Busking up Pride Hill

It was a brilliant day yesterday. I went into Shrewsbury, like a lot of other folks, just enjoying the sunshine.

A Farmer's Market is held on the first Saturday in the month, though this was the first I'd heard of it until somebody said.

As you turn the corner from Wyle Cop, all the buskers were out up Pride Hill. One I really liked was a hippie type playing one of those yodell-y long horn things. I should have asked him what it was. Anyway, I plucked up courage and asked him if I could photograph him for my blog. He said I could and he put on a performance just for me and that wonderful smile at the end. He made my day and I think maybe I made his too, with my weird accent and raucous laugh - it was good.

Wild in the Country

May Bank Holiday weekend. Been at home for most of the day. One of those days when if somebody asks you, 'What 've you been doing today?' and you say, 'Nothing much!'
I got up early this morning, went out to feed the cats and a morning tour around the top of the garden. Everywhere for as far as you could see - blue sky and that slight breath of chill that you get in May and blossom. So much blossom.

And after a winter that seemed never ending - it seems we're here. One moment in time, I just stood still and listened to the birds high up on the branches. Couldn't see them but you could certainly hear, and the brook too.

The side of the brook barely separating Wales from England is covered in wild garlic, comfrey, nettles, red campion and cow parsley.

Come to think of it, my garden's a bit like that too with the odd aquilegia, delphinium, lupin, shasta daisy
trying to break through where they can.

Tons of blossom on the Discovery apple tree.

And down the lane by the wooden bridge, a crab apple or Malus at the edge of the stream.

Bluebells on a small wooded  bank along the track.

Hispi cabbage

lettuce

broad beans

All year round cauli

runner beans

khol rabbi out of the poly tunnel

And guess what we had for dinner today. Life is good.

Living on a Prayer

In the words of Fred Dibnah -'Did you like that?'

A Lazy Sort of Day

Been having a weeding, clearing out purple sprouting stalks today. Took a barrow load up to the compost heap at the top of the garden. Whipped off the black plastic sheet to tip the contents. Something big, brown and furry leapt out. I screamed and it disappeared at the speed of light down the side of the brook. it was probably more terrified than I was.

And where were the cats ?  ... yep ... stretched out and fast asleep in the poly tunnel.

Did you know that apparently, according to an environmental programme I watched,  wherever you live, you are only four feet away from a rat.

Bad Backs and Gardening

Conversation when we got up this morning :-

O/H ........ 'What did you learn last night?'
Me .......... 'Cro's been gardening and done his back in'
O/H (looking serious) ..........'Oh, that's bad. 
                                               He ought to let his Missis do it all, like I do'

The London Marathon

Did you watch the London Marathon today? I have to admit I'm no sports fanatic by a long chalk but I was gripped by the sheer number of runners out there and I stayed glued to the TV set for a fair while. Lots of congratulations to the winners, all of them. But I think the thing that really struck my heart and I guess everyone else's too, whether taking part or cheering like mad from the sidelines - the number of people with 'Boston' written across their T Shirts and the 30 second silence of remembrance being held for the people of Boston. This was a race like no other.

Why?

Winter seems to have gone on for ever this year. This afternoon I went for a walk  down the lane along by the old mill.

The grass is bleached and brittle. But on one patch of ground where the  stones are piled up in mounds, here and there  a peppering of coltsfoot have  spread out and flowered against the odds.

And on the bank alongside the road, clumps of primroses and the tiny white flowers of wild strawberry in bloom, defiant against the weather.

And then, tossed amongst it was an empty plastic water bottle and sweet wrappers.

And this ......

And this.

I felt so ANGRY with the person(s) who'd dropped it all. Now I just feel sad.