Margaret’s blue rose has bloomed for the last time this season. High at the top of the bush, overlooking the surrounding late-blooming dahlias. Many other later blooming flowers dazzling to the eye have made an appearance around the borders and the garden is looking splendid as autumn approaches.
We also have a last rose on Margaret’s Bart’s Hospital Nurses league anniversary commemoration rose bush. Finally another rose bush with five salmon-coloured roses is looking beautiful.
I think this is a late burst of energy after the long early summer drought.
Stepping out of the car park, Margaret and I immediately joined the stream of pedestrian traffic along the busy road fronting Felbrigg Hall. The air was cool and crisp, filled with the constant drone of passing cars and a chaotic soundtrack of excited yips, jangling lead tags, and happy, snuffling pants. It seemed as though every family had brought their companion, creating a lively, shifting mosaic of hundreds of different types and breeds. We saw everything from tiny terriers straining at the leash to massive, lumbering hounds, all sniffing the grass verges with intense dedication. We followed the main road for a long distance before turning onto a pathway that led us past the main entrance of the hall and back towards the ‘Butler’s Pantry’—the National Trust café, evocatively named.
I left Margaret nestled in the welcoming warmth of the café, recovering from her initial walk with a cheese scone and a pot of tea. The air inside was heavy with the comforting aroma of hot tea and savoury cheese scones, while she settled in to read her online book on her mobile phone. With her content, I headed out to complete the rest of my planned circuit.
I started along the winding road towards the far entrance. The light was incredible, illuminating the trees which were ablaze in shades of fiery orange and deep russet. I stopped several times, kneeling to capture the sheer visual brilliance of the autumn leaves, which lay in thick, crunchy drifts underfoot. I continued along the way and several dog walkers passed by, including a couple of Labradors, a Spaniel, and a Cavapoo, to name but three.
The birdlife here was everywhere, a constant presence. Overhead, the raucous crowds of corvids dominated the air; I saw hundreds of wood pigeons and blackbirds darting between the trees and shrubs. Beneath the massive beech trees, where tons of brown and yellow leaves lay shed, the colourful fronds of ferns and bracken lined the roadside verge.
Just opposite the main hall, the shadows were beginning to lengthen as the sun dipped low. The black cows, massive and serene, continued grazing placidly in the deepening twilight, their shapes starting to merge with the darkening grass. High above the pasture, the true activity was beginning: hundreds of rooks were settling into their evening roost in the highest branches. Their collective, loud cawing was less excited now, turning into a rough, rhythmic clamour—a final, conversational argument before the quiet of the night descended upon the grounds.
Finally, I made my way back to the Butler’s Pantry to meet Margaret.
I walked for 2.34 miles in 51 minutes.Google Fit awarded me 20 heart points.
When I left the house, the powerful wind was cutting through the woollen scarf I was wearing, freezing my earlobes. The current temperature here is 4°C, but the wind chill makes it feel like -2°C. I carried an umbrella, as there was a 90% chance of rain here today. I walked along Foxy Lane, where the strong wind was whistling through the evergreen pine trees. The fronds of the longer grass underneath the trees were being swept over by the force of the gusty wind. I entered the recreation ground and quickly began to walk along the outskirts. A solitary crow flew up over the hedge, complaining loudly with a guttural, rasping croak when I drew near. I left the recreation ground and began walking around the cemetery pathways. A single wood pigeon was perched in the centre of a leafless tree growing in the hedgerow adjoining the playing field. I couldn’t help thinking how invisible this bird would be when the foliage is on the trees. I noticed the red crab-apple-type fruit on a couple of the trees had almost disappeared—obviously the work of hungry birds during the recent snowy days. I admired the early snowdrops as I left the cemetery and began to walk along the road past the allotment site. A male blackbird was turning the fallen leaves over on the borders, searching for food. A sparrow speedily flew across the road and the blackbird disappeared under a shrub. The cold, powerful wind was blowing strongly as I walked past the leisure centre and the cricket pavilion. I passed a man walking a black Labrador as I walked towards Foxy Lane. I noticed a medium-sized Camellia shrub growing in a garden, full of strong flower buds ready to burst into flower when spring arrives. The garden next door was somewhat uncared for, and I was not surprised to notice a few tiny common daisies in flower. There was also a fine specimen of ling growing out of control in a corner. Today I walked for 1.5 miles in 30 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 25 heart points.
