Tuesday 20 April 2021

Positivity

 Last week finally felt like a new beginning; it was good. What a huge relief it is to hear that the death rate has fallen drastically day by day. There is still no room, however, for complacency, the flies in the ointment are those continually emerging variants. Essential shops have opened allowing me to have a much needed haircut, and we have foraged in our local wood for wild garlic leaves to make pesto. A lovely outing was enjoyed to Herefordshire, and also the previously mentioned trip to meet our son and his wife in Oxfordshire.

Online I had admired a light that I could use specifically for evening reading, but really wanted to view it in reality. Having acquainted myself with information about the most suitable lighting to use, I discovered that the important fact is to use a light that gives at least 450 lumens. I also wanted a 'warm' rather than a 'cold' light. The light above fitted the bill, the copper lining to the shade gives a lovely warm glow and the 6W LED bulb offers the correct number of lumens. It sits perfectly above the chair in which I like to read, so I am happy.                                        We enjoyed a lovely spring day out at a NT garden in Herefordshire. The garden, which is one of our favourites, sits alongside the R. Wye snaking its way through the countryside from mid-Wales until it meets up and joins the might R. Severn.


The garden has been left natural with a large variety of wildflowers to be seen throughout the whole year. 
The footpaths meander through large ancient trees which allow continual glimpses of the water lying far below.

Seventy species of birds have been spotted within the grounds - on the day of our visit, we sighted our first Swallows of this year arriving back for the summer from Africa, they swooped joyfully above our heads. There are otters in the river, and it is not uncommon to see a ballet of swans progressing gracefully along the water.









There are plenty of seats where you can rest awhile, just enjoy contemplating nature, or have a picnic.


The newly emerged weeping willow leaves formed a vibrant chartreuse curtain down by the riverside. 



There is just a hint of blue in this image, our native bluebells are beginning to open, so a visit to the woods is on the cards.  
We returned home refreshed and invigorated.

34 comments:

  1. Things certainly feel a lot more positive now, but maybe that's just because the sun is shining. Lets just hope it's not one of those "false positives" we keep hearing about. The garden looks a lovely place for a stroll with all its Spring greenery. I also saw my first bluebells yesterday - Hitch Wood, here I come!

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    1. Hitch Wood is a long standing favourite of ours too - enjoy your visit.

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  2. Hello Rosemary, I am definitely ready for some country, or at least some suburban scenery, which I am so greatly enjoying in your pictures. Your new lamp is very handsome. I once researched the relationship between light and magnification, and in general, correct light is the more important of the two.
    --Jim

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    1. Hello Jim - being out in the countryside brings us much joy and solace too, especially just now. To hear the bird song, see new flowers and growth happening daily takes you away from the cares of the world.
      I thought that you might have noticed something in one of these photos!!!!

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    2. Now that you mention it, a little flash of blue did cross my line of sight --Jim

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  3. I am so happy that you are able to get out and about, Rosemary, and you seem to have an endless variety of delightfully bucolic areas in which to do it. Keep your fingers and toes, and whatever else you can, crossed that the variants don't gain the upper hand and force the country back into lockdown again. It has been a long and difficult struggle with COVID, one that we all wish to put behind us. Permanently!

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    1. Hear, hear David. The variants are a huge concern, but hopefully the scientists will manage to keep abreast of them. They do say that rather like Flu, Covid will be with us all for a long, long time, way into the future.

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  4. How lovely to be out and about a bit again! Everything is so green already in England! No green here yet. I've heard a couple of robins so far but have not actually laid eyes on one.

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    1. We had two robins at our feet begging for crumbs whilst eating our picnic in this garden - they were quite brazen, but we gave them what they wanted. As I am sure you know our robins are very different from yours.

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  5. what a great walk and thanks for pausing every once in a while to click a shutter (metaphorically) to share these scenes!

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    1. I love your comment Barbara - thank you.

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  6. Beautiful photos - particularly loved the old tree and the water photos. They all gave me a "lift." Thank you.

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    1. I am so pleased that this post gave you a lift Regina M - something that many of us need just now.

