Flowers and Skies

As anticipated, last night the combination of time zone confusion with subtitled Scandinavian drama sent me off to sleep after about half an hour. Just as well I recorded the first two parts of "The Bridge" - it looks as though it will be quite involving. Slept for nine or ten hours, and awoke early to an already bright day.

Many of the mespil flowers had survived  yesterday's rain.

But petals had already started to fall (and many more left the tree after today's weather). Su accused me of bringing back Hong Kong rain with me!

The big white tulips had also lost their petals in the week I have been away in Hong Kong - just frayed remnants left.

Out with Bella, this tulip is a fading glory.

The sky was clear and blue - something I have not seen in over a week. My experience of Hong Kong weather has not been the best!

I have walked past this lamp post hundreds of times, but never noticed the manufacturer's name before - appealed to me for some reason.

These tulips are also on their last burst of colour before they drop their petals

Unlike these blossoms, which are just coming into full show.

New leaves glinting in the sunlight.

It wasn't to last - the skies darkened and then it rained and hailed on and off for hours.  This was our back door mat in after one burst of precipitation.

But then it cleared, the sun came out and set off this tulip in the front garden very nicely.

Welcome to two new members of our garden. This is Vinca Major

And this is Vinca Minor.

Skies still threatening, and some interesting cloud formations.

In the back garden, one of our many clematis plants is starting to flower.

 One flower fully open.

This day a year ago, it was Good Friday on Symi and Su was awake, listening to church bells and various other sounds while composing the blog really early in the day.  We had gone to bed the night before not long after a spectacular sunset bathed the hills opposite us in a magnificent glow.

I have spent the day catching up with myself and sorting stuff out while getting over another migraine onset - getting a bit tedious now, so off to the doctor's about it later in the week. More excitingly, the van is off to Yate for its MoT test in the morning, so fingers crossed for it to pass!