I find it incredible how hard it can be to use a valuable period of free time. Today, it has been raining practically non-stop. I have several online books to read and finish. I read a couple of chapters of one book, then moved on to playing a few games of bridge against a robot player. I then decided to catch up on a couple of online games of chess. I am now spending time writing, with some welcome sociable interjections from Margaret, who has just completed her regular daily selection of online word games and puzzles. All this is certainly going a long way to keep both our brains active and keep mental deterioration, such as dementia, at bay. Rather than allowing the dreary weather to slow us down, we decided to tackle a roster of mental tasks designed to keep us sharp and active, making the most of every unexpected hour!
Hi to all my readers and followers. It’s been a long time since I have managed to post anything on this blog due to unforeseen circumstances piling up. For those followers who don’t know and for anyone who happens to stumble across this blog, my name is John. I’m retired and consequently my pride and joy and my main interest is my garden. Springtime is almost over but I thought it may be interesting to discuss the amazing array of spring flowers that have bloomed and continue to bloom in the garden.
The first flowers to appear in my garden are the pearl drop petals of the snowdrops
Snowdrops are incredibly hardy and easy to grow. They spread like wildfire and they’re incredibly easy to divide and transplant but they should be transplanted in the green after the flowers have died.
Next to arrive are the primroses and crocuses, both colourful little gems that brighten up the borders enormously.
Swiftly following the pansies and then the hosts of golden daffodils that certainly trumpet the arrival of spring. Both of these varieties of spring flowers spread rapidly and are incredibly easy to take care of. They do welcome some extra nourishment in the form of plant food to get a longer flowering season.
We are now in the middle of April and my garden has some spectacular tulips and the welcome arrival of some yellow wallflowers. Anemones and forget-me-nots are also flowering profusely.
Possibly the jewel in the crown of my spring garden at present is a beautiful scarlet potted azalea.
I intend to continue sharing some interesting posts on this blog in future so please come back soon and check things out.
Hereditary roots are important to some, as they frantically haunt online heritage sites avidly searching for people with the slightest tenuous link to a version of their family name. Seeking perhaps, long lost connections to the aristocratic families of the distant past. An obvious linkage to a wealthy forgotten branch of their family with the chances of a long lost inheritance.
Personally I prefer to forget the past and let sleeping dogs remain fast asleep in the pages of tenuous rumour and mystery. I certainly understand the view and outlook of my imaginary friend Henry in this poem.
My photograph shows some of the remaining blooms on our Camelia shrub in the foreground. This has been a wonderful year for this shrub, with a dazzling, continuous array of beautiful blooms. It is unusual to see blooms remaining on the branches at this time of the year. In the background, looking exquisite, is one of our two Tree Peony shrubs. These are in flower a little later than usual but happily just as brilliant and luxurious as ever. Fronted by some Forget-me-nots and bright yellow Wallflowers.
I was busy mowing our lawn this afternoon and I was privileged to have this chirpy little Robin as a companion.
PROMPT ~ Landscape When you gaze out your window — real or figurative — do you see the forest first, or the trees?
Rainbow Lorikeets
AUSTRALIAN RAINFOREST BIRDS
by John Yeo
I always look beyond the fringe of trees at the edge of the forest and imagine the birdlife living and existing within. Some of my favourite early morning walks within a forest have been during our visits to our family in Australia. I would take a small video camera and wander around the trails, overawed with the colourful variety of the native bird life.
My walk in the forest this morning was interesting and rewarding. My first encounter was with one of my old friends, a Brush Turkey.
