The End of Summer

Walking with the dog today, the penultimate day of August, I was really struck by the various signs that Summer is over and Autumn is creeping round the corner.

The sloes look ready to pick to make the Festive Sloe Gin.

 The autumnal colours are beginning to appear in the hedgerows.

There were enough blackberries for me to pick a handful to add to the apple pastry slice for pudding tonight.

The cob nuts, though still not ready for picking, are peeking through the green foliage.

Only two days until September, colleges and Unis will be going back and our boys will be away until the Christmas Break.

Recci Five and a Half!

 First weekend in August and we thought we'd better go up to London again before the anticipated Olympic Madness began.
Having read about a potential development north of Wormwood Scrubs, that would hopefully lift the whole area, we decided to travel to East Acton and explore.

 Lovely big green space for dog walking and a sense of openess. But look right and there's no ignoring the shear hulk of the prison. Trying not to be too middle class we decide to walk along the path between the prison wall and the Scrubs. Then we spot a gang of hooded youths ahead and our courage deserts us! They are probably lovely boys and I expect their mothers love them, but suddenly we feel very middle class and vulnerable and turn tail and head back to the station.

It's a shame as the typical house is lovely, though possibly a little small for us, and would certainly be affordable.

 So, onto Hanwell, and on exiting the station we find ourselves very near Poets' Corner, which makes my heart give a little jump of happiness.
Do like the housing round here.

 Walking to the main road we pass this lovely Quiet Garden.

Flagging a bit we settle down with tea and cake at this rather lovely Cafe Gold and look around us at the main shopping area of Hanwell.

With Ealing Broadway just up the road having all the typical High Street shops, this area seems to be a pleasant mixture of independent and ethnic shops:
Kings Arms PH - V British!
Holland mini mart
Qaran Express
Mleczko - Polish deli
Shalom
and Pimp My Hair!

 Walking west and then down alongside the River Brent we meet the canal at Hanwell Locks and spot a newish development further along.

These are high-density but eco-friendly houses in a lovely canal-side setting. If there was another phase of building these may suit us - but my heart belongs to Poets' Corner.