Sunday Morning Walk

The  Church fete yesterday went well, it didn't rain and everyone who came seemed to enjoy themselves. I  I didn't manage to take any photographs myself but my husband did,  so will post theme tomorrow maybe? 

Well its Sunday morning so its off again with the dogs in tow, or should that read with me in tow?    

The wind had dislodged the growth from the official sign post at the start of our walk, so I now knew where I was going.

I then came across this beautiful flower,  all on its own along the edge of a field.

A common scabious

It was then onward, looking all around for another glimpse of that "little owl",  it was not to be but I did come across this little fellow nestled on some cow parsley.

a ladybird

Further on we go along the road through the village and see this landmark.  I love the red telephone box, not sure its being used seeing as all of this growth is obstructing the front of the door. 

 Then it was back to our home, on the short walk back we encountered some nice flowers and a lovely view. 

A beautiful white dog rose.

A hairy poppy bud

Oilseed Rape and Poppies

Bees

Just a quick post of some pictures which I captured earlier in the week.  The bees were out and about and sitting by the window I heard there buzzing,  I went to investigate and managed to get these photographs.   There were so many bees visiting the flowers, and they were very busy indeed.

Red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria) 

Yellow Iris with bee

It's our church fete tomorrow so I am hoping for a dry spell between 2pm and 4pm.   I feel very guilty wanting this as I know that the farmers are desperate for the rain.  But whatever the weather I am hoping for a  fun day.  We have the Long Melford Silver Band visiting and I know they will be wonderful!

Roses and Memories

When I was growing up my mum used to have lots of roses in the garden and I remember the names and they always make me smile.   Ena Harkness, Iceberg, Peace, Whisky Mac, Queen Elizabeth, Blue Moon, Circus, Rosemary, Superstar and Piccadilly. 

Peace

I too now have a selection of roses,  but only managed to get Ena Harkness, Peace and Iceberg so far into my collection.  I spoke to my mum this morning and told her that my rose "Peace" had just flowered. She described the colouring of the rose perfectly and she was 200 miles away.

Ena Harkness

I don't know the name of this one, its one I inherited when I bought the house.

A white horse

White horse  – Another memory from my childhood watching television and seeing the programme  “The White Horses”,  it was dreadfully dubbed but was a major favourite of mine then and I loved listening to the music and of course singing the song. This white horse is not a "lipizzaner" but he is beautiful.
 I see him most days and he makes me smile.

One that got away? Geese, dog related things and a poppy.

Whilst out walking I had a strange feeling of being watched.   On stopping and looking around I spied a little owl looking at me on a tree stump from about five feet away.
He was amazing with the most amazing eyes. Being startled by him  I wasn't quick enough to take a photograph and he flew away.  I did shout after him "Please come back"  - silly me.

 These geese however were easy to snap!   Foraging in a local farmer's field.

Dog Rose

Dog Daisy with a little visitor (other names,  Moon Daisy or Ox-eye Daisy)

The first Poppy I have come across in the local fields.  So paper like and beautiful.

Yesterday

It mixed bag yesterday, sadness at a colleague being taken ill, a joyous walk, then enjoying art and conversation with children.

There is so much beauty all around.  Sights and sounds!   It’s so easy to take for granted the sights around us, even more neglected by us is the sounds.   All the different bird song, insects humming, lambs bleating and the background noise of trees rustling, and the wind singing.   The wonder and inquisitiveness of children’s chatter!  

A child who I was walking with spotted this small creature going about its business, oblivious to the interest it was causing.

    Amazing !

 A pair of common blue damselflies in tandem and large red damselfly.  I was a little cross with myself,  I had only had my small camera not my canon. So picture is a little grainy.  Also I had moved closer  to get a better picture of the blue ones and the red one jumped in the photograph.  Lucky me!

Taking this picture brought an Eddi Reader song to mind "Dragonflies".  Which was a little strange as I had played the song before I had left for work that day.

I think I was being followed? (half an hour later)

Sheep and Lambs

It was a lovely walk, so much to see and enjoy and the company of wonderful children. Later I was privileged to be part of a small group using clay to make imaginary animals. The imagination of children is so wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of their world and conversations. 

"Neslesommerfugl"

While I researched what this butterfly was,  I stumbled upon the Norwegian name of  the Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly. "Neslesommerfugl" which translates into English as the nettle butterfly.   I am so taken with this name that on every occasion that I see the small tortoiseshell butterfly I will annoy my family by uttering the word "Neslesommerfugl", in a poor Norwegian accent.

Behind the back door of our classroom the below thistle has burst forth.  The pink is amazing and the leaves are beautiful, however it is still a weed.  I have been reading a book at the moment called Weeds by Richard Mabey, which is fascinating.

Variegated thistle

Green and while spiky leaves

Today, this bird was spied,  I had never seen anything like it around here before and on checking out my bird book am pretty sure that it was a Common Buzzard.  It was wonderful to see and it was anything but common to me..  more majestic as it swooped off over the fields of oilseed rape.

 A bit far off,  but better than no picture at all.

Oilseed rape blooming under a sky of blue, dotted with fluffy clouds.

And lastly a photograph  of a horse which I often see on my dog walking. This one always comes over to say hello to Morganlefay.    

Alien landscapes?

I know strange title.   But on walking to the church today I noticed all these amazing bits of our world which we walk past all the time and never give a second glance, also I thought if you took them out of context, they could be "alien landscapes".

I so loved the colours on this lichen.

 The bark on the old pear tree in our garden

Out of focus and looking skywards!

Also today we had our first amount of rain for sometime and the droplets on some of the leaves twinkled like jewels and I couldn't resist taking a picture of them.  

Textures and colours on this flint wall are amazing.

Snail Shell

Today on my daily dog walk with Gunner and Morgan I spied a spiral shell of a snail.

 It was so beautiful, really standing out against the green of a leaf.  I only saw it because a gust of wind pushed the leaves aside. Such a contrast again the green lines of the leaf.

Gunner

Morganlefay

The dogs are Rhodesian Ridgebacks and I have so much fun with them both. Morgan is definitely the more lively.  They love being out and about, but when at home they are happy to just lie around and snooze. 

May Day

It has been a wonderful day so far the sun has been shining and we had special guests at our church.  The Devil's Dyke Morris Men.    They danced a 'signal dance' for us in the church and with three accordions and a fiddle they accompanied our hymns.    After the service they did several more dances outside the church in the May sunshine to a very happy group of onlookers.

The whole occasion was very joyful and it was nice to see so many people enjoying it. The monies donated on this occasion went to Headway Cambridgeshire, who are the Devil's Dyke Morris Men's chosen charity this year. 

 

There was refreshments afterwards and my best ever lemon cake was my donation, was really easy to make and very scrummy!