Home again

We're back. One thing about going away is that it makes you appreciate getting home again. This occasion was no different, even though we did have an enjoyable time. It was good to see old friends, in better health than sometimes of late, to reminisce over old times & share new discoveries. Even so it's good to be home, back to all the familiar things of everyday life.

We were disappointed in the weather. As we set off to Harrogate on Friday the sun was shining. By the time we were in the Pennines things had changed. Mist & low cloud became the order of the day. We couldn't even see the golf balls of RAF Menwith that overlook Harrogate from the moors above, presaging your arrival in Harrogate from the west. I had begun to think they had maybe been dismantled. But no, on our homeward journey they peered out of the mist. The sun was just starting to reappear for the first time since we'd left home. Some balls glowed with white, almost looking translucent; others remained grey.

Above all we were struck by how more advanced autumn is in Harrogate. There many of the trees have shed their leaves. Here they're only just starting to turn colour, only a few leaves have fallen. On our journey home, with the sun coming out to celebrate our homecoming, the trees glowed with oranges, reds & yellow. The berries on the hollies & pyracanthas blazoned out their redness. Truly beautiful.

And since getting home, we've had brilliant sunshine & warmth once more, unlike the damp greyness of Harrogate. Still the weather didn't spoil things for us. We've been over there several times so we weren't really going for the sightseeing. Our main focus was meeting with friends & that was pure pleasure regardless of weather.