly diabolical. Your photos make me want to shiver, Tish. Very pastoral and beautiful in that chilly sort of way. The light is so soft and comforting.
Thank you, Tracy. Not too much shivering I hope.
I rugged up, Tish. 😉
Good girl!
What is it they say? It has to get worse before it gets better? Perhaps there’s some small comfort in that. Idiotic politics aside, those photos – the frost and the water (????) on the tree, beautiful.
Thanks for those thoughts, Lani, and glad you liked the pix.
Beautiful capture of the season . . . whilst we are really missing Portugal this autumn, a little part of me is enjoying experiencing the cold and odd moments of sunshine.
There are some very good moments, aren’t there, Becky? It’s certainly been much colder sooner this year.
prefer cold to dreich!
Definitely can do without the dreich.
So pretty! Changing seasons is always exciting.
Thanks, Jennie. Yes, on with the next!
You’re welcome, Tish. We just got our first big snowfall.
Snowmen all round then 🙂
😀
Great post and fantastic images.
Thanks, Pete.
Politics spoils life completely. Watched Behrouz Boochani castigate Australia at a NZ writers festival yesterday, and felt no defensiveness at all. We deserved every comment he made, especially “In Australia, politics are broken.” He’s been imprisoned on Manus and Nauru for six years, and his book “No friend but the mountains” won an Australian literary award, so we’re not all blind, ignorant and uncaring.
Thanks so much for this link, Meg. It rather meshes with Craig Murray (former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan and whistleblower thereon) and his last week speech in London in support of Julian Assange. He calls the UK a rogue state, how it looks all very fine on the surface but underneath is a dirty story:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/11/free-the-truth-a-short-speech/
Just listened to this, after a program yesterday on Assange from an Australian perspective. Yet another shame that he’s not getting protection as an Australian citizen – and there I have to agree with two politicians I normally despise! Before the last election I heard two Coalition politicians say in so many words it’s a pity parliament gets in the way of government. The government’s busy at the moment trying to repeal the Medevac bill which was passed in March this year. So many reasons why this is bad. So parallel to what Murray says about democracy in England.
It’s all v. depressing, both ends of the planet; and the partisan coverage and sharp focused smearing that’s being going on in the UK and in quarters where you’d possibly expect a smidgeon of fairness and balanced presentation (BBC). The corporate hegemony has all its claws and teeth out.
Why isn’t there an “agree” button?? I can hardly “like” this!
That’s a very good point. Btw many thanks for your recent email.
wonderful photos and galas the sun popped out enough to get some
also – I hate the smear in the news too – ugh – gets so old after a while
Many thanks, Yvette. As to the smearing – it just goes on and on now the media platforms use it to make shed loads of money selling us stuff.