Expedition to Radstock

After a dry day yesterday, we started off today with drizzle to re-establish the dominance of water this Summer.  Su has sent me a reminder of yesterday's brightness with these abandoned sunglasses at Westonbirt.

The dampness didn't last too long, so by the time I took Bella out it was dry - saw this clump of false carrot gone very red.

The thistles have now started to show in all their spiny glory.

And the true nettles are towering up, festooned with flowers.

Raindrops left behind on this clover.

Some aliums that have escaped from a garden are about to burst forth from their confines.

A fresh new leaf, so far untouched by rain.

Yet another item for the abandoned clothing portfolio - left sadly hanging from a branch.

Although the rain stopped, the skies were still full of brooding clouds - not so much as to deter our trusty solar-powered sunflower on our front window though.

Late morning we went out on a mission to deepest Somerset - well to Radstock about 10 miles south of Bath. Went to pick up a very comfortable (I tested it out on the pavement!) and quiet stylish bamboo lounger - every home should have one. Passed the Bear on Bear Flat on the way out of Bath (note the polar bear above the pub entrance).

Drove through rolling hills, lush with vegetation. This was as we came down into Dunkerton.

Coming into Radstock, which is an old mining town with great old buildings made out of distinctive white-ish stone.

Pity that it's closed for renovation, otherwise we might have stopped to see if the menu was as spoonerist as its name.

Coming back into Bath, we got some lunch at the Secret Garden Cafe, after turning left down Prior Park Avenue.

Saw these achillea there - a nice display.

On the way home, we swung around the Circus - couldn't resist a photo of these tourists on the corner taking photos.

This day a year ago, Su and I were at Westonbirt and had just invented a new conkers-like game with our folded up raincoats - we christened it "Bonkers" as my demonstration bears out quite well…