Wildflowers

 The Wildflower meadows at Trentham are looking wonderful at the moment.

These pollinator friendly displays are by Pictorial Meadows and were originally designed by Professor Nigel Dunnett from the University of Sheffield.

It was a joy to walk amongst them.  They sparkled in the weak sunshine after the gentle rain earlier this morning.

Bees and butterflies hovered everywhere.

Mostly large whites and wood browns.  It was lovely to see the butterflies as we haven't seen many this year.

We also spotted a Skipper.  Is it a small Skipper?  I wonder as there are several different ones.

What a lovely first step into the month of July.

Spring Flowers and Snoopy

Spring has arrived at Trentham Gardens.  It was a joy to walk in the sunshine earlier this week even though there was a sharp breeze to start with the morning warmed quickly.

It was certainly a back to a warm coat and gloves day.

Perseus with the head of Medusa a copy of the original 16th century sculpture by Benvenuto Cellini made for the second Duke of Sutherland, the owner of Trentham Hall and estate in 1840.

There were some lovely displays of Spring flowers.

As well as Spring, Snoopy has arrived for a visit, he and his little friends are in the shop windows.

And in the gardens

It was fun searching for them all.  I've added photos of those we were able to take images of with no people around. 

 As you can imagine the Snoopy trail was very popular with families.

Peanuts by Charles Shultz was (still is) one of my two favourite cartoon strips, the other being The Perishers by Maurice Dodd and Dennis Collins which I remember from our daily newspaper in the 1950s and 60s.

Some of Snoopy's little friends.  I've put Peppermint Pattie in the centre as she is my favourite of the children characters.

I hope everyone has a peaceful Easter weekend.

Into July

 Moving gently into July with a few photos of the wildflower beds at Trentham Gardens.

After getting my blood tested at a local clinic ready for my hospital appointment later this week we popped into the gardens for a coffee and a walk around.  The wildflowers are looking wonderful at the moment.  

I'm hoping that the dosage of medication I am taking can be reduced if the results of the blood test are better.  I was diagnosed with PV (Polycythemia Vera) in August last year,  I know I have to take the medication indefinitely but I would like to taker fewer of them if possible.  

A dear friend of our who has pulmonary fibrosis  says he has become a half day person over the last few years and sometimes I feel the same.  Fatigue overtakes me in the afternoons especially in the hot weather.

Anyway, time to get moving as I have that appointment this morning.  We need to leave earlier than normal to allow for road works and also finding parking at the hospital which is usually quite stressful. All for now.

Willow Wildlife Trail

 For half term at Trentham Gardens there is a new Willow Wildlife trail on the East Lakeside path.  All are creatures found in and around the gardens and wider estate.

Each willow woven sculpture has an information panel about the animal or insect depicted.  There are also willow weaving sessions in the education tipi at certain times.

Deer

Butterfly

Beaver

Mole

Rabbit

Otter

Bee

Owl

It was actually Valentines Day when we visited and there were lots of signs dotted around the shopping village.  I've made a collage out of a few of them.

It was my next door neighbour's funeral yesterday.  In a small chapel we were met by the celebrant a gentle voiced Scot with pretty pink hair.  The coffin arrived to The Rose by Bette Midler and left to Always Look on the Bright side of Life by the Monty Python team.  So very typical, she will be missed.

Today the wind howls around the house, the wheelie bins have been overturned and the rain has never stopped.  I hope tomorrow is better as we both yearn to get out for a long walk.

Have a good weekend.

Reflections

 The light was so beautiful around the lake at Trentham yesterday.

It's been a week for reflections as we entered the second week of January.  We started the New Year with a funeral and now there will be another.  Our neighbour who had suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for many years had been bed bound for the last year and in and out of hospital.  She lost her partner of many years to Motor Neurone Disease in February 2020, just before the first lock down.  On Christmas Eve she was taken into hospital with Flu and another infection I think they said Sepsis.  Anyway, she lived through all that until last Thursday evening.  Her brother rang us on Friday morning with the news.  We had been looking after her cat and dog whilst she was in hospital.  Both animals have now found homes, not with us as we didn't want to take on any more animals at our age.  The cat is just a few houses down the road so we will see her around. The little dog has gone to a young couple who already have a pomeranian, I'm sure he will be happy in his new home.

We will have to wait and see what new neighbours will move in when the house is sold.  We have been so lucky to have wonderful neighbours on both sides over the last twenty eight years, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it may continue.

I've also been delving into the 1921 census now it is free on Ancestry.  I've been looking for siblings of my grandparents and found quite a few of them.  I later followed up on a link and found two very sad stories in the Hodgetts family.  My paternal great grandmother was a Hodgetts. I found her brother's  death due to a pit roof collapsing and the marriage of his daughter followed a year later by her death, probably in childbirth and the deaths of the twin boys within days of each other. 

Oh dear this post has got a bit maudlin.  

Here is a photo of a female pheasant taken as we walked around the lake yesterday.  There are three of them and they can usually be spotted in the trees between the lakeside walk and the monkey park.

I have registered to participate in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch again this year.  Goodness knows how many years we have been doing this but it always something to look forward to.  We've had some different bird visitors to the garden during the cold and icy weather including Siskins and Long-Tailed Tits.  There have also been Starlings about again.

All for now.  Take care. 

A Definite Autumnal Feel

There is a definite feeling of Autumn in the air.  Chillier mornings, quickly darkening evenings, gorgeous skies, brisk winds tossing and turning fallen leaves, trees turning gold and bronze.

We walked in Trentham Gardens on Wednesday, as we set out around the lake there was damp in the air.  It took a while to clear and then the sun appeared for what seemed like the first time in ages.

The walk was mostly fungi spotting which is always a fun and interesting thing to do.

I'm not sure what they all are but I know that the red ones are Fly Agaric toadstools and the round ones are puff balls.  In the bottom photo the fungi looks a bit like poached eggs.

 

I recently received a most wonderful gift.  A dear friend often sends me links to the Guardian Country Diary, especially if the notes are about places we know or animals and birds we love.  They are always a joy to read.

 

A couple of days ago there was a knock at the door and the postwoman stood there with a parcel for me.  It was quite funny as the pharmacy delivery man was standing at the side of her with medication so two parcels together. One parcel far more appealing than the other.

 

Inside was a recently published book of the best of the Guardian's  Country Diary from 2018 to 2024.  It has an introduction by the wonderful Ian McMillan.  How to read  the book?  From beginning to end? Dip in? Or read with the seasons?  I decided on the latter and so my bookmark is in October.  Thank you, both of you, for you kindness.

 

The sun is out this morning highlighting the fact that windows need cleaning but at least I'll be able to put the towels outside to dry.