Wednesday 30 November 2016

happy birthdays

The pre-birthday celebrations started high up on the hills of Stannington on Saturday night at the Reserved Cafe pop-up bistro night for a 5 course taster menu of surprises and fun.
Such a lovely whirlwind weekend in the best of company.
Then came my birthday proper yesterday, the day dawned sunny and frosty - totally perfect autumn/winter weather.  Our garden was golden
our pond frozen over
But we were soon venturing up through the woods towards Wharncliffe Crags on a path heavy with frost and ice and quite beautiful, if freezing cold!

The weird thing was, and it was impossible to photograph (a Seamus Heaney fleeting moment like in Postscript) - all we could hear was the sound of leaves falling all around us, frozen from the trees.  Totally magical and surreal.  They were raining down like soft snow.
We trudged upwards past the ponds
and finally out of the woods and onto the gloriously open freedom of the Heath
Though I am getting worried my hair's starting to look frosted too, like some sort of ice queen
Beautiful frozen fronds
and not another soul - the whole of Wharncliffe Heath and Crags to ourselves.
until a little chappy happened along the path towards me!
and we headed back through the woods for warm soup and coffee . . .  just about perfect.
But not to forget, just the day before, Mum reached the grand old age of 96 and all I can say is I hope the 'spring chicken' genes have been passed on!!
And finally,we mustn't forget Tilly, the other November birthday girl - who probably got the best cake of all - but then we don't have 3rd birthday parties every day do we!!
Happy Birthday one and all

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