Saturday 14 April 2012

Going Home

'A trip into Shrewsbury to buy a few odds and ends.  Such a glorious day, a breath of Spring.  We decided to take a bit of time out and walk around the Dingle. It was so beautiful. Cherry blossom in all shades of pink, from deepest carmine to the palest whisper. Reddish bronze acers, Crown Imperials and Spring bulbs in all their splendour. As we sat on a wooden seat we watched deep sapphire coloured mallard ducks skimming expertly across the water. In a while we came up by the wrought iron gates near St Chad's, leading into the old church yard.
Here and there bluebells and tiny groundsel were making new life. We read of the lives chiselled on the lichen covered tablets, people mostly from the eighteen hundreds that had passed by here through life's journey. By the east wall, a huge yew tree had fallen foul of the Winter storms and had come under the tree surgeon's saw. But all around were tiny yew saplings lovingly planted - mighty trees in another couple of hundred years so. It seemed to me that the past, the present and future were so intricately bound in that moment.'
I wrote that in 2009 - three years ago. Went to Shrewsbury again today, but on my own - same time of year, same place, but like it does, everything had moved on.


The little yew saplings had grown somewhat and the tree that had been so badly damaged wasn't there any more. The stump with the names of the tree surgeons carved on it was now covered in ivy, their claim to fame well buried beneath the twisted vines.


See the circle of cobbles by the wooden seats. That's old, wonder what lies beneath it?


A grey squirrel appeared as if from nowhere. He paused for a moment, sat back on his hind legs rubbing his front paws (or whatever squirrels have)and making a clicking sound with his sharp little teeth,  trying to work out if I was friend or foe. In a blink of an eye he was up the top of the tree.


The magnolia bush seemed to light up against the grey pebble dash of the old church house.


I walked back through the wrought iron gates and across to the Dingle garden.


The spire of St Chad's behind me bright shining up there in the sunshine.


And everywhere buds


and blossom.


But no mallard drakes or ducks - not one. I guess they had something better to do.



36 comments:

  1. Reads like a scene out of a Victorian novel. How I wish I was there.

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    1. sounds a bit morbid, but I'm like you Delores. I quite enjoy a mosey round these places, especially reading the really old inscriptions

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  2. What a lovely day out Molly........I love all the blossom in SPring, just beautiful.

    So nice to take time to sit and watch the ducks, observe what's going on around you and enjoy it.
    Life get sooo busy we need to make time to do these things.

    Enjoy the rest of the weekend,

    CLaire :}

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  3. PS Love the Header pic.....what a stunning Magnolia.

    Claire ❃❃

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  4. oh Molly...so much has changed since 2009...I can hardly breath...

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    1. J nothing ever stands still does it. Hope things are going better for you now x

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  5. Molly - that is such a lovely walk. It is good to see all the spring growth.

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    1. Yes. It's hard to imagine you're having Autumn where you are. Hope your weather's good.

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  6. Such a peaceful place to sit and relax. Love all the new growth

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  7. Oh to be in Shrewsbury, now that Spring is here!

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    1. Long time since you were here Cro. You and Lady M will have to nip over sometime.

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  8. Thank you for the lovely stroll around St Chad's churchyard and Dingle Garden. Lovely photographs.

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  9. Lovely and sunny.

    I dread to think of why it's called Grope Lane Tom. I guess you'd know, lol.

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    1. Chris nooooo, please don't start him on that one. Thomas knows all about Grope Lane chapter and verse.

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  10. I felt the breath of fresh air as I took this tour with you. You write beautifully and your photography is always lovely.

    No, nothing ever does stay the same, but there is always new growth and new things to experience.

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    1. Arleen - thank you. Hope life is good for you too xx

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  11. What a lovely, reflective post, Molly. I particularly enjoyed the sense of revisiting a past experience, all illustrated so beautifully as always.

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    1. Thank you too Perpetua - I love reading your posts too.

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  12. The Dingle is such a restful place. I must go soon.
    But you are right, nothing ever stays the same, not even gardens. Or particularly gardens?

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  13. Friko we never did get round to meeting up. If you have a free day sometime, I would love to meet up for a walk around the Dingle. I noticed as I went by St Chad's that they have a free concert (in St Chad's) on a Friday - It's on about 12 noon over the lunch hour. I really fancy going to one so if you're like minded, I'd love your company.

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  14. I really miss the cherry blossom here, they are few and far between on the island, and I haven't been to Shrewsbury for so many years, I used to go there with my Gran when I was a youngster, so many happy memories, but as you say everything changes with time. Lovely to catch up Molly x

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  15. I really miss the cherry blossom here, they are few and far between on the island, and I haven't been to Shrewsbury for so many years, I used to go there with my Gran when I was a youngster, so many happy memories, but as you say everything changes with time. Lovely to catch up Molly x

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  16. Thanks for sharing this great content, I really enjoyed the insign you bring to the topic, awesome stuff!

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  17. What a beautiful spot and time of the year Molly!! Your photos are wonderful so muc so that I can almost smell the cherry blossoms!
    Thankyou for your supportive comments on my blog....I could not appreciate them more!

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    1. Donna you are so much in my thoughts. Thank you for leaving a comment.

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  18. oh Molly this walk with you just made my day. thank you for taking me along. I love what you wrote three years ago, and how you tied it together with the current state of things in the garden. I really like the name Dingle Garden. It's delightful, as is your writing and the accompanying photos.
    I'm feeling much better thank you. Whatever bug I had, it was powerful, but I hadn't been sick in many years, so I guess I was overdue on that. happy week to you my friend.

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    1. Becky so glad you're on the mend again. Have a great week yourself.

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