Short Story of the Month, November 2023

We didn't set out to unveil a ghost story for Halloween, one simply - now what is the word? - materialised. Or did it? You can decide for yourself and see what happens when a bow wave of that bittersweet feeling of "good friend doing very well for herself while I languish" coincides with an invitation to Venice. (Ed.)

The Willesden Herald Story of the Month

November 2023: The House on the Rio de San Polo by Georgia Hilton

"...And he set off through the airport concourse with long strides, while Sylvie and I scurried behind him, like two country mice on our first excursion to the big city. 

At the dock, we could see the long queues of tourists waiting for a vaporetto. The water was inky black, and nothing was visible out in the lagoon except for bobbing lights in the distance. A mineral smell rose up out of the dark water. Engine noises were some way off. ..."

Georgia Hilton

Georgia Hilton is a poet and fiction writer originally from Limerick, Ireland, now living in Hampshire. Her short fiction has been published by Lunate Fiction, Fictive Dream, Acid Bath Publishing, and for National Flash Fiction Day. Georgia has two books of poetry both published by Dempsey and Windle (2018, 2020), and is also co-author of a poetry anthology published by Nine Pens Press (2022). She lives with her husband and three children and can be found on X/Twitter @GGeorgiahilton.

"What doesn't kill you..."

Unidentified wildflower - can you?

Spotted near Sudbury Hill, Harrow (18/10/2023)

The single flower is small but not tiny with four petals and inner layer of petals emerging. The petals are magenta with darker stripes a bit like Common Mallow and the leaves are oblong densely veined and with finely jagged edges. So far the Plantnet app and RHS online have failed to match this plant with any other. [It must be rare, no? Ed.]

Update

The same plant two days later (20/10/2023)

The flower has opened out and looks a bit different. Thanks to Anonymous for the comment below, which seems to have solved the mystery. Quote: "It looks like an Annual Clary (also known as Red Topped Sage) to me. Usually found around the Mediterranean and not Willesden Green." Of all our millions of readers, Anonymous was the first to come up with a sage answer to the query. [Ed.]

Strawberries ripening in October

Ripe strawberry seen growing in Harrow, October 10th, 2023

This is the ripe strawberry from the previous photo, now in hand.

The temperatures in London this week are 10 degrees above average, more in keeping with July than October. They are up to the mid-twenties Celsius. (Ref. BBC Weather)

The Rising Sun (Greenford Road) destroyed by fire

The scene today after yesterday's fire that destroyed the Rising Sun inn

Usually very busy Greenford Road has been closed in both directions at the junction with South Vale outside the old Rising Sun, since a fire at the inn yesterday. The roof has been completely destroyed. As well as police manning the road closures, gas and electricity workers are working around the site. There was still no direct vehicular access from Harrow Road to Greenford Road or vice-versa as of 2pm, Tuesday, October 10.

The Rising Sun consisted of a hotel, bar and Sri Lankan restaurant. Careful renovations were made in recent months to the oriel window, which can be seen in the picture (above) in the middle above the entrance. 

The Rising Sun inn has been there in one form or another since 1874 according to Pub History, which lists previous owners and dates. Not to be confused with our journal's former Willesden haunt, The Rising Sun on Harlesden Road NW10, a former coaching inn, which dates from 1871.

The view from South Vale