Back to the coast

Spring has arrived and so has our first visit of the year to the caravan.

We were lucky with the weather

Over the Winter months, we collect nautical themed bits and bobs and here is an assortment

We went to RSPB Bempton as Puffins had been reported but we didn't see any this visit.  However, we had this one which was painted on a circular stone found on our beach.

Snowdrops

Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself as a galanthophile, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Sue Goodwill’s garden, Primrose Bank Nursery Dauby Lane, Kexby, York, United Kingdom, YO41 5LH which I have passed many times but never visited.

The stroll around the garden revealed about 90 different species, different shapes and colours, all named. The shepherd’s hut with its wood burning stove was a welcome seating area on a cold day.

I listened to a talk by Anne Wright of Dryad Nursery (online sales only) about the variety Snowdrops which flower each month from January to April. We saw the best way to display Snowdrops and plants that complement them such as Cyclamen coum, Hellebores, evergreen Ferns and the evergreen Euphorbia rubra. We learnt how to cross pollinate two Snowdrops and grow a new cultivar from the seed, but that is for patient gardeners. It is not necessary to register new Snowdrops, so you can name your new ones.

I didn’t purchase any Snowdrops (some were for sale at £90 each!) but Primrose Bank Nursery grows and sells interesting, good value perennials and I chose a Corydalis Blue Heron and a Salvia jamensis Amethyst Lips and I shall definitely return later in the year.

Coincidentally, I am also reading A.D Miller’s novel entitled Snowdrops, a psychological drama set in Moscow.

In the preface, a definition of Snowdrop is given as:

1. An early-flowering bulbous plant, having a white pendent flower.

2. Moscow slang. A corpse that lies buried or hidden in the winter snows, emerging only in the thaw.

Any thoughts on Snowdrops?

The wise gardener anticipates June in January (Anon)

Am I the only one scouring the garden daily for signs of new growth? We had days of heavy rain followed by a cold snap but just now the weather is dryer with strong winds. I shouldn’t complain about the rain as last year I lost more plants in the summer drought than I did in the winter frosts.

Honeysuckle

Acanthus mollis

Flowering Blackcurrant

Bluebells

Oriental Poppy and Oxalis

Allium Purple Sensation

Calendula seedlings

I’m looking forward to the soil warming up to carry out the edits I want to make and plant up around the refurbished pond. I hope the frogs will recognise the spot when they return in February.

Which plants are you looking forward to peeping through ?

Take your time, enjoy the journey, be grateful for what you have

Here are some of my favourite things this year:

Books:

Lessons in Chemistry- Bonnie Garmus

The Whistleblower – Robert Peston

End of Summer – Anders de la Motte

                                                   

Films:

Mrs Harris goes to Paris

Living

Fundamentals of Caring (Netflix)

Plants which have made my heart sing:

Salvia Hot Lips

Lavateria Burgundy Wine

Geranium Rozanne

Places I have enjoyed:

East Yorkshire Coast

Northumberland Coast

Praia de Gale, Portugal

Celebrations with family and friends must also be included. With all the bad stuff that goes on in the world, I sometimes need to remind myself that I am indeed blessed.

I would love to hear yours to top me up for the year ahead.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year!

Advent Ghosts Stories 2022

 Welcome to Advent Ghosts 2022, the thirteenth annual shared storytelling event at I Saw Lightning Fall . Hosted by Loren Eaton. a group of us have celebrated that peculiarly British tradition of telling spooky stories right before Christmas.  The challenge is to tell a story in exactly 100 words.

Click on the blog here to find more stories on Loren's blog. You may well be surprised!

The farewell wave

Simon ceased kicking the ball against the wall as he knew it upset Gran who was slowly making her way down the path with her tartan shopping trolley. Dressed for the cold, damp day and looking as though she was fully recovered from a bout of Covid, she shouted goodbye to Simon who returned her cheery wave.

Suddenly a car pulled up. It was his uncle who ran up the path without acknowledging Simon. His mother was at the doorway and beckoned to Simon, hugged him and told him that his Gran had just passed away peacefully in her bed.

Roundhay Park celebrates its 150th birthday

Roundhay Park in Leeds is one of the biggest city parks in Europe, covering more than 700 acres of parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens. When the Lord Mayor of Leeds at that time, John Barran, bought the park for the people of Leeds in 1872, he was ridiculed for buying a 'White Elephant'. The suburb of Roundhay was a long way from the city centre and could only really be reached by one road. What was once regarded as a reckless waste of ratepayers' money, is one of the most popular attractions in Leeds; nearly a million people visit each year.

Barran's Fountain named after the Lord Mayor

Canal Gardens

Everyone has their own tales to tell about Roundhay Park whether it be taking part in or witnessing the annual Children’s Day, the international triathlon or the live concerts of The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson or Madonna.

A meercat in Tropical World

Tropical World

The approach to the Alhambra Gardens

One of four Chelsea Gold winners by Leeds City Council installed in the park

I am lucky to live within walking distance of this (mostly) free facility and enjoy it in all seasons and have done since I was in a pram.

See Roundhay Park (leeds.gov.uk) for all the park has to offer and do visit if you are in the area.  You won't be disappointed.

Annual trip to Northumberland 2022

After checking the weather forecast, we were tempted to cancel this trip but it would have been a lost opportunity.

On the outward journey, we made a pit stop at Hartlepool, an interesting place where we would like to spend more time to visit the National Museum of the Royal Navy and the headland.  We did take a walk along the England Coast Path, a wide promenade next to the beach which was busy with cyclists and dog walkers.  Our goal was the seaside town of Seaton Carew, but learnt that it was further than we thought.

From the England Coast Path looking towards the headland

We took the coastal route to our base, The Amble Inn at Amble, and the heavens opened as we checked in.  This was the first significant rainfall that we had seen for many months.  Nevertheless we drove up the coast to Alnmouth and, during a lull in the rain, we managed a short stroll on the beach.

The next day dawned bright and dry so, after a comfortable night at the hotel with a large breakfast and even a sausage for the dog, we visited our old haunts:

Boulmer beach

Seahouses - where we ate our packed lunch while looking out to sea where the Farne Islands were clearly visible before buying a couple of items from Farne Gifts, the shop that sells everything from pottery penguins to paintbrushes. 

Bamburgh:  Bamburgh village was busy as usual so we drove up to the Bamburgh Castle Golf Club at the top of the cliff and took the Northumberland Coast Path towards Budle Point, marvelling at the long stretch of golden/white sands.  It is an easy walk giving great views of Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne.

The weather stayed fine and we felt we had earned our afternoon tea at Copper Kettle Tea Room in Bamburgh, where we sat in the sunshine on the patio.  I bumped into an ex pupil who remembered me from all those years ago making me believe that I hadn’t aged at all!

The next day, rain threatened so we had an early morning amble in Amble. It has an interesting history displayed on information boards, a working harbour and marina.  We saw a film crew interviewing a man at one of the stalls.  He told us he was just giving advice for young people who were thinking of starting up their own business but then, to be polite, we had to listen to his political views which were not so different from our own.

The rain then started in earnest and, on our homeward journey, persisted the whole day but we were glad we kept to our plans and had an enjoyable trip.