Doesn't that picture look autumnal? That's our Japanese maple. I was sitting beneath it last weekend, looking at the sun coming through the leaves and the red seed pods, and thinking, "Fall is coming!"
I am having the craziest, busiest week. Part of it is the non-work stuff I've had to do, like go to the embassy, but we've also been scrambling in the library. Several of our team have been out for one reason or another, so we're perpetually short-handed -- for example, my co-worker just left for Buenos Aires to tend to a family emergency, and another librarian is out for medical reasons. Plus we've had lots of people all over the school coming down with Covid, so that adds spice to the mix.
And as I've mentioned the head librarian is new to the job. So she's having to familiarize herself with all the items in the budget and do a lot of background work that the previous librarian knew by heart. I don't think I realized how much time and attention that would take.
Yesterday I updated all our database usage statistics -- I usually do that job only once a year but we needed them now for budgeting purposes. I reorganized some shelves and again, I put away a huge number of books.
Today will be calmer because all the kids and most of the teachers are off-campus for activities. (Dave and another teacher are taking a group of students to Brighton, for example.) So I'll be able to do some catching up and hopefully blog reading, which I have sorely neglected!
Yesterday as I was walking home from work this van passed me on Finchley Road. That dog cracked me up, hanging its head out the window. Fortunately traffic was moving slowly enough that I could take some quick pictures. It's so funny how dogs love doing that. It makes me wish I could put Olga in a car and drive her around so she could experience the evident joy.
And we had this happening on Wednesday evening:
That police helicopter flew loops above our neighborhood for a while, creating a tremendous racket. (At least, I assume it was the police -- it usually is in situations like this.) I never got any word about what was going on and I don't see anything in the news. At the same time, a gardener next door was using some type of noisy machine. As I said to Dave, "I'm so glad we can come home from work and enjoy the peace and quiet of our garden!"
Those seeds pods are well lit up by the sun. Japanese Maples are so lovely seen like that.
ReplyDeleteI always close all the doors if a police helicopter is circling.....whoever they are looking for might be climbing through gardens to escape!! I guess they are so noisy as they are flying lower than most would be. The maple is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe video is soothing to watch with no sound. I love the dogs that hang out car windows with their ears and tongues flapping in the wind. The red seed pods are vivid in the sun.
ReplyDeleteAs I say to R, you can't expect to live on a road with multiple traffic lanes, trams and lots of building and also expect the peace and quiet of the suburbs, and it seems even in the genteel Hampstead area.
ReplyDeleteIn our younger days in one of our houses I used to yell up at the police helicopter, They are tomatoes, which was quite untrue but from a helicopter in the early nineties, they wouldn't know what was growing in gardens.
When cars are going faster, the wind in dog's eyes can't be pleasant yet they do seem to love their heads out.
I can't remember seed pods on Japanese maples. We did have one.
I am so ready for the foliage to change color.
ReplyDeleteThe police helicopter flies over my house regularly, probably looking for Penelope, who is always up to something.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I think Japanese maples are the very best at using the light to their advantage. They can sit there looking all ordinary and then, the light shifts and they become simply splendid. Good picture.
ReplyDeleteYes, doggies do indeed love hanging their heads out of windows in moving cars. I suspect that they are enjoying the vast bouquet of smells as much as anything else.
I sure hope that the helicopter and noisy gardener have taken their leave and moved on.
Our here, low flying aircraft doing circles means a drug bust is taking place but I doubt that is the case in the suburbs of London.
ReplyDeleteThat picture reminds me of the Larson Far Side cartoon of dogs driving, all with their heads out of the window!
ReplyDeleteIn real life, some owners equip their dogs with goggles to protect their eyes, like the Red Baron!
Around here it is usually TV news people when a helicopter is circling overhead. They will be taking shots of an accident or school lockdown or fire... They sure are noisy.
ReplyDeleteYour days must fly by when you are so busy in the library!
Lots of fun with new staff and missing staff.
