Gunby Hall Gardens (NT)
Bolingbroke Castle at Old Bolingbroke, The remains of the castle include part of the moat. It was a hexagonal castle, built in the 13th century.
Walking - Reading - Home - Garden - Countryside - Places of Interest - History - Cats - Photography
The grass in the parts of the garden we are leaving unmown is getting quite tall.
It was interesting to see how many different varieties there were.
We found Rye Grass, Oatgrass, Yorkshire fog, wavy hair grass, agrostis, fox tail, cat's tail and common oat grass.
Yesterday we took a short walk in the meadow at RSPB Coombes Valley. The sun was warm on our backs, the birds sang as we made our way along the designated path. Little black moths flittered around the grasses and bees were buzzing around the flowers. It was a delightful half an hour.
Dipping my toes in the water of blogging again. My breathing seems to be getting slightly better after a down turn last week. The daily blood thinning injections seem finally to have begun clearing the blood clots in my lungs. It has seemed a struggle at times but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I've been reading and enjoying your blog posts which have taken me to many wonderful places including Herefordshire, the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Skye as well as many other places of interest. You will no doubt recognise yourself from these places. I've also seen inside some lovely gardens too.
Our garden here has been a Godsend whilst I've been unable to travel far. I've added some photos of flowers below. I will get back to commenting on your blogs again very soon.
Unfortunately there are a couple of blogs I still can't leave a comment on. I've no idea why.
All for now. Take Care.
I've just got home from five days in hospital. Still feeling very fragile so I won't be blogging for a while. I'm reading your posts but forgive me for not making comments for a while too. I hope to be back as soon as I can.
Meanwhile here is a collage of photos taken in the garden over a week ago. Of course by the time I got home all had changed.
It seems ages since I wrote a post. I've been around and about not going far until I feel better. I've been trying to walk more throughout this week and whilst out and about on Friday I bought a step tracker. Not an expensive one but it does link to a device so I can see progress.
Whilst out walking last Sunday across nearby Fenton Fields. We heard Skylarks and then, joy of joys, I heard a sound from my childhood, the call of a Cuckoo. We stood still and listened and heard it again. Just two calls. I was used to hearing them over the village woods, where, as children, we played on the stone walls of the old sheep dip by the brook and scared ourselves into screams and giggles by peering in the cobwebby windows of the old, derelict gamekeeper's cottage. By the 1950s the gamekeeper had taken up residence in the old station house as the local line had closed, way before the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, and the tunnel had been filled in for safety reasons. I seemed to have drifted a little.
On Saturday we walked in Biddulph Grange Gardens (National Trust). On Thursday we walked in Hem Heath Woods (Staffordshire Wildlife Trust) to see if there were bluebells and on Friday we walked at Tittesworth Reservoir (Severn-Trent Water).
Below are some photos of things that caught my eye.
Cat, tulips and blossom at Biddulph Grange Gardens.
At Tittesworth Reservoir we spotted some lovely wildlife. We walked down to the stream with views of The Roaches. Later we crossed the road and visited one of the bird hides, it was new and empty so we had it to ourselves for quite some time.