Wonderful walks

My Birthday Walk was lovely, just lovely. A warm sunlit evening at Osmington Mills - a small hamlet perched on the cliffs, really just a pub and a few houses. I had asked for a surprise, but hoped it could include a walk by the sea. My lovely girlfriends had bought me a wonderful present of a tree peony from Kelways (a past Chelsea exhibitor) They asked for a purplish pink one and apparently according to its label, this plant should be white! The proprietor said it is one of the unique variety rockii, and they responded that their friend too was unique. Aaaaah.



Here are a few of my Piddle Valley friends plus LLF and Youngest Daughter after the formal presentation of peony and cards and the traditional song. And the plant itself. Very special.


We then walked for a while along the cliffs by the beautiful blue sea. A magical evening, with the sound of the sea below and birdsong above. A snap of the LLF and YD with Portland aka The Isle of Doom in the background (strange place)



A few weeks ago we organised a Crocus Walk in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer with some of the same ladies involved. It really started as a chance to have an enjoyable stroll through the delightful Dorset countryside, ending up in a tea room for tea and cake! But we get sponsored for charity too.

This is the third year we had done it, and this year Gill and I did a recce but I havent yet posted the photos of the actual event. I took a short video of the tea at the tea rooms, but cant work out how to upload it. So till then - here are some snaps!

A confident start with T-shirt and balloons at the ready! We called in to the lovely church at Moreton, with recent windows etched by Laurence Whistler. It is so full of light and the windows are poignant and wonderful. This one is a memorial to a pilot - its worth a closer look to see the tail of the plane and the smoke trail of the dogfight, and Salisbury Cathedral.

A tense moment as we cross a boggy stream, left in the aftermath of some planned tree clearance of the pine forest. One of our number asks for help in a fit of lack of confidence!

Some amazing pine cones found on the forest floor. We all ended up carrying one as maces or weapons of war, or even a disguise!





The final destination and my first cream tea of the year, with myself and LLF (who is now an Honorary Lady having proved she can buy a round of drinks too) to the forefront. Incidentally we raised £125 for Breakthrough on the way.