Our home just outside Herefordshire for the last three nights - owned by the Landmark Trust, it has an amazing medieval wooden raftered ceiling as its centrepiece.
Packed and tidied this morning - eating up leftovers, filling the dishwasher, emptying the bins. Got out just in time for 10 and the housekeeper's arrival.
On to the delightful National Trust Weir Garden. A gorgeous woodland garden full of huge beeches, other interesting trees and spring flowers on slopes rising above the river Wye. Also with a rockery with vibrant acers. High in the trees was a rookery. Sophie and Anna found a spot to sketch. The kitchen garden was still a work in process.
A quick sandwich in the picnic area before saying our goodbyes and heading home. Ok for the first part but of course as soon as we neared London it got very snarly. Must have been nearer 5 hours altogether. And of course, bearing in mind we had the fullest car we've had in a long while, there wasn't a space to be had in the road. Very grumpy at having to lug crates, cool bags, drinks bags and suitcases all the way from the next road.
Unpacked a bit and had toast and tea. Spoke to Rachel who'd left a message yesterday. The other person we'd shared a house with many years ago, Edwin, died last week of cancer. I wasn't close to him, in fact hadn't liked him much, but still a sad way to go and far too early.
3 good things
1. The striking half timbered tower of the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Stretton Sugwas where we stopped briefly on route to the Weir Garden.
2. Spring flowers in the Weir Garden - bluebells, celandine, wild garlic, anemones, fleabane, violets, forget-me-nots and lots of bees.
3. A huge rookery in the Garden also - rooks noisily cawing in the tree tops and young ones in the nests.
The Weir Garden
https://365project.org/boxplayer/extras/2022-04-25
25 April 2022
Hereford
I think time spent with great friends is time well spent.
Wonderful