Three Days in One Go

Catching up with what I've been doing over the last few days - (apart from marking assignments for Hong Kong students). Many thanks to Su for posting the blog for the past couple of days. Monday evening saw our neighbours' magnolia lit up by sunset against a black sky.

Yesterday, out with Bella spotted this iris in another neighbours' garden.

Further along our walk, there are still tulips to be seen. 

Even more tulips opened out and coming to the end of their flowering. 

Yellow tulips… 

This shrub shed its flower petals to form an orange carpet.

Even more tulips. 

And still more. 

This morning we went down into town. Caught the bus on Lansdown, where all the trees have burst into leaf.

Just what every home needs - an inflatable saxophone and guitar!

We went to the Little Theatre (Su's second visit in two days) to see The Lunchbox - a delightful film, and well worth catching if it comes your way,

Back at home, Florence next door's 1st birthday celebrations continued this afternoon.

Went out with Bella up to Brockham End, where we've not been for ages. They seem to be under new "management" 

Pretty flowers and new leaves. 

In the woods… 

A few remaining bluebells in the wood. 

Looking out over the Avon valley on a gentle Spring afternoon. 

This day a year ago, we were at Bath station on our way to Symi at last! This year, Su will be in Greece in 8 days, and I'll be there in 25!

Day 2 of Stand-in duties

Just in case you're missing him

I shouldn't really be here (UK) at all.

  

I should be here (Symi) but I'm not but will be next week. 

Meanwhile I've been making do with going here (Clevedon)

......and doing things that need to be done at home e.g. tying up the grapevine

 

and generally pottering around the garden while the sun shines.

Stand-in to the rescue!

Marcus is up to his eyes in marking so has asked me to do the blog today. I was going to have a theme - food - in honour of Bristol's Food Connections festival starting 1st May, but I could only find the pic of the bread I made yesterday.

.......until I found this one from a few month's ago.

 

........and then I took this pic just now of the "experiment" just out of the oven!

 

Decided to try the spelt and cider recipe from the w/e newspaper. It's still hot so can't try it but I fear it's a bit too rustic as it weighs too much for its size!

Last w/e I went to Bristol Botanic gardens to see their sculpture exhibition. Can't say I was that impressed but the woman who makes birds from recycled carrier bags is worth a mention...

 

And the pink angel was irrestible!

 

And as this blog is about Bella ....

Rain, Trees and Mystery Arrow

Off this morning doing a spot of computer support work up from Victoria Park, I wondered what this recently appeared arrow pointing down the hill was for.

Irises in the allotments looked good. 

Many shades of grey cloud looming over Bath, as the rain came and went while Bella and I wandered across the golf course down, and then back up, the hill 

Chestnut flower spikes and freshly washed leaves. 

Cow parsley has started coming out along the path here. 

Great colour to these new leaves. 

The rain came in with a vengeance for a while - luckily I was under a tree, and Bella didn't care!

Our next door neighbours had little Florence's first birthday today. The rest of my day has disappeared in marking - Su will be writing some guest blogs over the next week or so while I am so immersed, so posts should be a little more interesting!

This day a year ago,  the day started bright before I engaged in a spot of decorating.

Flowers, Sleepy Bee and Lunch

Out with Bella this morning, I spotted some pretty flowers

Front garden bed full of flowers. 

Pretty weeds growing in the cracks of the pavement. 

Black tulips I've not seen before. 

These bright tulips were being blown about in the wind.

A bee sunning itself outside our front door. 

These wallflowers are delightful with their old-fashioned colours. 

Papillon lavender on our windowsill. 

Going out at lunchtime, we saw this old Morris Minor on Lansdown. 

Where the road was lined with daffodils, it is now  edged with dandelions.

On the ring road we found ourselves behind this mobile warning sign - luckily no sudden braking happened while we were there.

This was our destination. 

We met up with Ben, who managed to avoid hitting his head on the low beams… 

… and Lena reviewing her picture of Ben under the beams. 

Later on, spotted these unusual daffodil-like flowers - several on one stem…

… and these lurid blooms, which are actually tulips. 

This day a year ago, I tried out my photo-stitching app on my new phone for the first time, and was pleased with the results.