Snapshot Sunday: It’s not this time of year without ….. a bit of weather.

Photo challenge: ‘It’s not this time of year without…..’.  It’s holidays and celebrations that WordPress seems to have in mind in setting this challenge, but this is November, and we don’t do Thanksgiving in England.  We do dark nights that begin at four o’clock.  We do gusting rain that snatches the remaining leaves from the trees.  We do fog that rises from the river.  Nothing much to celebrate at all.  Except …. except that it can turn out differently.

Read on.

Sunshine after rain at Studley Royal
Sunshine after rain at Studley Royal

I was in a bad mood when I got up.  My shoulder hurt – a lot.  The sky was steel-grey, the temperature steel-cold, and I was supposed to be leading a walk.  This was going to be No Fun At All, because although no rain was forecast, we’d had two days of full-on deluge.  I just knew that virtually the entire circuit would be a mud-bath.

I trudged off to our rendez-vous with ill grace.  Once there though, I started to cheer up. The prospect of good company for the day is always a positive start.  We set off.  The ground was unexpectedly firm, the clouds started to lift and the sun to shine.  Soon we were making a coffee-stop outside 14th century Markenfield Hall.

Coffee stop in front of Markenfield Hall.
Coffee stop in front of Markenfield Hall.

Then it was through woods and across open fields (still no mud) to find a lunch spot overlooking Fountains Abbey, still framed with russet Autumn leaves.

Sandwiches, sunshine and Fountains Abbey.
Sandwiches, sunshine and Fountains Abbey.

After lunch, a muddy farm, where we attracted the interest of the locals.

Calves closely inspected us as we squelched past. Yes, this farmyard was muddy.
Calves closely inspected us as we squelched past. Yes, this farmyard was very muddy indeed.

And an uplifting final couple of miles, with grazing red deer, light-reflecting ponds and surrounded by a final burst of Autumn colour.

Here is the parkland of Studley Royal. Can you see the red deer in the distance?
Here is the parkland of Studley Royal. Can you see the red deer in the distance?

Am I glad I went?  You bet.

Home straits. Crossing the weir at Studley Royal.
Home straits. Crossing the weir at Studley Royal.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and living in North Yorkshire, where I walk as often as I can, write, volunteer, and travel as often as I can.

26 thoughts on “Snapshot Sunday: It’s not this time of year without ….. a bit of weather.”

  2. Pingback: It’s Not This Time of Year Without: Shopping | What's (in) the picture?

  4. Gorgeous. I love it when I start out feeling grumpy and convinced a thing will turn out badly and then find myself pleasantly surprised. (Much better that way than the other way around!) And much of this November has been stunning. We were all due a spot of rain – just not all in one great deluge…

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  5. Scarcely a leaf left here after all the rain. Correction, they’re all over the lawn. But it’s a beautiful sunny day, so no excuse not to go and muck out the hens. Ah, the glamour.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. The funny thing is, when we lived in France we discovered that people in the morning queue at the baker’s were every bit as likely to be discussing the weather as their counterparts across the channel.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. What a lovely walk. It is great to get out and breathe clean fresh air. Even without Thanksgiving, there are many things for which to be thankful. Enjoy your Sunday and the week ahead. Peace.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. It is dark by 4 here in the west too, and the rain, it’s the same. You may not have Thanksgiving, but you do have castles.:) I know you said, “Hall” but it looks so much more, especially with a great group having coffee together.

    Thank you for a great post. It was fun.

    Liked by 1 person

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