Making the Most of the Sunshine

Awake with the dawn again to see the sun rising further round at the back of the house. A promising start for the day.

After breakfast, Su prepared a meal to try out our new slow cooker. Several hours later, it smells delicious! Decided to make the most of the day by going up to Westonbirt via Larkhall. Pulled up just up from the "Titfield Thunderbolt" bookshop for railway enthusiasts. It is named after the old black and white film,  filmed just south of Bath at Dunkerton.

At Westonbirt we managed to take a less travelled path to avoid most of the holiday clientele. Really liked the bark on this Corsican pine.

A delicate magnolia.

Rhododendron flowers.

Camelias.

More rhododendrons.

Only 2nd April and the bluebells are already out in some numbers - easily a month ahead of their normal flowering time.

Quiet path.

Newly unfurled leaves shining in the sun.

The wood anemones are also out in profusion, with primroses still flowering and some cinquefoils too. You never normally see these and bluebells all out at the same time.

There are always piles of logs to be found at Westonbirt.

More leaves about to pop.

Great display of wispy clouds

Came home after our little picnic as the weather cooled off some more. Now operating  in my system support role for Su. Backing up data and upgrading programs and operating system.  This evening, after eating some of the yummy-smelling casserole (can you tell I am drooling?:-)!), we are back down to the Little Theatre to see "Martha Marcy May Marlene" - review to follow. We are having our own mini film festival, as we plan to be back there tomorrow morning, and again on Wednesday night to see another couple of films (details will follow).

This day a year ago, we escaped the overcast skies of Bath and went to Brean Down (rather than the beach as we usually do). Great views of Weston-super-Mare reminded us of northern France.