Activity Returns

Activity returned to the Market place today but it was only to be expected as Thursday is a market day. The market stalls however were boosted by the addition of two pet-centred additions outside the library. One was by the PDSA and the other by the neighbourhood Dog Wardens who were encouraging people to register their dogs with the Council.

Patterns

I don't know whether there was any activity in the Market Place today as it's been a wet overcast day but just as the sun was going down, the clouds began to part and there were some interesting patterns and colours in the sky. It was a pleasure to see a little blue up there but about half an hour after taking this picture, the sun had gone down and it was dark.

Turning

It was all quiet on the Market Place today as the activities of recent days seemed to have reached a conclusion. All the tubs are now empty of plants and soil and the lighting column now stands in its new position. I expect work to resume soon as preparations for the Charter Fair continue but as today was a quiet day, I had to find something else to photograph. And here in Wharncliffe Road just a few steps from the Market Place, it was the changing colours of the leaves on the trees at the back of the Town Hall that caught my eye. By the time the Fair arrives the town centre should be awash with autumn colours.

Getting Ready

I photographed the empty tubs on the Market Place on Friday, empty, that is, of plants. Today Council workmen were busy taking the soil out as well as preparations for the Charter Fair continued. They can be seen in this picture on the far side of the Market Place but some of their workmates are more obvious nearer the camera where a lighting column was being moved two or three yards to the left. I understand that this is also part of the preparations for the Fair as a larger version of the Dodgems is coming and needs more room. I was also told that the fair folk are paying for the alterations but I guess they'll soon recoup their costs by charging exorbitant prices for a ride.

Eating Out

We had lunch out today and this was just part of the spread set before us.

After the Harvest Festival service in church this morning many of the congregation stopped behind to participate in a bring and share lunch but as well as the good food it was also an opportunity to share fellowship together.

Preparations

We were in church this morning helping to decorate the window sills in preparation for the harvest services tomorrow. Someone had already placed vases of sunflowers in the windows that blended in perfectly with the stained glass.

Empty Tubs

All the plants have been removed from around the cenotaph and from the tubs on the Market Place. Not only is this a sign that summer is over but also a precursor to Ilkeston's Annual Charter Fair in October when the tubs and bollards will be removed to allow the fairground rides to be set up.

First Day

Depending where you look or who you listen to, autumn in the northern hemisphere officially starts anywhere between September 21st and 23rd but as it was the autumnal equinox sometime yesterday, I reckon that makes today the first FULL day of autumn. Not that we need the date to go by as the spiders in the garden and the ripe quince growing through the fence from next door are more than enough to convince anyone of the season.

Flying The Flag

Today is Derbyshire Day so we're flying the flag for the county.

Derbyshire Day came about following a campaign on Andy Whittaker's Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Derby a couple of years ago and it was decided to celebrate the county on September 22nd each year. A flag was designed and can now be seen flying proudly at many places in the county and the one pictured was spotted a t Draycott today when we attended a coffee morning MacMillan Nurses.

John

This is John - one of the regular drivers on a bus route we often use.

John is one of several regular drivers who are all excellent and we have got to know them as we have travelled to and fro. John is what would generally be called a cheerful chappie and we can always rely on him for a smile. It's just a pity the same cannot be said of the buses that always appear to be breaking down. We have the best drivers but the worst vehicles in the fleet.

Flower In Disguise

Last Thursday I wrote about the only gladioli that had flowered in our garden from a dozen or so that had been planted. Well I'm happy to say another has flowered now but it appears to have adopted a disguise as it looks more like a lily. I'm now looking forward to next year - we might have a whole new species of flowers growing!

Under The Red Carpet

There was a surprise in store at church this morning for the red carpet had been rolled back to reveal  a memorial stone in the main aisle.

A hundred years ago St Mary's Church was extended westwards and the tower had to be demolished stone by stone and the re-erected. The church re-opened on September 20th 1910 with a service of dedication attended by the Bishop of Southwell. The memorial stone to the Vicar at the time marks the point from where the Nave was extended. There was also an exhibition at the back of church this weekend showing old photos and documents relating to the alterations.

Interested Spectator

The beans have just about finished so we decided to take the bean row down this afternoon and give the patch a rough dig for the winter. Pom, helpful as usual soon began to help digging holes in the soft soil but his brother Splinky sat and watched in disdain, probably still sulking as I didn't take his photo yesterday whilst trying to capture Pom. To try and get back in his good books I fetched the camera but as soon as I pointed it at him he was up, off and away so another out of focus photo ensued. One of these days ....

 

Wanted - A Dose of TLC

We had planned to join a group today for a walk in the Autumn Footprints Walking Festival but an emergency visit to the vets with Pom when his old problem flared up meant we were half an hour late and considerably lighter in the pocket.

Despite our best efforts to catch the group up we never did see the walkers. When we returned home Pom was in need of some TLC and followed me around the garden, rubbing round my legs. Do you know how difficult it is to photograph a cat who just wants you to sit down so he can climb on your knee? This is one of my best efforts and even this is slightly out of focus but doesn't he look sad?

The Only One

In previous blogs I've commented on flowers growing in our garden that we had not planted. There was the sunflower for example growing from a discarded heart from the bird table but earlier this year I did plant a dozen or so gladioli bulbs. So far only one has flowered so it would be remiss of me not to take at least one photo of it.