ReplyDeleteThat helicopter is a familiar scene around here. It's amazing how often they find the need to circle something. When I live in the house on the other side of town, there was a police helicopter circling one evening with a spot light on. I went out in the back yard to see what was going on and suddenly the loud speaker came on and someone said go back inside the house. I did as I was told!
ReplyDeleteWe see helicopters most often here during fire season. They are red and fly low, and they are very loud.
ReplyDeleteWhenever we saw a dog looking out the window like this we always say, "Hello, Puppy!"
I love seeing dogs to that -- and it's a gorgeous fall photo. Boy, I can relate to the "peace and quiet" of lawn work. Up north the neighbors on both sides have lawns and they have a service come weekly. They are so loud. One lawn doesn't even ever need it (They have the same scrubby earth we do). I'm not sure why people want to deal with that if they have an option but my pet peeve. (Somehow at my regular house, I don't mind so much, maybe because we are spaced apart a bit more.)
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend and thanks for the nice words in your comment!
I like helicopters and when I got my private pilot's license (single engine VFR) wanted to get certified on them, too. I never did. In fact, I've never even been in one! Around here, they're usually flying pipelines (for inspection) or medivacs to the big city.
ReplyDeleteone of many reasons we left the city for this small town is the helicopters. constantly every day over our inner city neighborhood. out here the Life Flight path to the medical center goes over out house but they are usually much higher than the news or police copters in the city.
ReplyDeleteMinnie loves sticking her head out the window but this summer has just been too damn hot to drive with the window down.
We've been shorthanded this week too - today there are only three of the 8 of us in the office. And I'm probably leaving early because I have an abscessed tooth & am pretty useless.
ReplyDeleteI usually try to grab pictures of dogs sticking their heads out of car windows too - they're so full of joy and/or hilarious :)
Imagine having a nose, capable of gathering scents four million time better than the one that humans have, hanging that super power out the window of a moving vehicle, getting slammed by every scent passing by! Little wonder that all dogs love doing that-what a high! Nothing can beat Japanese maple for loveliness -all seasons but autumn is its glory. Beautiful, Steve.
ReplyDeleteThat first photo is gorgeous. And your garden always looks magnificent, cops and robbers aside.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful dog! Our maples are turning too. It seems too early since the weather has been summery--but it really isn't.
ReplyDeleteGZ: They really are beautiful trees!
ReplyDeleteFrances: Well, that's a good point! I did wonder about that when I was standing out in the garden making my video. Or would they think I was the person they were chasing?
Mitchell: I have noise-cancelling headphones. I should use them in situations like that.
Andrew: I would think yelling at the police helicopter might bring unwanted attention upon you!
Bob: It's happening, slowly but surely.
Janie: That Penelope! Always up to no good!
Ms Moon: I think they like the moving air, too. It probably feels good whistling through their snout!
Ed: Could be anything. Often it's a stabbing or assault of some kind.
Boud: Ha! I remember that cartoon. I've never seen a dog with goggles but that's not a bad idea.
Ellen D: Yeah, I don't think the news people here use helicopters as much. When I'm able to read the side it usually says "POLICE."
Red: It keeps us on our toes!
Sharon: Wow! I've never had one announce anything or say anything to me. Sounds like your situation must have been a serious one, like someone dangerous was running around.
Robin: Ours SOUND low, even though they're really not.
Jeanie: I am mystified by the need for all this noisy garden equipment. What's wrong with a rake?
Kelly: I've never been in a helicopter either. I don't trust them.
Ellen: A downside of modern urban living, I suppose. I'm surprised the cities allow it. You'd think there would be rules about flying disruptive aircraft over residential areas.
Bug: Yikes! You really ARE short-staffed. Hope that tooth gets better.
Linda Sue: It does make me wonder what those dogs are experiencing!
Catalyst: Thank you!
Margaret: October is in just two weeks! It IS a beautiful dog. It had blue eyes I could see even from the sidewalk.