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  7. The lamp is fabulous Rosemary - may you read a plethora of excellent books with beautiful words (just like those you pen) in its warm, clear glow!

    Oh to be in England ------- looking at the views and colors makes me even more homesick and, as I just wrote in my previous comment, we are having to cancel the May visit home just in case things change again regarding COVID. Agree that it's something we may always have to deal with, but hopefully in a less intense way - I cannot wear these lousy masks forever!!!!!!

    Bluebell woods I crave - bluebell beds I have though and they have been lovely this spring.
    Has cooled off again here - even fear of a frost on Wed. night, just when the hydrangeas are opening!!!!
    Enjoy the week dear - hugs to you both.

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    1. English bluebells appear to be earlier this year, I usually consider them to be at their peak towards the end of April - the end of April is when my first granddaughter was born. I remember we went walking in a bluebell wood and on our return home we got the news that she had been born. We quickly caught a train to London and went down to see her. So long ago now, but bluebells are now forever associated with that lovely memory.
      On the whole I consider that people have coped remarkably well with this past very difficult year, but we all need hope for the future. However, I fear that life will never be quite the same again.
      I do hope the frost stays away, it ruined much of the magnolia blossom here a few weeks ago.

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  8. Dearest Rosemary,
    What a very lovely countryside you live in or nearby!
    We miss that here, the old-worldly combination with ancient trees and nice walkways.
    Here the wildlife is different and so is the climate, most people shy away from leisurely walks.
    About the 'cold' light, I'm fully with you on that. We also always have selected the warm light as it feels cozy and intimate. Both of us have build in warm halogen reading lights, recessed into the ceiling. Pieter designed our home and as we had our furniture he knew exactly where our favorite reading spots would be. It is oh so important!
    Glad you enjoyed this freedom in nature.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Dear Mariette - we are very fortunate to have so many pretty country and town locations both here and also nearby.
      It was good that Pieter thought about the lighting in your house as it was being built. I am very happy with my new lamp.

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    2. Rosemary, we were not there when our home got build since we lived and worked in Indonesia. Pieter had designed the home; literally drew the plans with all the connections mentioned on paper so they knew...

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  9. A good reading lamp makes a big difference in reading comfort. The natural world about you is full of beautiful flowers and interesting animals and birdlife. England's bluebell woods are so lovely and I'm glad you are able to get out and enjoy them this year. Ours are the Spanish bluebells which don't have the scent, I believe, of the English ones.

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    1. There are a number of significant differences between Spanish bluebells and our native bluebells. The Spanish ones are a far paler blue, have blue stamens, stand erect, and have wide conical bell flowers with open tips. Our native ones are a deep blue, have cream stamens, bow their heads, and have narrow tubular bells with tips that curl back, and as you mentioned have a sweet scent.
      I might do a post describing and showing the differences.

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  10. It all looks wonderful as we have a week of rain ahead as we head towards winter, not that our winters are very harsh. (Hope I haven't spoken too soon with the way the weather keeps changing).

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    1. Although I don't really want rain, we are actually desperate for some, the gardens are bone dry.

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  11. Good River Walk. Was going to buy a cheap small works van and tour the country as all I need is a carry mat and sleeping bag for comfort but apparently they are in very high demand due to covid 19 and prices have almost doubled. Ah Well!

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    1. That sounded like a great idea - maybe you will still be lucky and find one within your range.

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  12. Dear Rosemary,
    Where are the people? Are you so fortunate in that you live surrounded by this gorgeous countryside without having to share it?
    Your photos are extra special again. You caught the essence of the places. They made me long for scenes I have only seen in my dreams.

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    1. Dear Gina - we are not heavily populated around here as there are no large industrial cities, and we have lots of wide open spaces, valleys and countryside. The NT gardens are accepting limited numbers of people into their gardens and only those who have made online appointments.
      I am so pleased that you enjoyed what you saw as I really love this particular spot.

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  13. So beautiful photos. Your landscape looks already so summer - with all green.
    Have a nice weekend.

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    1. Not quite summer, but certainly full-on spring has arrived - happy weekend to you too Orvokki.

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