Where's the Stray gone?

A beautiful sunny morning, and now this? Though it's probably not too surprising for November.

On a totally different topic, has anyone had the experience of crossing roads around the Stray,waiting dutifully until the light turns green, and being nearly taken out by cars going through on red? It's happened to me a few times. I don't like it.

Autumn sunset

I've been shamefully remiss - it's been weeks since my last blog, and although there were excuses (too old, too lazy, nothing going on, too busy, headache ... ) none was sufficient.

But the sky this evening was so beautiful that it was impossible not to photograph it and even my rubbish photographs, which don't come anywhere near doing it justice, still look pretty good.

Still, over the past few weeks there really hasn't been much going on apart from the usual agreeable stuff (so nothing to get worked up about). Leaves have fallen, runners run, walkers walk, dogs and children play. And cyclists use the cycle paths, sedately and with careful ringing of bells, and I have to confess to having joined them.

New England's got nothing on us!

Maybe a slight exaggeration, but the trees on the Stray are starting to develop some amazing autumn colours. Or, as auto-correct, would have it, colors.

 But now I'm going to say something that might just be considered heretical - I really hate the avenues of cherry trees. They're dismal little trees that are quite out of proportion to the lovely big chestnuts and beeches and others around the rest of the Stray, they're looking distinctly unwell, and they produce hideous pink blossoms in the spring. So there you go.

What a pretty place to park

.... half across the cycle lane and half on the Stray verge. What could be nicer on a sunny autumn evening - just leave the car there where there's lot of space, and take the dogs for a little walk.

And what a nice place to cycle ...

.... on the no-cycling path, so not too many other cyclists to get in the way, and only a few pedestrians who can always. move.

Apologies for the terrible blurry photograph. I was too busy jumping out of the way to be able to get my camera out in time.

And further apologies for the heavy sarcasm. It just gets a bit wearing sometimes - these two photographs were taken within about ten minutes of each other, and it's absolutely commonplace for some Stray users - not the majority by any means, but enough to be a nuisance - to ignore the rules, even when they're totally clear.

Empress for sale!

No, I mean the pub, not the senior member of some royal family. I hope it stays as a pub, though the real world might dictate that pubs like this are no longer viable businesses. It's a stunning building and a great situation.

And for no reason at all except that I like it, a picture of Christchurch showing off Harrogate's beautiful skies.

Posters on the Stray

Is this the Stray? These posters are on the hospital railings, so maybe it's not? But I think they look at mess. Other views?

But this is cheering - a really lovely sunset. Harrogate does skies very, very well.

Call this a flood?

I think it probably is a flood. It certainly looks too big, and too pretty, to be a puddle. Yorkshire Water ought to be interested, because this is the area next to St. Aidan's School which is always the first to flood and the last to clear. I would guess a blocked drain or culvert, but who knows ... ?