Why do cows all point the same way?

Autumn dog-walking

This morning’s walk was a bit of a quiet one.

The colours of Autumn were great, particularly the blood-red thorns on this bramble – very appropriate!.

The only real noises were from the crows shouting at each other for no apparent reason, intently watched by Nippy, our local stray cat, who has so many adoptive homes where she gets fed that she never needs to hunt, though I’ve seen her carrying mice along to some hiding place.

Nippy overseeing the crows' argument

Walking past the new allotments with their numbers, just waiting to be occupied, I was struck by the old conundrum – why do cows all graze in the same direction? Apparently Google Earth has confirmed that this is the case though they were unable to distinguish head from tails; it was still apparent that many groups of cows were aligned north/south. I confirmed this myself this morning; all these cows are facing South and presumably when they reach the end of the field, they’ll turn and munch their way north.

Molly enjoyed the walk

Molly the Spaniel enjoyed the walk though I can’t break her of the habit of giving a wide berth to the gateway where Izzy the St Bernard lives.

Passing Izzy's gateway

Unlike New York, our weather is still surprisingly mild and we’ve been suffering a plague of flies. It’s eased off a bit now, but I think we’ll have to wait for the really cold weather to get rid of them completely. We tried a couple of fly sprays but they are immune, unlike the wasps that came in from the nest under our floor. They died within a few minutes but we had to pay to get the nest eradicated.

The warmth is a bit incongruous as the city’s stores put up their Christmas displays.

John Lewis windows

Inside John Lewis - a bit 'Galeries Lafayette'?

The Shires Mall

Inside, there’s snow, Christmas trees and baubles while outside we’ve had a Moroccan market full of hot colours basking in the sunshine.

Leicester's Humberstone Gate

Great fossil sink

The Luggage (Discworld)

Mehndi (Henna)

Golden... November

This is the weather the shepherd shuns,

And so do I;

When beeches drip in browns and duns,

And thresh and ply;

And hill-hid tides throb, throe on throe,

And meadow rivulets overflow,
And drops on gate bars hang in a row,

And rooks in families homeward go,

And so do I.

Weathers by Thomas Hardy (verse 2)

But it hasn't been like that. I think it was the early frosts that started it. Started the changing colour of the leaves and then an unusually mild couple of weeks has meant the trees hung onto their leaves and they gently changed colour

 The little Rowan at the edge of the village that was vandalised a couple of years ago but recovered as a many stemmed bush rather than a tree took on a deep red combined with the gold and the remaining green, almost like a sign at the village entrance.

And driving out with the allotments on the left, all the hawthorns, limes and willows also took on the fiery shades.



In the garden opposite our house, the hedges and the acers are all turning and the dovecote sets it all off.

The berried holly reminds me that I have to get this year's 'Celebration of Christmas' ready. I still have to confirm the acts, get the syrup for the mulled wine sorted and order the PA system. There's wine and soft drinks to buy and others will get the food together. Tickets are selling already and everything has to be ready by the end of the month (30 Nov). Last year's show was quite a success and you're only as good as your last show. http://livingvillage.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post.html

On the way into work, all the trees are golden and in the car park, the leaves are gathering. Soon all will be bare branches and the weather will turn cold. This year we're not going away to any continental Christmas Markets, so we'll just have to grin and bear it.

Still, for the time being, the colours are very cheering.



Liege and Valkenberg Christmas Markets

Off last week by Eurostar to Liege (Belgium) and Valkenberg (Netherlands). Although we were moving our own bags, it meant there were no weight restrictions (and no 2 hour check in for flights).

Leige Guillemins Station is spectacular. I'm not always a wholehearted enthusiast for modern architecture, but that's usually because it's derivative, pastiche and gimcrack. I can't see most of it lasting for 20 years, never mind 200.

But Liege Guillemins is in a league of its own. The design by Santiago Calatrava is part of a much wider scheme with a lake and avenue of trees in a space presently occupied by the bus station. Both the station and bust station were ony 100 metres from our hotel, so it was easy to get into the centre, Place Sainte Lambert and the Christmas Markets.

All the usual stuff was on show, but I'm a sucker for traditional Christmas decorations etc.,

Even a Belgian elf!

And this is Marea indulging in yet another cup of gluhwein (actually, that's unfair; she drinks about half the quantity I consume).

Lots of Christmas lights - These in the Sainte lambert shopping arcade.

And, of course, the European Circus was in town, though we didn't go to see it.

Back to the station, (next morning) where they were rather precariously cleaning the glass. I'm sure it was safe, even if it didn't look it.

Traditional Wooden toy stall

And, of course, a snow slope.

But what every good Christmas Market town has to have is a ferris wheel!

... And lots of bars!

Next day we went off in a coach across the border to Valkenberg in the Netherlands where the Christmas Markets ar in chalk cave which run for miles under the town. I think that greeting visitors with a rather angry-looking Santa is a bit odd though.

One of the markets is in the 'Velvet' Caves (no, I don't know why). These were loosely themed on 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens.

Inside, they were warm and dry, unlike the market at Liege, which had tended to be very wet and rainy. They were also extremely spacious, so not really claustrophobic at all.

The caves were used during the war to hide British airmen and Jewish refugees. There is some remarkable artwork all through.

... And bars, of course!

This is the entrance to the Town Caves.

And tableaux just inside the entrance.

Lots more stalls with all the tradional Christmas figurines, etc.

And angels on almost every wall.

And here is the life-size nativity just outside the caves.

Then a quick run on to Maastricht where the market is more like a fairground, though it does have proper market stalls as well.

A carousel...

(and the obligatory ferris wheel).

And a rather bizarrely lit skating rink.

All in all, it was a lot of fun. However, nothing really comes close to Nuremberg and Rothenberg. Perhaps next year.