Watercress bed - I passed one this morning sporting a huge fleecy duvet. Winter really must be on its way.

As I travel down the hill of the Alresford bypass on my weary way to work in the mornings, especially at this time of year in the autumn sun, there is a glorious view of Hampshire hills, made even more atmospheric by a distant plume of steam generated by a steam train making its magnificent progress along the Watercress Line. R F Delderfield's work comes to mind when I survey the scene and I wonder whether life really was gentler in the heyday of steam trains.

Having shed a silent tear listening to the Remembrance Day ceremony on the radio yesterday, I suppose the unremitting dreadfulness of war poisoned everything then, and although we are rather more removed from the current bloodshed being caused, I cannot deny that when I heard that Tony Blair had the effrontery to be at the proceedings, being responsible as he is for the current hell created in Iraq, and no doubt shedding a crocodile tear or two for added sincerity, I felt pretty sick. I wonder what he was thinking about during the two minutes' silence? Probably the text for his next celebrity after-dinner speech.

Anyhow, steam trains are just fantastic, majestic and awe-inspiring things, in my humble opinion.

Also, if you ever get the chance to visit the SS Great Britain in Bristol, that's pretty awe-inspiring too.

My next will be an altogether lighter confection I promise, unless it's the recipe for heavy cake of course (see previous posts).