Catching up after moving house

My last walk in Coombe Wood was on the 1st December. Bearing in mind I usually go there at least once a week (if not two) what's been happening? First there was the packing, then moving, then the unpacking - which we are still in the middle of. So here are some highlights since moving day and some photos from a walk in Coombe Wood this morning.

There's a very different view from the back of our new house. From the old house it was mostly trees and Croydon on the horizon now we're at the top of a hill looking down on rooftops.

The early morning sun glinting on distant windows.

My sister made an amazing and very delicious New Home cake.

Some of the cake had been eaten and some of Eeyore's flake house had gone too by the time I took this photo showing the attention to detail.

We needed to have a very small Christmas Tree because there were boxes everywhere, plus things in the sitting room that should be in the garage and vice versa. My Christmas decorations usually go up on the 1st December but as we moved on the 14th that didn't happen. I had hoped they would go up very soon after the move butit was about 5 days after the move before the tree went up.

There haven't been any colourful sunsets yet just a lot of grey sky but it will be a brilliant view when we do get a sunset.

A perching bird with feathers ruffling in the breeze. 

A visit from the Rotary Club Santa. 

Flowers from a lovely friend - they're still going strong!

Fascinating middles.

 Trying to change my address. The TV license chat amused me.

 I think not, thank you! 

The easiest address change was with nectar, the most difficult so far is the DVLA - I'm still struggling with that one. 

Clear skies and an early morning view of the full moon setting. 

Sinking behind the trees. 

Flowers still doing well. 

Moon rising

Old and new - a Christmas present replacing my old pin cushion which I'm pretty sure was over 50 years old and very much the worse for wear!

And now for this morning's walk. It was a very dull grey morning and the photographs aren't very good.

I only saw one silvery large fish - I hope the heron hasn't been eating all the big ones. There are many dark youngsters under the lily pads,

They looked as if they were all black until I saw the photo and realised they have red fins.

These look like seed pods on the silk tree. I wish I could grow one of them!

Tiny Hebe flowers.

Dull day but rich colours.

Magnolia absolutely covered in buds. 

 All that's left of the Golden Rain Tree pods - still quite a few.

Liquid Amber Tree - the last tree to shed its leaves.

And a colourful stream of leaves caught in the dip between the edge of the soil and the grass.

Birch tree with cascading frondy branches flowing in the breeze.

 

These have nearly all gone now. 

Bare branches.

A tangle of seed pods and dying leaves, festooned with pine needles - but buds are peeping through. 

Pigeon in a tree cooing loudly. 

Buds.

But not just buds - some pure white camelias are out.

Something made me go and have a closer look at the witch hazel tree - from a distance it looked fairly dead and brown.

But look closer and you can see the wild and joyful explosions of witch hazel flowers bursting out.

I've forgotten what these are called. They burst out into clusters of sweetly scented pink trumpets.

Berries. 

and some tiny white flowers in front - must go back for another look - and not leave it so long!

 Lovely wet leafy pattern

Hydrangea petals on their way to becoming skeletons.

Winter honeysuckle - delicately scented. 

There's been some planting in the herbaceous border

and the appearance of some logs which is a bit puzzling. Strange place to leave them.

The squirrels were very active this morning, scurrying around, not stopping long enough to have their photos taken. 

Something else had been very active here. The last time I saw any damage like this to the edges of the raised flowerbeds the gardener said it was probably done by badgers.

The plants growing along the curved wall have all been neatly pruned.

Nothing much left of the hops now - just thready twigs hanging down.

Some tiny white flowers on the way to the gate.

Thank you very much for joining me.