Red sky

Red sky this morning, harbinger of bad weather. An ex hurricane no less is on its way. Now the curl of wind and rain is arriving, heavy rain washing down the sides of the caravan, beating the roof. Trees bending in the prevailing wind so their branches form the characteristic bent double pose, like a person turning their back to the wind and leaning forward, head down to try and avoid being blown over.

Time to hunker down and keep warm while the storm whirls out to sea, its winds whipping up the waves. To shuffle as far as you can under the duvet until it is snatched away from you by human hands not the wind! Listening into the night for possible broken branches. (Only its more likely to be a damp squib as I’ve just heard on the weather forecast that it’s mainly going to track up the west coast of Ireland and the Irish Sea?)

My romantic idea of a dark and stormy night? So much for red skies in the morning!

Welsh river

Before we got to Llanrwst we called at a village which was next to a beautiful bridge. I didn’t see a sign identifying it. But it was on a curve in the road and the bridge led off the main road into the  village.

The river was in full flow with the water rushing along. We spoke to a resident who had seen it yesterday she said it had been about 18 inches deeper, but last week it had been very shallow and her 4 year old grandson had been paddling in it.

As we drove away along the road you could see places where the river was higher than the road, and huge puddles in the fields and along the road where water was still lying after yesterday’s downpour.

More rain is forecast for tomorrow so we might have had the best day today. We shall see.

 

Old Oak and ice-cream

Visited Snugburys ice cream parlour near Nantwich today. I had the sugar free vanilla and a plain cone. It was weird, a bit like tiny frozen hailstones slightly moist, but bits kept dropping off! My hubby had Walnut and Maple syrup (me jealous?).

As we came out we had a look at one of the oak trees in the grounds. It was hollow inside. The tree looked healthy though. As a tree grows the outside bark and outer layers carry the nutrients and water up the trunk in tubes called phloem and xylem. The centre can be lost, but as long as fluids still flow and the outer wood is strong the tree will survive.

Finally we walked towards the giant bee they have built out of straw. It replaced the Peter Rabbit sculpture that was previously there. We didn’t go to close because it was raining and very windy. Took a quick photo. Enjoyable visit.

Raining again

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The rain kept off till about 4pm, then it started to pour down. There are lots of flood warnings with 30 to 50 millimeters of rain expected in the next 24 hours. Then there are seasonal high tides due aswell. Water levels are expected to peak in the North East and there is talk of an evacuation in one costal area. We are in the North Midlands and are expecting heavy rain. It’s certainly changed from the hot and humid weather of a week ago. I guess though that despite being under a huge cloud we are lucky. There is early snowfall in parts of America!

Shouting stop at the rain!

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Yesterday I was sitting by my art stall in the craft fair. The doors were open to let people in. Suddenly there was shouting outside. I heard my hubbies voice and thought he was arguing with someone! I headed to the door while my fellow stall holders looked on in bemusement.

My hubby was outside with three or four people and he was berating the clouds and telling God to stop the rain! I don’t know why he thought it would have any effect. He was quite alright, no fight. But it’s just like him, eccentric.

The rain and wind continued. Water was even dripping through cracks between the walls and the ceiling, onto the floor of the room we were in, it was not good.

When we came home the pear tree had blown down! Cause and effect?

Wet

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We went to the British Ceramic Biennial today, at the Spode Site in Stoke, to glaze a piece of pottery I made last week. The weather was very bad and we got soaked on the way into the exhibition. When we came out the rain had cleared up and the sun was out. I took some photos of the wet surfaces. It’s always good to notice changes caused by weather conditions and variations in lighting.

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George

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George was a good cat. If he climbed on windowsills he would carefully place his paws so he didn’t knock over the vases. If he climbed to the top of the bookcase, somehow he would not knock the books down. Even if paint was spilled on the floor he could avoid walking through it. Oh George was a clever cat. He could be seen in the window of the house. Not looking out, but looking into the room. A twinkle in his eye.

George had one bad habit. He chased the goldfish in the bowl. It would hide behind the plastic castle in the corner. Waiting for George, who could stare for hours, to get bored and go away.

One day it was cold and grey, the weather was stormy, and George decided to look out of the window and watch the trees waving in the wind. Suddenly a bolt of lightening struck one of the tallest trees. There was an almighty cracking noise, and a huge branch came down hitting the window and smashing it. George jumped out of the way just in time, his paws softly landing on the carpet. But then he saw the goldfish, it’s bowl had been knocked over. He sniffed it as it lay flapping on its side. But, instead of eating the fish he carefully gripped the tip of its tail in his mouth and ‘plop’, dropped it back into the half full bowl. Then he placed himself next to the bowl and watched the fish swim.

Rain

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The rain comes down harder and faster these days. When I was a child I remember gentle rain, now it seems to soak in seconds. Water has a way of getting into everything when it falls. Like a cold shower it wakes you up, startling you as it splashes in your face. It was once said that there is no bad weather, just being inappropriately dressed for it. Nowadays I’m not so sure.

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Waiting for weather.

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Sky keeps going dark grey, a sudden squall of rain then bright again, sunshine and showers.  I’m watching the trees bend in the wind, the weather station anammometer twirling in the wind. In some places round here the power is out.

As I watch the blitzortung app on my phone I can see thunderstorms trundling across the country. Their trails changing from white, yellow, orange and red. White most recent, red in the past. You can track their movement. I’m not sure if they will get here or bypass us.

The weather is unseasonably autumnal. Festivals due to be happening thus weekend have been cancelled because of the strong winds. I’m sitting here in the dark. The radio is on. My hubby is making coffee and I’m waiting for the first flash.