Education, Education, Education

In the UK a metre is "the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)" and a meter is "any of various devices designed to measure time, distance, speed, or intensity or indicate and record or regulate the amount or volume, as of the flow of a gas or an electric current."

So if you happen to have a square electric or gas meter, then this shop on Bath Street should be able to carpet it for you. Whatever happened to education?

More Berries

Whilst out dodging the showers today, I photographed these berries on a Rowan tree that, like those on our holly tree will be providing more food for the birds.

These appear to be a slightly deeper shade of red than those of the holly and can also be used for human consumption when made into a jelly to be served with meat or brewed into wine or made into a liqueur. They can also be used to make a gargle for sore throats but I still think the birds will get first option on these on the tree at the back of the Town Hall.

On The Turn

After yesterday's picture of a bird looking for food, I noticed the berries on our holly tree were beginning to turn red today.

They are still not as red as they will be but will surely be a good supply of nutrient for the birds over the winter months. Whether there will be sufficient only time will tell but there will be plenty of food for them on the bird table as well.

Distinctive

Haven't been too far today so photo opportunities were limited but I did spot a couple of pigeons scavenging among the fallen leaves when we came out of church this morning and one of them had quite a distinctive plumage.

Silly Season

I've stood over an hour today waiting for buses. The service is not reliable at all and the old vehicles regularly break down which one did today so the half hourly service was anything but. It's still no excuse for this though.

A new timetable was put up in this bus shelter a few days ago. It was defaced almost immediately and today it had been inverted. So for all my friends in the antipodes, this picture is for you. It doesn't matter what time of year it is, it seems it is always the silly season for some people.

A Lesson

As another national chain (Burton's) prepares to close its Ilkeston branch and move out of town after trading here for 82 years, it's perhaps time for Erewash Borough Council to follow the lead of neighbouring Broxtowe and try and attract shoppers to the town. Council owned car parks in Beeston and Eastwood for example offer one hour's free parking before the charges start. Here in Ilkeston the only free car parks are provided by the likes of Tesco and Aldi which are away from the town centre. In Long Eaton those same stores are in the town centre and there is not a hill to contend with there so is it any wonder that Ilkeston is becoming a shopping ghost town? Come on EBC, if you're serious about promoting Ilkeston learn a lesson from Broxtowe.

More Of The Same

Yes today it's more of the same as we see more examples of the onset of autumn. Ever lengthening shadows as the suns drops lower in the sky and fallen leaves point to the inevitable change of season which will become more and more apparent in the coming weeks. For the moment most of the trees are still green and full of leaf but you only have to look down to see they won't be like that for much longer.

Another Sign

The title "Another Sign" is actually twofold. First of all it refers to an additional sign - the yellow one - that has been fixed to the pole at the entrance to the car park off South Street. Secondly it means the seasons are changing.

The sign is about Fair equipment arriving and that there will be no parking available from Monday 19th October and the annual Charter fair can only mean one thing - it's autumn!

Coney Island

Here's Ilkeston's answer to the famous American amusement park that goes by the name of Coney Island.

Ilkeston's venue is only open for a few days though as the traffic islands on Chalons Way are resurfaced overnight. During the day the cones are moved off the road but left close by.

A Sure Sign

There's a sure sign of the changing seasons in our garden. It's difficult to walk anywhere without disturbing a spider and more than once I've already face full of web. This spider pictured though seemed content to sit in the middle of a damaged web and wait for some unsuspecting prey much smaller than me to become entangled.

Fallen And Plastered

Spotted Santa this morning! And it looks as though he'd been out on an early practice run for Christmas Eve and fallen off his sleigh. He'd lost his hat and there was a big plaster on his head and the least said about the spikes on the gate the better but they certainly didn't cushion his fall. Hope he recovers by December.

In Training

There were a number of dogs with their handlers in the town centre today including this puppy in training.

But it was not just normal dog-training as it is being trained to be a guide dog for the blind. There was also a stall on the Market Place containing information about the dogs and of course collection tins to raise money for the Guide Dogs charity. The dogs are invaluable for blind and partially sighted people and their training isn't cheap but once fully trained and homed, they repay the costs of their training several times over in the long term.

Time To Go

Well yesterday's sporting activities confirmed one thing - participation in an Aquathlon is a definite non-starter.

To be honest I never even considered taking part in the event that is the subject of the banner on Toll Bar House but even if I had, it's too late now as it took place a couple of weeks ago! Maybe it's time for the Conservative controlled council to pay heed to their esteemed leaders in government and remove surplus banners on buildings as well those that are believed to confuse on the roads. The one advertising the Waterside Festival on Gallows Inn Playing Fields has already been removed and that only took place last weekend so why this one is still in situ is a mystery.

Slam Dunk!

I was never good enough to make the school team at soccer or cricket and rugby was never played against other educational establishments but I did represent the school at basketball. But that was about half a century ago and today's run around with the grandsons proved once and for all that my creaking bones and underused muscles will never be able to reach those heights again and slam dunks are totally out of the question. We all enjoyed trying though but I'll probably feel the effects tomorrow.

Summer's Back

After the coldest August for seventeen years we started September today with a lovely fine day that made me think that summer is not all over after all. I should not be surprised though as back in my refereeing days I recall that the first matches I officiated at during the first weekend in the ninth month always seemed to be played in heatwave conditions. My refereeing days are long gone but I do enjoy a good walk for exercise so hopefully the fine weather will continue during the month and especially during the Autumn Footprints Walking Festival which is scheduled for the 11th to the 26th.