The Afternoon Stroll

There's a few more bluebell now open and anemome in bloom in the park today, a day which has been pleasantly dry enough and breezy enough for me to do a spot of handwashing.

My gymwear was getting rather skanky.

I was lucky enough to see another chiff chaff today in the Sconce orchard; they are very hard to see being so small, brown on brown and very flitty. But I got a good few seconds looking at this customer foraging through the trees.

No blackcaps yet; I must pay attention for their badly blown flute song.

I don't know how folk are feeling, but I've been freaked out by shopping, and getting obsessed over packaging. I did catch myself wiping a few things down, but apparently according to a US FDA expert the risk from packaging is virtually nil. I've read of folk quarantining their shopping for a week or soaking it in the bath.

It's a mad world out there.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 02.04.20

The Town Lock Gardens

It's been another stormy day, with a freezing wind cutting through coats and gloves in the outside world. However we have been spared any rain today, and although as you can see below the river is still angry, it made being outside just a little more bearable.

The town lock gardens, although not yet open to the public, have a fantastic border next to the lock  - and less romantically the sanitation station - and it has provided stunning colour during these grey days.

In other news bowling in the nets is making my knee bloody sore.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 01.03.20

The Town Lock Gardens

Wanted to show you something new today, so on my morning walk I was trying hard to think of somewhere to photograph for you.

As I walked past the lock I noticed that the old sensory garden was open, and it's had some new additions put in. The old (not very) musical metal fence is there, but the fountain I used to enjoy cooling off in on hot runs is no longer in operation.

The whole thing feels a lot more cared for now, with nice flowers planted - alas not too pollinator friendly by the look of things - and various bird and insect boxes. Indeed a pair of great tits were flying about on some form of avian mission.

Lots of boats have been keeping the lock keeper busy during the hot weather.

I've been lucky enough to do some birdwatching out of my living room window - I had a chiff chaff in the sycamore yesterday, and today a blackcap. Both seemed to feeding off the leaf buds, or something that was  on the leaf buds.

It's all go here, but things will quieten down with the worse weather this week.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 22.04.18