Sakura

AS you read this post, please listen to this beautiful rendition of Sakura, well-known folk song from Japan, describing the majesty of the Spring Cherry blossoms.  

Last weekend, our Cherry tree (sadly, not one which provides fruit), was at its absolute peak-beauty!

As I stood beneath its bendy branches, enjoying the pale pink hues against the blue, cloudless sky, I reflected on the utter joy of creation! How lucky I am, to see these flowers, feel this beauty and know the joy of these tiny blooms and their fleeting, transient beauty.

I thought it would be only polite to share them with you.

At the weekend, CBC and I went to Colchester.  As usual, we left it too late, we'd been to Maldon to pick up CBC's new glasses and then drove on to Colchester.

It was nice to visit somewhere different.  We ate dinner at a Vietnamese place called Elsa's.

Earlier in the day, CBC and I went to visit our newts.  We only saw a few.  Several were hiding.

Did I say that one turned up on our doorstep the previous week! I wonder what it wanted?

On Sunday, I had a madly busy day as I was covering first flute for two concerts with Orchestra of the City.  The concerts were part of the Amersham music festival.

Alas, there were engineering works on my local line, meaning, I had to use the alternative railway line. I left home at 10.30am and arrived in Amersham at the church at 13.45! 3 hours 15 to get there and to compound matters, the Jubilee line suffered from a critical failure of the signalling system which lasted at least 11 hours!!!

The concerts, one a children's concert and the other an evening concert, both went really well. I enjoyed playing first flute with this orchestra as I usually play 4th or 3rd (usually Alto flute) or even 5th flute with them! It was a real privilege.

As I knew it was going to touch and go whether I'd make it in time to avoid the rail replacement bus doom, I literally undid my shoes and collapsed my music stand as the audience were applauding and virtually knocked people flying as I attempted to leave the church  at 21.05 and cycle the mile or so to the station. A trumpeter and a fellow flautist were both running for the same train as I cycled.  I was amazed that the trumpeter arrived only 3 minutes behind me! Sadly, we missed the fast train, but got the Metropolitan line soon after, which takes double the length of time.  The trumpeter and I spent most of our hour journey feverishly researching the best way for us both to reach our destinations since the Jubilee line was unbelievably STILL not working!  I decided to take the alternative train line as I thought it would still get me home quicker than the rail replacement.  Alas, it would involve a 5 mile cycle at the other end and my bike lights had died!  Luckily, a kind man lent me his charging block and then unexpectedly, despite it being almost midnight, CBC came and picked me up so I didn't have to cycle. I thought he'd be asleep! So I got home 40minutes sooner than via the rail replacement! 

I was unbelievably tired and hungry by the time we got home after 12.  I ate some left over dinner and was in bed by 1.

I was so sleepy on Monday morning!!!!

Tomorrow, my choir have a practice with an accompanist for the choir of the year.  I hope it goes well!

I keep wondering what all the other choirs are doing for their pieces and whether I should have made different choices!  Ah well, too late to change my mind now! 

 Only a few days till the holiday!

xx

The beauty and fungi of Juliet's Woods

Back in August, when we were in Northumberland, I was keen for us to have an evening walk and CBC suggested we drive to Slaley to visit a place called Juliet's Woods (however, another time I want to visit Slaley Forest).

We parked where you can see (spot the red car in the picture)

These photos are in a random order so enjoy my random musings.

CBC spotted this tree at one point

He decided to climb into it.

I wondered what he was photographing...

And later, I found out!

We came out the woods into a meadow at one point.

On the way home, driving along the Hexham Race course road, the sunset was incredible!

I thought this fungi's gills looked like a labyrinth. I am happy to know its name is Oak Mazegill- a very appropriate moniker!

This is what they looked like from above.

This tree had a beautiful heart-shaped hole.

Here's an old Brittlegill (Russula)- could be a Rosy Brittlegill or a Primrose Brittlegill more likely.

The light streaming through the trees was glorious and golden. Impossible to capture in a photo!

This Beefsteak fungus was easy to ID!

We saw a wealth of this fungus!

CBC spotted this very old and manky Chicken of the Woods under some holly! The brackets were unusually low down.

There were so many ebullient red berries around.

The Haws on the Hawthorn below looked tempting. You can make a lovely winter tonic from these or Ketchup!

Another little fungus- not sure what!

A view of the meadow again.

And here I am again!

Close ups of the meadow.

Here's a birch polypore looking a bit beaky.

This one even more so! Not sure what this was!

 Both CBC and I agreed it had been a magical walk, we even saw some deer and heard many squirrels. I even collected some hazelnuts! We must return!

I went for a walk in the rain...

It was dusk and I needed some solitude so I set out up the hill.  It started to rain but this didn't deter me.

I saw so much beauty, a few examples of which I will share.

 

Lingwood to Utling circular walk

2 weeks ago, CBC and I went to meet his old housemate N for a walk.  We met up in a place called Lingwood which is near to Danbury.  I won't bore you with loads of commentary but it was a wonderful and varied walk I would love to repeat.  I will add a few comments to the photos.

Gorgeous foxgloves.

 I liked the way the light caught on a few leaves in the woods.

Such vibrant coloured leaves.

The beautiful lock at Hoe Hill lock in Ulting. It was the perfect place to eat our picnic lunch, plus I discovered a wonderful place you can swim- not the lock but there is a deck and a river lower down that people were swimming in.

Beautiful views of the river Chelmer.  We went on a boat ride on the day after our wedding here.

The weather was glorious.

Double skies!

We came across these swan parents with a brood of cygnets.  They really are strange-looking!

 But they are very fluffy!

 This church in Utling used to be an idyllic picnic spot until there were issues with druggies so it's not allowed now.

More beautiful hues.

 Can anyone tell me what these flowers are please?

 I found my first blackberries of the year.

 Very close to the end of the walk, we saw this glorious vista.

At one point, we saw a swarm of bees had settled in this abandoned building.

My favourite Ox-eye daisies.

 The wheat is growing!

 We spied a den!

 I've not seen Pink Borage before!

 We walked through a field of peas.  Er....shh!!!!

 At the lock, we had the company of this friendly Mrs Mallard who curled up right next to us.

Near the bees, outside that abandoned building, we found wild raspberries.

 Final reflections on the water.

It was a glorious walk, one I would heartily recommend!

x