Autumn Leaves

Categories: blogging, greenbelt, musings

Date: 08 September 2011 16:13:49

There's a distinctly Autumnal feel round here today, hence I'm indulging myself with an old favourite . In our case it's not only autumn leaves drifting by our window, but sprinklings of ash, following from an unscheduled bonfire in the next street. Around 10.45 pm yesterday, we were about to lock up when we noticed a burning smell. Thinking it might be another electrical fault; the dishwasher blew earlier in the week, we tried to track down the stink. Then Mr M looked out over the garden and spotted flames nearby. Thinking it might be a fire on the old school building site, and being an over-fussy Mummy (OK, I'll admit it, a nosey so-and-so as well) - son was at a friend's birthday do just up the road - I made my way up the street to find that the fire was much nearer than we'd thought. Down a nearby cul-de-sac, sundry neighbours,mostly in their night things, were out on the street watching a clump of trees burning away merrily. Thank goodness it rained yesterday, otherwise it could easily have spread further than it did. As it was, the flames were only ten feet or so from the nearby houses. Any old how, the fire brigade arrived, doused the remaining flames and hosed down a couple of cars that had got covered in ash and embers. Nobody was hurt, damage was minimal, which was the main thing, and the general thought was that the fire had been caused by somebody chucking a cigarette end down in a nearby alleyway. So - quite a frisson of excitement for our neighbourhood - which is normally quite peaceful. Still I will admit to a smidgeon of disappointment at the fire brigade. Though lovely, the fire brigade weren't quite the hunky chaps I'd anticipated. Pathetic, I know. I blame all those episodes of Fireman Sam I used to watch with the children when they were littlies. Never mind, all cleared up now. Some of the nearby cars and gardens have a delicate sprinkling of ashes, but the rain will soon clear it away. The photo above, of course is entirely unrelated. I've done all my Greenbelt catching up over on my other blog - here, here and here but thought this snap was suitably Miffy-themed so deserved a place on Musings. It's been a mixed experience for me again. Looking back GB seems to have fallen into an alternating pattern of one good, one bad, one good, one bad for me. Actually let's now say more 'mixed,' than 'bad' per se - as long as I can learn from the experience and I'd say I have. A couple of encounters, there and elsewhere recently have underlined the importance of letting yourself be seen to be vulnerable and when appropriate, saying things as they are for you. So, beginning as I mean (hmmm) to go on, I've been back to a piece I was struggling to write, have rehashed it in the light of GB, completed, and sent it off. It'll be interesting to see what sort of a reception it gets.