I came across this turkey walking straight towards me along the track, I got a wonderful close-up photograph of him, until he saw me and ran off into the forest. Then as I got to a bridge over a little brook near the main road, I spotted an Ibis and an unusual Heron type wading bird fishing in the brook beneath the bridge at the same time.
I took a good photo of the wader and I should be able to research and identify this bird later. Easily the highlight of my walk came next, when there was a chorus of very loud screeching from a flock of five or six Sulphur Crested Cockatoos that landed on some tall Eucalyptus and Paperbark Tea trees high above where I was standing.
I was able to stand and get some very good pictures of this wonderful sight. A sight that will live in my memory and I will relive over and over again when we get back home to England, through these photographs. The panorama of bird life on display today was not complete even then, as I encountered a pair of Kookaburras high up in the tree canopy and I got some very good photographs of the pair of them together.
I wrote the above poem in a way that illustrates the dangers of spending money that hasn’t actually arrived. The elation at the success of winning could lead to some unfortunate decisions. The unfortunate person who forgot to invest in the winning ticket is obviously in dire straits with the family.
Yet although I’m sure winning a massive amount of money would be welcome, I can’t help thinking this sort of success can often be something of a double-edged sword.
Success will always be a difficult concept to recognise and to write about. Anyone’s first thoughts about suddenly winning 13 million pounds on the lottery, would obviously be extreme delight and excitement. However on reflection a massive sum such as this carries many hidden disadvantages, not the least being the sudden, certain, changes of lifestyle.
Obviously the members of the family would be the most uncomplicated beneficiaries. The mere fact of the initial delight of receiving what would be a reasonable sum would certainly lead to an easing of life’s pressures. Then, human nature, being as egotistical as it certainly is, would throw up all manner of complicated psychological reasons on the way the spreading of the winners good fortune could have been done differently.
The main problems would surely arrive, with the certain lifestyle changes for the winners that would arrive the minute the cheque is cashed and the money becomes available. The sheer danger of the ability to indulge in everything in excess would be incredibly stressful.
However the positive aspects of a large win would certainly outweigh the negative aspects. All I can say is keep buying the ticket, as you can’t win without the investment of the entrance fee.
This is a response to a prompt provided by WordPress
PROMPT TIDE
THE TIDE OF TIME
by John Yeo
The tide of life had flowed for quite a number of years before this particular birthday arrived. The circumstances were definitely weighted against it being an overwhelming experience. We were still securely locked-down, sheltering from the dangers of catching the dreaded Covid virus. Most restaurants were closed to diners eating-in and holidays were certainly out of the question due to worldwide restrictions on entry to most ports of call around the world. In the past we have been able to book a short term break in our favourite little bolt hole here in the U.K., not far from home, where we were able to celebrate with catering provided and some entertainment.
Firstly, I had to solve the problem of purchasing a greeting card without exposing myself to the possibility of contracting this abominable virus. I decided to buy an online card and I proceeded to put together a great card using a couple of photographs together with one of my poems. Whilst I was on this useful site, I discovered that the firm also delivers flowers and I added a bunch of thirty stems of beautiful roses. I then postponed this delivery until three days before the upcoming birthday.
The card and the flowers arrived on the prearranged day and the flowers were spectacularly beautiful. These were placed into a couple of vases straight away and the card was checked and prematurely displayed.
I had dreamed up several ideas for the actual birthday celebration. I put together an online greeting card and displayed it on both of our timelines on social media in the early hours., I woke early and served tea and toasted homemade bread to the birthday celebrant while I was tunelessly singing, ‘Happy Birthday to You,’ Several early birthday cards had arrived and these were quickly opened to the accompaniment of surprise and murmurs of appreciation.
I planned to order a delivery of an Indian/Asian meal and we had a lot of fun choosing our selection of dishes from the online menu of our local restaurant and we plan to indulge in a slap up meal this evening.
The final strand to this unusual birthday present will be a shopping voucher or cash to be spent in the near future when the pandemic restrictions are removed.
