Watching Things Grow

 

Friday was a nice summery day (no rain, and not too hot either), and in the afternoon I went to check on a park down by the river where I know they're making some changes. So far it seems they've pretty much just planted a couple of new young trees + are changing the route of the paths to create a larger "free" lawn in the middle. If for any special purpose, I'm not sure... Maybe it will become clearer with time!

No new flowerbeds so far, but there are some wildflowers here and there on the slopes. (I know since a number of years back now they are letting "weeds" grow on purpose in certain areas around town - instead of cutting the grass - for the sake of bees and other insects.)

At home I was able to sit for a while on my balcony, under my parasols, and facing my "green corner". I'm quite pleased so far with that 'screen' (with the false leaves) that I bought.

 

Watching my cherry tomatoes grow...

And wondering why these two coleus plants (both of the same origin) have made different choices when it comes to small vs big leaves...

Maple Tree and Daffodils

Some more photos from my walk on Saturday. After I had been to check on the cherry blossom trees, I took a little detour to check on another park nearby.

The big tree is not an oak but a maple.

 

Some daffodils in bloom - but looking a bit "downcast" from the capricious weather.

A park area with big lawns down by the river used to have flowerbeds of daffodils and tulips in spring, but those parts of the park are obviously under re-construction just now, so I didn't bother going down there this time...

No real change in the cold weather since the weekend. Less windy today, but raining...

White Open Spaces

Today I woke up to a new layer of freshly fallen snow, combined with even colder temperature, but also sunshine. I went out for a walk around noon, to get the most of the light; and (after having fed the nearest letterbox with another pack of Christmas cards) decided to go in search of "white open spaces" (which means walking in the opposite direction than when going into town).

 

In summer, this is my "butterfly park".
In snowy winter, other things to attract the camera...

 

A few blocks away, and across a busy road,
there is another park area down by the river:

 

 

Finishing off with the football field close to home: 

Keep Walkin' ...

After my long walk on Monday, I half suspected I might end up with lingering muscle soreness the next day. But I didn't, and it was another lovely autumn day, so I decided on another walk. Two months ago, I blogged about a walk downhill through a park that I haven't visited very often in later years; and one fellow blogger commented that "if I were you, I would go back in a couple of months to see it in all its glorious autumn colours". I said I'd keep that in mind - and I did! ;) It turned out maybe a little bit too early for the full autumn glory, but on the other hand, one never knows how many more fine days there will be.

This time, I decided to go uphill through the park rather than downhill; and on the way there, it seemed fitting to also say hello to the big Pinocchio sculpture in the collage above - whose official name is Walking to Borås. He's been standing there since 2008, and he was the really the start to building our reputation as a City of Art! 

The park is on the hill behind him, across a big road.

Having crossed that road, the climb upward begins...

Orchard with a big insect hotel.

Close-up of the insect hotel from my previous visit.
 

 I love autumn light...

Stairs leading up to the next level.

And even more to the next...

 

Still some roses left in the rose garden

There's a motorway running below one side of the park; which alas means quite a lot of traffic noise along that path.

Entering the woodland parts, I spotted some mushrooms on the ground. Don't know what kind!

The woodland part of the park turned out to still be quite green; and not showing as many autumn colours yet as I was hoping for.

It was also rather dark in among those trees. So I ended up leaving the woodland park, and went to explore some nearby street views instead. I'll save those for another post. 

But later, on may way back home, I caught some more views looking back up at the hill. I'll finish off this post with those:

A Park, and an Unusual Hotel

Walking back home on Saturday (after my visit to the library and art museum), I decided to take a little detour to a park on the same hill. Just along the lower part of it and down, this time - as that was in the right direction for me. It's one I don't visit all that often, as it's out of the way from where I normally go.

This is where I entered the park.

Looking uphill towards the wilder woodland part of the park.

To my surprise, I found some wild blackberries growing near one path.
 

Parkway leading down.

The lower part of the hill, beneath the woodland, is divided into terraces, with different kinds of gardens and plantations. It's hard to take photos that do the layout justice, as you only see one level at a time.

On one of the lower terraces, I found this "insect hotel", which is certainly the largest of its kind that I've ever seen. (Those that I've seen here and there in other parks and cemeteries have been more like the size of small bird-boxes, but flatter.)
 

Having come down from the park, one has to cross a busy main road through the city. A block or two further down, there is this mural on one of the buildings on a back street. It's not new, but it's one of those I don't pass very often.

Now we're back "downtown"... (I'll be turning left, away from there, though... 20 more minutes or so to walk before I'm back home.)