Post-summer rambling

Orchids in early Autumn sunlight - our flat, Winchester House

Just a quick post to reassure my readers that I am still exploring the delights of south-east England, despite the blog being a bit quiet of late. 

After the more challenging pace of summer we've been patiently waiting for Autumn and its more leisurely pace. Correction: Kevin's been patient, I have been turning the air blue with protestations something along the lines of :

When is this goddamned warm weather going to bloody-well end?!

We are still occasionally having temperatures in the high teens throughout the day and although our thermostat has started triggering the heating for brief periods at night or early morning, winter seems a long way off yet.

The house at Polesden Lacey, one of our favourite National Trust properties

Woodland at Polesden Lacey

Autumn berries at Polesden Lacey

All the same it is a beautiful time of year - with the light softened, the hedges bountiful with berries, and the leaves starting to turn.

And with the fruit come the deer - beautiful, soft-eyed creatures with twitching little tails and coats of velvet. Our excitement when we see them on our lawn, or in the woods on our walks, is not lessened for the regularity of the sight.

The last couple of months have also provided diversions of a more metropolitan nature. 

360 degrees of Björk
[image courtesy of http://coshamie.com/]

Last month I caught up with my former colleagues at the Australian High Commission, and friend Julianne and I took the opportunity to cross the street to Somerset House where the incredible artistry of Icelandic pixie Björk is on display in the form of a digital exhibition.

I've been a fan of hers since the days of the Sugar Cubes, and saw her live in Australia back in the mid 90s. 

This exhibition is incredible -  it includes groundbreaking 360-degree filmwork shot in the highlands of Iceland, and an amazing virtual reality experience which you view through a virtual reality headset. I wish I'd visited a second time as it finished today, having been sold out for many weeks.

St Paul's Cathedral, opposite the pathway to the Milennium Bridge

A couple of weekends ago we spent the day in town enjoying a free breakfast in Sloane Square (all those TripAdvisor reviews are paying off), followed by a visit to Brixton to see the David Bowie mural.

Breakfast in Sloane Square

I am still grieving daily for Bowie. His death was so unexpected to all but his most intimate circle, and I am struggling to come to terms with it. His artistry has been a presence for the entirety of my life and it is difficult to believe that he is no more.

The David Bowie memorial wall in Brixton

Electric Avenue, Brixton

After visiting Brixton we took a jaunt to Camden which we hadn't visited for some years. Wow - crowded! The market was in full swing and the Lock full of boats. It's very touristy but there's so much to see.

Camden Town

Finally, that evening, we met up with friends Roy and Tracey for a pub meal followed by a very rare live performance by Thomas Lang. Roy introduced me to his music back in the early 1990s - it's sort of jazz-tinged pop and he has a very distinctive, smokey voice that lends itself well to contemporary music as well as the jazz standards.

The concert was great - Thomas' voice as good as it ever was - and he so seldom plays live that it was a real privilege to be there.

Regent's Canal, Islington

For the last couple of weekends we've taken advantage of slightly-too-warm-for-me Autumn weather, going for long rambles to make the most of this all too brief season.

I have been working very long hours for the past 7-8 weeks so in fact have not had much energy for anything more challenging.

Autumn in the vines at Denbies Vineyard, Dorking

I'll reserve my Autumn pictures for another post, save for the shots above which were taken at Denbies Vineyard in nearby Dorking in early October.

I'm hoping the frosts will have arrived by the time I write again.

Until next time,

- Maree  xo