I was not feeling very adventurous today and didn’t feel like going far. In the circumstances, it being a sunny day and fairly warm, sitting for a while in Percy Circus seemed appealing.

Crossing Amwell Street

I took this photo as I crossed Anwell Street, heading for Great Percy Street. You can see that the sun is on the opposite side of the street from this morning’s photo and also that the pub, the George and Monkey, is doing plenty of business.

Lost shoe

Did a baby Cinderella pass this way? We often see footwear – usually single shoes, never pairs – left on railings. Shoes must be the item of children’s clothing most often lost. Why is that, I wonder? The next most common item we spot is gloves, both children’s and adults’ and again, always singly.

Approaching Percy Circus

Built 1839-40 and named after Robert Percy Smith (1770-1845), a director of the New River Company, Great Percy Street is a broad but quiet residential road. It is also on a gentle but insistent slope which means that it is pleasant to walk down but then you have to confront the hill on the way back!

Percy Circus

The Circus is too broad to photograph so I videoed it to give you an idea of what a pleasant spot it is for a built-up area.

The garden

It’s a fairly plain garden but pleasant all the same, with greenery and fine old trees and a central circular paved area with benches.

The tree in the centre

I sat on a bench and observed the tree in the centre of the garden and the paved area, a very fine tree.

The canopy

It has a well developed canopy with spreading branches. We sometimes see birds in the tree though there were none today. I’m surprised a squirrel hasn’t taken up residence in it but I couldn’t see anything resembling a drey.

Percy Circus houses

The houses of the Circus are separated from the garden by a broad roadway so there is no feeling of being overlooked or crowded by buildings.

Wind-blown seed

The breeze dropped a flying seed on my trousers. I don’t know what plant it comes from. I left it where it was: chance had brought it here and I would leave it to chance to look after it.

It was peaceful in the garden and I spent some time just sitting and absorbing the calm atmosphere. I had to make an effort to leave!

The path to Bevin Court

To return home, I took the path to Bevin Court. Despite the proximity of the “cliff of apartments”, it is pleasanter to follow the path than to walk in the street.

Flowers in he hedgerow

There are flowers in the hedge and on the verge along the path.

Tree in blossom

This tree was positively shining with white blossom.

Almost woodland

This part of the path is almost a woodland with grass and trees. In some of the trees there are boxes with openings at the bottom. This counterintuitive arrangement, we were told, indicates that they are bat boxes. We will come here one evening at dusk to see whether we can spot any bats.

Cruikshank Street

The path led me into Cruikshank Street, another pleasant residential street, where I sometimes meet the tortoiseshell cat. I was unlucky today.

From here, I was soon home where I made tea, relaxed and waited for Tigger to let me know she was on her way back from work.

Tigger went to work bright and early this morning and later sent me this photo of the sun rising over Pentonville Road.

Sun rising over Pentonville Road
Photo by Tigger

Later – much later! – I too went out though only as far as Amwell Street. Today was the day when the laundry was ready for collection and collecting it was my job.

Morning sunshine in Amwell Street

The laundry was ready and waiting and had been packed into the shopping trolley. I now proceeded to haul this uphill to home.

I was too busy with the loaded trolley to take any more photos but it is a fine day and I may well venture out again later.