Ramblings from an English Garden: April 2016

Friday, 29 April 2016

A Walk in Duck Wood

Decided on a walk in Duck Wood this afternoon - just 12 minutes drive away. It's Bluebell time but they had bloomed for a while so were beginning to 'go over'.

Duck Wood is just part of an ancient group of woods dating back to The Middle Ages

This group of woodlands also includes wild flower meadows which are worth a visit in the Summer months

The reason that there are so many extremely old trees that have been well managed and coppiced

The woods are managed to attract wild life

and rare flowers - I need to find out what this pretty white and pale yellow flower is

there are quite a number of dew ponds

then, we were strolling along this path when we heard thunder overhead, so rushed back to the car and within a couple of minutes this was the scene!

snow and hail stones - back at home 10 minutes later the sky was blue and the sun was shining!

Monday, 25 April 2016

I Have Not Dropped Off The Face of the Earth!

I am still here but realise that another month has gone by since my last post.

All sorts of reasons.

The inertia of dealing with some difficult life situations. I am not ill and my family are fine (in case you are wondering). Of course as each year passes I am aware that I do not have the energy that I once had which I find difficult to accept.
Decorating has been on the menu too and that's not finished!

We have had, and are continuing to have, so much rain this Winter/Spring with garden flooding which has slowed down the re-modelling of the garden, but I am still in the process of cutting back, digging out (husband and son helping with the latter) in order to make the garden more manageable for the future.

There will be more mowing of course with all the extra turfing.

I am actually enjoying the more open space and was not sure that I would after having so many beds in the garden.

I have continued to have computer problems but am now, from last week, the owner of a new desktop model. My Laptop (which I really don't need these days with an i-pad and smart phone) has just about given up the ghost.

The Grandchildren are growing up - Rebekah has just turned 7 and had an interesting birthday party. They had just returned from holiday the night before and Bekah had to go to her Gymnastics class in the afternoon so my daughter Jane decided on a theme that would be fun and keep the children occupied.

After a disco time, they prepared their own party food!