The joys of spring in westonbirt

Spring is springing, buds are bursting..

In the hedges, hawthorn seems less thorny covered
in white baubles...

that burst out green-ness


and the blackthorn winter is a welcome one...
a farewell to the "holly and ivy winter"


Meanwhile, down in Westonbirt arboretum more
delicate blooms abound....



Not a late frost but carpetting drifts of wood anenome..

blooms of pink, blooms of blue











Some yellow even.....

What is more.....I saw my first swallow
(although only poetic licence would say it
was today, neat though that truth would be
to my blog!)...on Thursday evening. one more
of them and it must be summer!

My view on Matthew and Theresa's wedding day (15th April 2006)

Matthew

and Theresa

are married!!

an event, as is traditional, well recorded in images


A little rain did not dampen our pleasure





After the photo session, Matt and Theresa
left the scene for a quiet drive around (!?)

while the rest of us relaxed in the bar....
A much attempted three nephews shot...



Then then wedding breakfast... (this photo: taken
by dad)


I got some practice in on my kazoo for Jonathan's
raucous orchestra moment during his speech


..which came, of course, after Matthew had delivered
his own speech.

After the meal came a little break for some r and r
.. or even a little doodling

or a quick storytime!

Then the evening reception got underway...

...everybody! Dance now!

Come on uncle Andrew! This is fun!


Yes, it was all a fun, happy day. Congratulations
to Theresa and Matthew.

Dymock's Daffodill Way

A bit like a cloud does, allegedly, I walked about
on my own (that's not the same as "lonely",
by the way)...this time to see

the "Daffodill Way" centred on Dymock
in the Forest of Dean
http://archive.thisisworcestershire.co.uk/2002/3/1/284828.html

In the churchyard at Dymock, as in many
places along the 10 mile route, (and in the general area
grow real wild daffodils.

Cute little pint sized daffodils.




a sea of gold,

a little additional yellow from a primrose or two



What's this called? Anyone know?

MORE daffodils....

Other wildflowers, equally springing up...
here a white variety of violet
(isn't that a contradiction in terms?)

Wood anemones

and a tree bud, on the brink

Do you get the feeling its nearly Easter?.....

So, let's end with a slightly ecclesiastical note
...and call in on the 11th/12th Century church
of St. Mary's, Kempley
http://www.greenway.clara.net/daffodils/html/st_mary_s_church.html

with some interesting medieval frescoes


A nice long mornings walk.