A stroll over The Downs into Epsom . . .

I haven't had an opportunity for much a walk at all recently so grabbed the chance to walk over The Downs today into Epsom and back on a circular walk.  Not that far, probably about five miles or so but long enough to call it 'fresh air and exercise'.

Our son was happy to accompany me. He's always easily persuaded if there's a chance of refreshments en route!

Five minutes from home and we pass a few shops, one being the local funeral director.  They always take great care with their window display and it is often topical yet very tasteful (amazingly creative!).  Today's offering was interesting.  Here you can see the 'ghostly spectre' of our son contemplating the 'four last things'.

In fact we spent quite a lot of our walk discussing his funeral (There's a whole new blog post in that topic!) in a cheery sort of way.  No he's not ill, as far as we know!  Funnily enough our walk takes us past the local cemetery too.  

Anyway enough of such frivolity.

Once past the laugh-a-minute shops we follow the undulating landscape of the North Downs down towards Tattenham Corner and the racecourse.

Passing farmland . . . 

Sorry about the poor quality of the photos, I only had my phone camera with me.

To Tattenham Corner.  You can just about make out the grandstand in the background.

Looking down the home straight . . . 

Past the entrance to the racecourse and the Queen's Stand. The Union Flags are there because of the Tour of Britain cycle race which passed through here yesterday.

A popular venue for Sunday lunch.

A different mode of transport advertised on the wall of the Derby Stables.

The Rubbing House, one of our favourite places for Sunday lunch. Great views too.

Signs of Autumn on our walk too.

 Harvest in the hedgerows, or, bounty in the bushes.

I hadn't even noticed the leaves beginning to turn on the trees but obviously they are.  Still, it is the Autumnal Equinox today.

As usual, click on the photos to get a clearer view.

Spring has arrived and Summer is not far off . . .

I have to admit that our garden has been sadly neglected over the past few years but I've decided that this is the year I try to tame the wilderness and get some sort of order back into the 'wasteland' around our house.

Today was my day off and once again a beautiful day so, armed with my trusty trowel, I spent a very enjoyable few hours in the back garden.  (Yesterday after work I managed to re-discover one of the small flower-beds in the front garden!)

It seems to be the season of aquilega at the moment. They are everywhere!  After planting a few plants a few years ago, they have self-seeded all over the place. I'm not complaining, I think they are delightful and just right for Spring when we enjoy the more delicate blooms before the heavyweights of Summer and Autumn take over.

How about this little beauty . . . ?

Blue not your colour?  How about these lovely pink aquilega?

Or these lovely delicate pale pink ones . . . 

Another plant that's introduced itself into the garden lately, is the bluebell.  I know these larger Spanish bluebells are a threat to our lovely native bluebells but I do like them in the garden and they have a delicious scent.

And, yes, I do have a bit of a 'thing' about pansies - I think they're just so pretty and very useful, great for filling the gap between seasons.

Don't you just love the tenacity of some plants?  I planted a clematis in a gap between two shrubs several years ago. As the choisya has grown, the clematis has been hidden but look at these two buds ready to burst as they have managed to weave their way through the branches of the large shrub to reach daylight.  I'm sure there's a lesson there for us . .  .

Final shot, I promise, I love the contrasting greens here offset with touches of pinks.

What a blissful way to spend a day off . . . 

Garden update . . .

Sorry folks, I'm afraid it's time for an update on the garden again . . . 

It was such a lovely sunny morning this morning as I was munching my muesli and gazing out of the window before setting off for work, that I felt compelled (!!) to grab my camera and take a few snaps before I left home.

Yes, it's definitely looking Spring-like out there.

The view from the sitting room window.
You can't see the weeds from a distance! (She says hopefully)

The tulips are beautiful colours.

 A touch of blue from an azalea.

And this hosta is coming along nicely.  Last week the leaves were still tightly curled.

The early dwarf daffs have been succeeded by some lovely yellow polyanthus.
You can't beat yellow flowers in Spring!

Several pots of polyanthus around the place to add a splash of colour - oops, someone needs to do a bit of dead-heading . . .

'All in a row' I hadn't realised until I saw this photo that I had a row of pots all lined up like this.

Weeds, be warned, I'm coming to get you!  This is the next part of our little garden to be 'dealt with'. Close-up it's a mass of weeds.

These tulips really are quite splendid.

