The dire warnings of the weather forecasters of “100% probability” of snow once more proved false, at least for London. Not that I am disappointed by that, of course.

Sunshine in Pentonville Road

When we came to cross Pentonville Road, I took this photo to show the pale winter sunshine illuminating the buildings. More of the same, please!

Market stalls in Chapel Market

When we crossed through Chapel Market, I saw that the Farmers’ Market (not photographed) was in full swing and that the regular market was operating though with what looked like only a small selection of stalls.

I wonder how the “non-essential” stallholders are faring and whether this second lockdown will force some of them out of business. Even big companies are feeling the pinch, despite an upsurge in online buying, and closing branches. It must be even more difficult for smaller traders.

We usually go to Sainsbury’s “round the back”, through the car park, because we know that if there is a queue, we join it in Tolpuddle Road. (This branch has a bad record of late openings.) Today, a shock awaited us.

Queueing for Sainsbury’s

We are used to the queue turning the corner into Tolpuddle Road and even stretching past the bus stop but today it went much further, right into the car park!

The longest queue we have seen – so far

It extended along the wall of the store, then along in front of parked cars. Within seconds of us joining, more people took up position behind us. As Sainsbury’s now counts customers entering the store so as to avoid overcrowding (something I approve of in principle), I was worried that when the queue did start to move, we would be stopped at the door. In fact, all went well and we were counted in, like the sheep that we have become, thanks to Covid.

Busy Sainsbury’s

As was to be expected from the long queue, it was a busy scene inside Sainsbury’s. We knew what we wanted and each sped off to collect a share of the goods. This enabled us to complete the work in a short amount of time and to reach the checkouts while there were still relatively few customers. As we left, security staff dutifully counted us out!

The next port of call, as you have no doubt anticipated, was Mercer’s in Chapel Market. Tigger took charge of the shopping trolley and bag while I grabbed the cup carrier and hurried on ahead, fraying a passage, like an ice-breaker, through the crowd in the market.

On my way through the market

When I reached Mercer’s, there were already customers ahead of me and, while it is annoying to have to wait, I stifled my impatience by telling myself that it was better that they have plenty of customers as this enables them to keep on trading and staying in business to sell us our coffee!

In Mercer’s, I was amused by the music which was a song in French with the repetitive refrain “Où t’es, papa?” (“Where are you, daddy?”). In general, I find background music in shops and restaurants (not to mention films, where it often drowns out the dialogue) very irritating. I have no problem with peaceful quiet and deplore the apparently widespread addiction to noise.

One of several wagtails
Photo (clipped) by Tigger

The sad decline of the sparrow population seems to have created an empty ecological niche in towns which is gradually being filled by these little fellows, wagtails. They are very quick-moving and fun to watch with their signature wagging tails. Birds are sensitive to being stared at by humans (can you blame them?) and this one took flight on seeing that we were interested in him.

When we reached home with our coffee, we found Ari taking a nice long walk around the wall-ceiling join. As I write, she is in the diametrically opposite corner to where she started and is, like us, taking a well deserved rest!

This morning, I looked in the corner where we had found her yesterday but Ari was not there. I visually the line between wall and ceiling to the next corner, our “flood corner” deluged by our upstairs neighbour. This is also a favoured haunt of Ari.

Ari in the corner

Yes! There she is. Owing to the building’s architectural peculiarities, this corner is curved, not square. Perhaps she likes that feature.

To take the photo, I needed to illuminate the area but without using flash as Ari’s reactions show that she doesn’t like it.

Yesterday, I tried using the iPhone’s torch function with the camera but found that if I switched on the torch and then opened the camera, the torch closed down. This time I tried opening the camera first and then the torch. This worked and I was able to take the above photo. But, guess what: since I did that, neither of us has managed to run the torch and the camera at the same time! Making it work must have been some sort of fluke.

Back to “cooperative photos” (see Spider Ari reappears)!

See also Ari, the Spider.

Snow has been forecast for much of the country but in London we have rain, not heavy rain, but the slow, insistent sort. It’s cold too, at 3°C but with a “feels like” value of -1°C.

Nonetheless, we bravely set out for an admittedly short walk, calling in for coffee on the way – without that encouragement we might not have gone at all!

Pentonville Road – wet but busy

On arriving at Pentonville Road, we found it wet but busy.

Wreath – still surviving

In Claremont Square we see this wreath whenever we pass. Each time we expect it will have disappeared but it doesn’t; it continues to survive. Will it see January out and be here to welcome February?

A day for umbrellas

It’s a day for umbrellas, at least, so far. I hope it doesn’t turn into a day for snow boots.

Curvaceous Tree and companions

Do trees mind the cold weather and lack of nourishing sunshine? It’s hard to imagine how trees might feel, if they do. The bursting out of new leaves in spring certainly seems like celebration but that is probably a fantasy of my anthropomorphic soul! 🙂

Dull skies over Inglebert Street

Every scene was dull in this winter gloom. By now, my hands (for whom the air temperature certainly “felt like” freezing) were reminding me that I still need a pair of camera-friendly gloves. Research needed!

Myddelton Square garden

I peered over the railings into Myddelton Square garden. It looked soggy and – unsurprisingly – was deserted. Deserted, at least, by humans…

The pigeon colony

The square’s pigeons were in attendance and apparently finding something to eat in the muddy grass. Perhaps a fan of Rock doves aka feral pigeons has left some food for them.

Raindrops in a puddle

Rain falling into this puddle (where Tigger photographed the crow drinking – see Window boxes and a crow) describes the conditions more eloquently than my words can.

