Gifts from the gods or passing planes

Its that time of year, time for a crocus walk in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Last year's walk with The Ladies is chronicled in Wonderful Walks and the one in 2006 was Time For Tea.
I missed the company of the LLF this year, but it didnt coincide with one of her visits from London.


We set off from the car park that has the best view of the Cerne Abbas Giant, but we were headed away from him towards the high walk around the remote valley of Up Cerne. Yes, its upstream from Cerne Abbas, and Nether Cerne is downstream. Truly. Honestly.


We were rewarded with hidden views of bluebells in the small woods. And startled deer, quietly grazing in this still and secluded spot. We could see other small bands across the valley on the other slopes, but to see them up close is a treat indeed. No time for a photograph, I just drank in the scene with my inboard camera! Also a huge hare in the middle of a field.

We commented that it must be one of the quietest places in Dorset. All we could hear were skylarks - and the wind. Despite the well used track, we actually lost our way. But it didnt matter. We also found some strange crystalline looking objects at the edge of a field, that had scorched grass all around them. Quite large. After much discussion, we reckoned it was frozen loo stuff, evacuated from a passing jet, miles up. Couldnt be anything else really. Unless you have other ideas?

As we got back to the cars, there was a gentle sprinkling of rain - a sort of heavenly blessing on our charitable venture. But later found that in Piddlehinton (yes the real name of the village of most of the Ladies) it had been lashing it down. I drove on down the valley to Charminster for Sunday evening bell ringing to find thunder crashing all around! Blessed indeed by good weather from the gods.

There is nothing quite like a cup of tea in a real Dorset village tea room. That's me with last year's T-shirt. I had a cream tea, the first of the year! Hurrah for spring!

Daffodils

Wordsworth may have seen a "host of golden daffodils" in the wild, but now they come in so many different varieties. Each autumn I try to buy a few more bulbs that will spread the flowering season and add delight - small, large, multi-headed, wonderful colours. Anything but just golden. I had a nearly pink trumpeted one, but it failed to arrive on the earth's surface this year.

Here is a gallery, taken all on one morning - I havent got a clue of any of their names!