A Few things from the last week

 In the garden Spring is in the air.

The Amelanchier just outside the conservatory window was full of blossom, although the winds of the last few days have started to blow petals all over the plants below.  They drift around like little snowflakes.

The Bridal Wreath (Spirea) is also covered in blossom, not as much as in previous years.  

Our night time visitors are still around.  Arriving at dusk, they are easily spotted.  I love the way they feel safe enough to sit for a while before moving on.

Mr Badger (Paul's photo)

and the two foxes (Paul's photo)   I wonder if they have cubs this year?  I hope so.

Earlier in the week we visited the Derbyshire town of Belper.  We were there to catch up with two of my relatives, who both live in the town.  One, who is now a sprightly 89, is the daughter of my grandmother's youngest brother.  The other is the granddaughter of my grandmother's sister.  We exchanged family news and had a lovely meal at a place called Denby Lodge, in the pottery village of Denby.

More foxes and badgers on the Derwent Duck by Rebecca Morledge.  This was one of the Ducks in the Amber Valley 'Ay up me Duck' trail.  Other ducks can be found across the town and also in the towns of Heanor, Ripley and Alfreton.

We visited Hem Heath Woods again to see if the bluebells were in flower.  They were, although some paths had been closed to stop people and dogs trampling on the delicate blooms.

As well as Bluebells there was loads of Yellow Dead Nettle

Lesser Celandines

 and these little white flowers, I'm not sure what they are but Stitchwort comes into my mind.  Does anyone know?

A last Springtime photo 

Female Mallard and her four little ducklings at the Peak Wildlife Park.

All for now, have a good weekend.

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.

It's Friday

It's been a busy week.  Medical appointments Monday and Wednesday for me.  A Geological group meeting on Thursday for Paul.  

Whilst out for walks over the last week or two we've spotted some bright and cheerful things.

A Snoopy Trail is coming to Trentham Gardens in March.  That will be fun.  Love Snoopy.  Many years ago I had a yellow Woodstock (Snoopy's little bird friend) I wonder what happened to it? I probably gave it away.

There is another outdoor art exhibition in the City Centre in the Bethesda Chapel Gardens opposite the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.  The Museum building is closed at the moment for refurbishment.

Charles William Brown (1882-1961) was born on Biddulph Moor* and worked in both the farming and mining industries.  He took up painting on his retirement.  Here is a -link- to more information from the Barewall Gallery in Burslem.  * The source of the River Trent is on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor where it rises as a small stream making its way through Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire across country until it meets the River Ouse and the North Sea between Kingston-upon-Hull and Immingham.

The paintings are of local places and happenings.  All painted in the early 1950s.  The three below caught my eye.

Landscape with bus 1955.  I'm guessing a day trip into the Staffordshire Moorlands or the Peak District., mainly because of the stone walls around the fields.

Shelton Bar from the Allotments 1950.  Shelton Bar was a major steel works in the city.  Closed now, of course as are the coal mines and many of the pottery works too.  

Washing Line 1952.  A riot of colour.  It looks like a warm Summer day.

A red squirrel at the Peak Wildlife Park.  He had a damp tail but was enjoying tucking into his breakfast hazelnut.

Snowdrops at Wolseley Bridge nature reserve.

My photos don't do the carpets of white under the trees justice.  There were a few daffodils dotted around amongst them.

A trip to the Library this morning to take books back and seek something new to read.  I took ages to find books to bring home but three came with me.  All authors I've read before.

Bad news this morning when we learned that a friend had fallen and broken her ankle and leg.  We will go to visit next week hopefully.  She and her husband spent most the the Summer and Autumn last year helping a neighbour who had fallen and broken her ankle quite badly now our friend has done the same.  

All for now.

Birds, Blooms, Beavers and Bookshops

 Walking around Trentham Estate yesterday morning we discovered two new things.

In the retail village was a new bookshop in a horsebox.  According to their sign it is the smallest bookshop in the world.  I've been on a book barge on the canal, seen small libraries in telephone boxes but never a bookshop in a horsebox.   Unfortunately it closes on Mondays so we didn't get to peek inside.

In the gardens close to the education Tipi there is a new sculpture of a Beaver.

It was carved with a chainsaw from a dead cedar stump by Simon O'Rourke.

The real Beavers live on an island in the middle of the lake.  They have recently built a dam closer to the lakeside path.

It's that time of year when British blooms are back in the shops.

 Daffodils and Tulips both bringing colour to a dull day,  brightening up windowsills and table centres.  I can't resist buying a bunch every so often.

We took part in the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch over the weekend.  The weather wasn't great, we had a large group of Rock Doves (feral pigeons) appear and towards the end of the count a female Sparrowhawk flew like an arrow from the side fence around the hanging feeders and up into the tree at the top of the garden.  She didn't catch anything. All went silent, the count was over.  

Final total - 3 blackbirds, 2 Dunnocks, 2 Robins, 1 Magpie, 1 Great Tit, 10 Goldfinches, 19 Rock Doves and 1 Sparrowhawk.

All for now.