Waiting at Myddelton’s deli

As we approached the deli, we could see that there were people waiting outside. That was a bad sign if it meant that we too would have to stand and wait in the rain. It turned out that they were waiting for a customer and went away as soon as he emerged. There was a customer inside, however, and he seemed to be waiting for something. Happily, the assistant spotted us standing outside and brought us our coffee and the payment machine. Just as well that we wanted our usual order, eh? 🙂

Tigger held the coffee while I put on my gloves at her insistance, then we made a dash for home.

Hung up to dry

Reaching home, I once again had to hang my battered hat up to dry in the bathroom.

That, I think, is enough adventure for today. Now let’s wait and see whether the promised snow finally arrives…

This morning as we were having breakfast, Tigger spotted a familiar figure in a corner of the ceiling: Ari has reappeared!

Ari reappears

It’s almost two weeks since Ari (short for Ariadne or, alternatively ‘Arry – we don’t know his/her gender) was last seen. We began to think she had moved on but, no, here she is, in her characteristic “Pilates” pose.

Knowing that the flash disturbs her, we took one of our “cooperative photos”: I illuminated the scene with my iPhone’s flashlight function while Tigger took the photo. Ari seems to accept the flashlight but even so, we use it sparingly.

As this is my sixth post about Ari, I have collected all of the posts together in a compendium version, and will add any future Ari posts to it. Here is the link: Ari, the Spider.

Later…

Ari relaxes

Pilates finished, Ari relaxes. How long will she stay with us this time?

Tigger is at work today, as I explained yesterday, and so I must make shift to amuse myself. As I hadn’t been to Wilmington Square for a while, I chose that as my destination.

Looking down Great Percy Street

The weather was composed of “sunny intervals”, moments when the cloud cover parted briefly to let the sun shine through.

View of Bevin Court

From Great Percy Street you can see along Holford Street to Bevin Court where we walked a few days ago (see Cold walk to Riceyman Steps). In summer when the trees are in leaf, this view would be veiled.

Cumberland Gardens

I chose the “scenic route”, rather than the most direct. From Great Percy Street, I entered Cumberland Gardens which comprises a short cul de sac and then a footpath through to Wharton Street.

Once the Percy Arms pub

On the corner of Cumberland Gardens with Great Percy Street is this mid-Victorian, and now Grade II listed, building that was the Percy Arms pub. It has been converted to residential use.

Cumberland Gardens footpath

This must be quite a pleasant place in which to live, I imagine. The houses on the left look out over the back gardens of houses in Wharton Street and are insulated from streets with traffic. It might be awkward finding somewhere to park your car, though.

The path with no name

After passing through Lloyd Square (whose well-kept central garden is one of the few that are still private to residents), we reach this path which, as far as I know, has no name.

St Helena Garden

The path runs through a garden, narrow on one side and more commodious on the other, shown in the photo. It is maintained by the Amwell Society. Why is it called the St Helena Garden? Are they perhaps fans of Napoleon? No, St Helena Street is at the other end of the path and the garden gate is situated there.

Wilmington Square garden

A short walk further brought me to Wilmington Square and its central garden. In view of the mild weather (9°C), I was not surprised to see several people sitting in the garden, though all were nicely spaced among the benches.

Wilmington Square pigeons

As is usual in the borough’s parks and gardens, Wilmington Square has its resident pigeon colony. Someone must have put food out because they were busy eating. Later, something spooked them and the whole flock flew up into the trees in a coordinated movement. Unfortunately, I missed it as it would have made a good photo (if you like pigeons, that is 🙂 ).

Rain puddles

Puddles like this one show how much it has rained lately. I was fortunate to have a dry spell for my walk.

Commemorative drinking fountain

This Victorian drinking fountain no longer functions, of course, and looks in rather bad condition. When I saw it ten years ago, the inscription was already illegible but the stonework was at least clean. In the interval, it has been to allowed to become dirty and coated with greenery.

One thing that was plentiful in the garden (apart from pigeons) is squirrels. There were quite a few, actively seeking food in the grass and all looking very healthy. A possible reason for that was suggested by this little fellow.

Hopeful squirrel

I was trying to photograph a squirrel and this one, instead of running away, as they usually do, actually ran up to me! Probably because I was standing still and looking at him, he was hoping that I had food for him. I admit that I felt guilty for not giving him anything!

“Unofficial path”

I was hoping to leave the garden on the side opposite where I came in but all I could find was this muddy track leading to a gap in the railings. Apart from being muddy, it looked slippery and I preferred not to take chances.

Footpath north perimeter

I left where I came in and wanted to go to the other side of the garden to start for home. The north perimeter of the garden is not a roadway as is normally the case, but this rather charming footpath. There are stories about why a road was not built but I think they are probably urban myths. I don’t know what the reason is.

Steps at the end of the path

The ground slopes and so when you reach the end of the path, which has remained level, you need to go down steps to reach the street.

Pink car

WhenI reached terra firma, I looked across and saw this pink car. Very unusual.

Crossing Amwell Street

The return journey revealed nothing to stir my interest and so I took no more photos until I was crossing Anwell Street.

Busy Pentonville Road

I also took this photo of Pentonville Road because it struck me how busy it is these days, not only at rush hour, but throughout the day. This is quite different from how things were during the first lockdown when the roads were quiet, with only the occasional vehicle driving past. Perhaps the busy roads are a hopeful sign and we should be glad. We could certainly do with some hope!