On the 24th of August (a Monday), my sister and I went for a walk in the palace grounds after work. It was a beautiful day, warm without being too hot, and in spite of it still being in the middle of the school holidays, the grounds were not too crowded.
I have mentioned before how much I love this time of year, with the abundance of colours and things to harvest that nature has on offer in late summer. The light has a special quality and the blue of the sky can be of an intensity you rarely see during the other seasons.
There is also something special about what's to eat in late summer, early autumn; a mix of comfort food for cooler evenings and summery salads that come at a big variety with all that's ripe in the gardens and on fields. Maybe I will do an extra post about food soon.
Since that visit to the palace grounds, the weather has been a very mixed bag; we have had a few rainy days (hooray!) and some rather cold nights which made me want the central heating on (at least in the bath room) first thing in the morning.
I have begun watching "The Crown" on Netflix and think I will stick to the series. On wikipedia, I have read up on the historical inaccuracies; why is it, I wonder, that film makers feel the need to alter the facts that in itself are certainly dramatic and intriguing enough without any changes made to them! Anyway, so far I like what I have seen, conscious of it not being a documentary that sticks to the facts all the time.
There has also been more reading recently, some good, some not quite so good books, but I will post the reviews another time.
Now I need to get ready for work - only today and next week left, then O.K. and I will have two weeks off!
The garden still looks lush and lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt is often at its best this time of year - although I also think that every spring :-)
DeleteThere is something special about this time of year. The intense heat of this summer is coming to a welcome end. But who knows what the winter will be like! In the meantime comes this 'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness". And for you, anticipation! How wonderful to have two weeks off together!
ReplyDeleteI am very much looking forward to our time off. Work has been busy for both of us, with O.K. even having to put in the occasional Saturday.
DeleteYes, who knows what the winter will be like! I am going to take advantage of the good weather as long as I can.
I loved "The Crown" - I did not know much about your queen and found it fascinating. Even if some events are altered, I gained much respect for her and she is still impressive!
ReplyDeleteHello Ellen, as I am German and living in Germany, she is not really "my" queen - but I respect her a lot for all her hard work, and I do not think she has one selfish bone in her; it's really all for her role and not for herself. One may think about monarchy what one likes, but I guess Elizabeth II. really believes in what her life represents.
DeleteThe palace grounds are always beautiful from what you have shown us. Is that some kind of a boat ride around the palace that you are on in the second picture? It looks like a relaxing thing to do!
ReplyDeleteI have watched all of "The Crown" on Netflix and enjoyed it very much despite some inaccuracies. I thought it was well produced and the acting was excellent. There will be a new season coming out sometime in the next six months or so and I am looking forward to that.
How exciting that you and O.K. will soon have a two week holiday! I have a feeling there may be many beautiful Autumn walks in the near future! Enjoy your weekend!
Yes, no matter what time of day or year, the palace grounds are always beautiful. The boat ride is in the "Fairytale Garden", a part of the palace grounds designed for children (small and big ones, like me!) that has little scenes for the most famous fairytales, mostly known through the brothers Grimm. The boat ride is a sweet, old-fashioned form of fun, in place since the 1950s - we've known it all our lives and still love it.
DeleteHopefully, the weather in the mountains will play along with our plans for a daily hike!
Looking forward to cooler days ahead. 33c today, so obviously not yet. :(
ReplyDeleteImagine that two weeks off with O.K. with be a real blessing. Hope that you have good weather and a relaxing time.
Thank you, Mary. We hope for good weather, too, but even if it should rain, we can still enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the hotel and not working - and we are together :-)
DeleteThe gardens do look lovely. You do so much walking: wish my husband and I could. Look forward to your two weeks holiday. Hope the weather is just right for you to do what you want to do. We should have been going on holiday this weekend with our daughter and her family but because of the virus stuff we cancelled it. We didn't know if her husband could still have his holiday as he has been staying at his work for four months (night manager of a hotel) and as we had to cancel before July 24th that's what we did. He has got his two weeks holiday but needs to rest as he has worked so hard.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your two weeks together.
Thank you, Pat! Originally, we were booked at the hotel in the mountains in May, but we never went on that holiday because of the virus. Instead of cancelling our booking, we shifted it to September and hope now that nothing happens in the next week that leads to another closure of all hotels etc. As we are not crossing any borders and only are about a 3-hour-drive away, we are not worried about procedures; I would not want to holiday in a different country right now, it's all a lot of hassle.
DeleteThe palace grounds always enjoyable to see in each season of the year. You look so relaxed on the water - I have to wonder what you were thinking about, the weather, the pandemic, or hopefully something fun such as your upcoming vacation time with O.K. Hope this means we will get a photo of the two of you together, please!
ReplyDeleteThanks Meike for saying such kind things about "my Queen" - I'm in total agreement with all you said. She is one amazing woman.
Hello Mary, glad my comments about the Queen rang well with you. One can only admire and respect her.
DeleteYes, the palace grounds are always beautiful, no matter the time of day or year or weather.
I can not remember what I was thinking when my sister took the picture of me on the boat - probably just about the next fairytale we'd come past!
A photo of the two of us is unlikely; O.K. is like my sister in that respect and does not wish to see his picture or read his full name on my blog.
It is a special time of year to enjoy before the onset of winter. You will still be able to take your lovely walks but the evenings draw in earlier and earlier.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a special time of year in many regards.
DeleteMy after-work walks soon won't be possible any more - by the time I finish work, it will be dark, and although I can of course still walk in town, I doubt I am going to do that very often, it is just not quite as nice walking between houses as it is out in the open.
Like you, I love this time of year in the garden (but then I love Spring and Summer and Autumn in the garden actually).
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that there was a Wikipedia page giving the inaccuracies/licence taking in The Crown. I shall have to look that one up. I enjoyed the series so far.
Graham, gardens, parks, fields, woodland - they all have so much to offer, no matter the season. It is just easier to enjoy it when there is enough daylight left after work and it is not icy and/or wet.
DeleteThe list of inaccuracies in "The Crown" is part of the general wikipedia entry about the series, not an extra one. I, too, am enjoying the series so far; I am only at the beginning (S1 E3 or something like that).