Raindrops

Over the last few days we have had some much needed rain. Friday in particular it seemed to rain all day. This is a fairly typical start to the school holidays and must be a bit depressing for parents with school age children.

The next morning everywhere was still dripping which actually gives quite an attractive effect on the flowers in the garden.

Some look positively soggy!

It quite changes the look of some leaves.

All the rain has freshened the garden and will help the fruit grow.

Now we are ready for some sunshine again!

Further Back in Time

Stonehenge is an ancient monument which has worldwide renown. It sits on the hills outside Salisbury known as Salisbury Plain. I have visited this World Heritage Site many times over the years. I am lucky enough to have been able to walk right up to the stones and touch them. These days the visitors have to stay behind the ropes. Both the girls have grown up a bit since our last visit seen here below.

 We used to frequently pass Stonehenge when visiting relatives and on my travels back and forth from college and it was always looked smaller every time you see it. It was also a good comfort stop being about halfway there and having a good size car park. These days you can't do that.

The road passing directly past Stonehenge has been closed although you can still spot it from the A303. The car park has now been moved up the road away from the historically sensitive area and is situated with a brand new visitor centre. A bus service then conveys visitors on down to the site.

 On our trip back from Old Sarum we were in need of a cup of tea. The farmer had already bemoaned the fact that Old Sarum didn't have a tea rooms and that being after 4pm most tea shops would be closed. The truth is the farmer was hoping for a cream tea... So we decided to stop at Stonehenge visitor centre which stays open until 8pm. A cup of tea was achieved and a very tasty signature rock cake as well. There were only a few moans at the absence of the cream tea and the cardboard cup from the farmer!

Before continuing home we had a quick wander around the visitor centre where there is a collection  of replica Neolithic houses giving an idea of how people would have been living 4500 years ago.

I was amused to see that I had inadvertently caught something more modern in the background. The English Heritage bus transporting visitors to Stonehenge.

Another exhibit is a model of one of the stones being transported to Stonehenge.

Although it may look authentic it is only made of fibreglass or something equally hollow.

There was no time to stop and visit the stones themselves but we were quite amazed to see that the admission price is £17. It certainly wasn't putting the throngs of visitors off. In reality we would be able to visit for free as National Trust members. No doubt we will be coming this way again one day soon when we have more visitors. It is indeed a must to see if you go that way.

Old Sarum

Yesterday we went on a trip to collect a chair from an auction rooms near Salisbury. This took us close to what is considered to be the early Salisbury. Old Sarum's raised position gives wonderful views over the surrounding land.

We started out from the car park with a walk around the double ramparts.

Old Sarum goes back to 400 BC when it was an Iron Age Fort. It would have been an ideal location for viewing in all directions and the now overgrown ramparts would have acted as added security.

They now make a pleasant walk.

Evidence of the next occupiers, the Romans can be seen with the straight Roman roads approaching Old Sarum.

It is soon evident from walking round that the sight was occupied later on.

Soon after the Norman Conquest a castle was built here and became a Royal Palce in the 12th Century for Henry 1 and later Henry 11. There are random parts of the walls left but it is pretty difficult to imagine it as a palace.

Behind the palace was the first Salisbury Cathedral, the layout of which is easy to see.

It was not that long before there were disputes between the church and the state and by 1220 a new Catherdral was built on the present site and a market town built up round it. The spire of the cathedral is clear to be seen for many a mile.

It now makes a pleasant place to visit and is used by many for picnics, dog walking and historical visits. 

It is a location that I had heard of and passed close to many times so it was interesting to take the time to actually explore it.

Take Three Thursday: Sweet Peas

I am today joining Mary Lou with her Take Three Thursday choosing three photos with a theme in common. The sweet peas are now coming on nicely. The ones in the main garden are flowering profusely.

The ones in our garden are always behind. Their position is not so sunny but the ones in the pot are coming on well.

So today I have chosen 3 pictures of the beautiful blooms.

You will have to imagine the scent as you walk past them. Hmmm gorgeous!

Walkies

When I took Monty for a walk this afternoon gues who decided to come along?

It is not unusual for the cats to follow but today Socks saw me getting ready to go for a walk and shot out of the house to follow. He then kept rolling on the ground in my pathway!

We walked along by one of the barley fields which is nearly ready to harvest.

Someone was having great fun in the barley.

Luckily he wasn't interested in the hedgerow.

Then it was time for a play in the grass.

One thing was for sure Socks was not going to come and have his photo with the hens!

Flower Art in Sidmouth

During our visit to Sidmouth we took a walk around a couple of parks. Blackmore Park is the old grounds of a house that has been demolished. Like last year there are a couple of flower tableaux. This  'Nessie' who has roamed a long way from Scotland.

I rather like his face.

Then in the next part. A Wind in the Willows tableau. 

As well as toad there are other characters.

The others are hidden around the garden.

This donkey was also by the bowling green.

There is a tranquil conservatory with a Passion flower growing across the whole of the roof.

The whole of Sidmouth is an array of flowers and the Connaught Gardens that I mentioned yesterday are a mixture of formal and more casual planting. I took very few pictures of these mainly I think because I was too busy drinking tea and ice cream eating! 

I did however take one of the wildflower planting that was superbly colourful.

Day Trip

A lot of you may recall that I help with a lunch club for the elderly once a month. The money that we raise from this is put towards a trip out in July for the members and helpers. A popular destination all round is Sidmouth and we returned there again this year. The day was dull but not raining and amongst other things we enjoyed a walk along the front.

We stopped as last year at the lifeboat station and bought some Christmas cards. Let's not forget that it's only 5 months away! 

One of the most interesting sections of the seafront is the east end where the path is carved into the cliff.

This boat looked somewhat neglected or perhaps just secured against floating away.

Steps have been made to climb to the top of the cliff to access the Connaught Gardens.

Best perhaps not to look back down.

The climb is worth it for the view.

Note the lone swimmer!

The climb is also worth it for the clock tower tea rooms.

It is set in Connaught Gardens and includes many different outlooks on the coast.

Something else of note was this plaque which was one of many around the town.

This one I thought would be an interesting possibility for No. 21 A Plaque in the Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt. Just in case you can't read it here is a close up.