I had a few pansies left from my pots in the front garden, so I thought I'd pop them in these pots to keep them happy until the summer bedding goes in.

Well, I must say, you've been very patient, listening to me ramble on.  You may be excused now.  Flower-watch is over for a little while.

A day out at RHS Wisley . . .

I had such a lovely day on Wednesday this week when  a friend who is a member of the RHS invited me to join her on an outing to Wisley, the headquarters of the RHS.

I still can't believe our luck; that my 'extra' day off, taken with hardly any notice, also happened to coincide with one of the best days of the year weather-wise.

The gardens were looking beautiful.  Spring has always been my favourite season, especially in terms of the garden.  Not for me the heady, blowsy blooms of summer, give me the amazing sight of buds bursting on bare branches and the appearance of bulbs pushing their way through the debris of dead leaves after a long, cold, damp winter any day!  I took lots of photos so thought I'd also take the opportunity to update my blog header which has remained the same since I created this new blog. 

I'm very much an enthusiastic amateur when it comes to photographs.  I have a very basic 'point and shoot' camera but with the natural beauty in nature, most of the shots usually come out all right and it's pretty difficult not to achieve a passable result.

I won't bore you with too many but here are just a few to give you a flavour of Wisley at this time of

 year.

Often one of the first sights visitors see after they enter the gardens.  A lovely tranquil scene.

Just a few daffs . . . 

I love this bear.  He looks so natural.  The magnolia makes a lovely backdrop too.

Simple spring bulbs again - beautiful grape hyacinth (muscari).

More water, this time in the glass house.

Yet more daffodils.

Inside the hot house - a great refuge on a cool day - not needed on Wednesday.

Lovely vistas everywhere . . . 

Of course it was ideal timing to catch the rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias.

It's very difficult to choose just a few.  

Spring is not that far away . . .

I love this time of year, not long after Christmas, when I suddenly realise that the garden is coming back to life again after a bare Winter.

I noticed a few weeks ago that our very early daffodils by the front door were making their usual encouraging appearance at the beginning of the month.  Now they are well on their way with buds already formed.

Even an old pelargonium in a tub that I hadn't got around to re-potting at the end of the Summer seems to have survived and even looks like it might put on a show again this year.

But where it is most noticeable that things are stirring is in the rockery.  What has looked like just a covering of fallen leaves up to now, is now interspersed with shoots pushing their way through the leaves and of polyanthus beginning to flower.  So encouraging!

But what excites me most of all, despite seeing it every year, is the sight of all the new buds on our camellia.    I remember buying this plant so many years ago as a tiny plantlet in a 4" pot from Woolworths (do you remember them?) for the grand sum of 99p if I remember rightly.  It must be nearly 20 years ago, I think.  It's done really well.

I know we'll probably have snow and certainly frost before Spring arrives, and we'll lose  a lot of these buds, but I also know, from past years, that more will replace them and we'll have a splendid display in early Spring.

All these signs fill me with joyful anticipation.

A bare tree and an early SatNav . . .

Today we celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany in style.  A beautiful Mass followed by a delicious pub lunch.

Back home to the usual Epiphany tasks.  First to place the 'Kings' in the crib and then to take down the decorations.

I must admit, in typical housewife fashion, I rather enjoy the taking down of the decorations, lights etc.  Whilst the menfolk deal with the heavier chores of dismantling outside lights and searching for storage boxes in the loft, I take my time wandering round the house collecting Christmas cards, removing bits and pieces of decorations and 'undressing' the tree.

Like many families, some of our tree decorations are quiet old dating from the time our children were tiny (our oldest is now 31!).  Worth hardly anything in material terms but priceless in  terms of the memories they evoke.

I'm a bit fanatical about organising things generally and Christmas is no different. I still have the original packing for most of the decorations and everything is labelled.  I know I must be a nightmare for anyone who likes a carefree approach, but I can lay my hands on anything in an instant and immediately know if something is missing.

With music playing quietly in the background I go about my task happily and after not too long, we have a result . . . 

One bare tree!

And here are the magi who, having followed what must have been one of the earliest forms of Satellite Navigation, have finally arrived at their destination and kneel in adoration before the Infant Jesus.

We'll leave our crib in place until the Baptism of the Lord next week.

Oops!  Nearly forgot - Happy Epiphany everyone!