Sunny Sunday

We took advantage of a beautiful autumn morning for another circular walk around Dunstable Downs. I have often wondered what this strange finned metal structure was and spotted a sign today which explained it ... apparently it is a wind trap which sucks air into pipes underneath the ground which then goes to cool the visitor centre and cafe behind during the summer, and helps to heat it in the winter. It is in a very exposed position and is guaranteed plenty of wind! 

There are still quite a lot of rose hips around, though the leaves are disappearing fast. These berries are very high in vitamin C and used to be collected to make rose hip syrup to give to children. Lots of bright colours today, with the red berries, blue sky and green fields. 

My iPhone camera really doesn't do justice to the views up here. After we got home I cooked a roast for lunch and my brother came over to eat with us - Sunday lunch has been a family tradition for years. These days we don't cook every week as M is often working, but we still do it when we can. Sometimes these days it is just me, M and TG, other weeks it can be eight, with all three girls, the older two's partners, and my brother. Today there were five of us. 

After lunch I helped my brother order some boots online - he doesn't normally do online shopping, but had drawn a blank trying to find a pair in town - then he went home and M went off to work an evening shift. Later in the afternoon H went round to an old schoolfriend's for dinner. Her friend has just got engaged and H was officially asked to be a bridesmaid at her wedding in 18 months time. Very exciting for her! TG also went out for a while to meet one of her friends, so unusually I had an  hour or two home alone.