A walk in the Park

An early morning walk in the park at Attingham with my dog Blue - what a start to the day - just what the doctor ordered - plenty of exercise and ooh what piece of mind.

First a brisk walk under the rookery - listening to those birds and their morning chatter - and then a turn into the woods to marvel at the bluebells - and my how a little sunlight streaming through the leafy branches changes the kaleidoscope of colours in the wood.

Squirrels chasing up tree trunks - not any rabbits today - but numerous birdcalls to listen to - thrush and blackbird and then the finches to and tits and was that a Blackcap - it was I came home and played my DVD on birdsong just to double check

Wild flowers and cultivated shrubs mingled together -a heady perfume to be sure - the dandylions in the meadow are now a sea of white - the tiny seed heads floating in the wind

Flowers seen and enjoyed today - of course the bluebells - the snowdrops now long forgotten - their tired leaves flattened brown against the earth.

Red Campion (known as Thunder flowers when I was a child - don't know why!) mixed together with lacy wild parsley lady smocks in the wet patches - a favourite of mine - I often searched for these with my mother when I was a child also - along with marsh marigolds - but today no marsh marigolds

Cultivated shrubs were blooming to the full - Azaleas - gold and orange - rhododendrons in a myriad of colours white pink and scarlet and lilac - both mauve and white - the horse chestnut trees were all in full bloom with a promise of golden brown conkers to come

A swan sailed serenely by relected in the river by the early morning sun - what more could you want to recharge the batteries for another probably stressful day!