Lords and Ladies

In my last post- about Cowslips- I mentioned that I had an exciting day today. Well, the other thing that made me ecstatic was finding the perfect example of a "Lords and Ladies" (or "Arum Maculatum"). I find them totally magical, and the absolute epitome of an Art Nouveau painting or sculpture. Now, these plants are by no means rare- the woodlands are full of them- but this Spring I have been unable to spot the perfect specimen to photograph- and this afternoon I found one that was particularly exotic. It's "hood", instead of the usual pale green, had wonderful purple veining on it. So here it is- as you can see, I could not stop taking photos, and these are only a few of them!

Cowslips

I had such an exciting day of discoveries today- on this post I will write about Cowslips: Only yesterday, a friend and I in Bath were mourning the local lack of Cowslips nowadays- then, when we were walking beside the Canal today I suddenly spotted, on the opposite side, a whole field of them. Luckily, there was a nearby bridge and I was able to cross the canal and clamber over a wire-netted fence to access the flowers. They are a favourite from my childhood- I have memories of my Grandmother in the Cotswolds teaching me how to make Cowslip Balls- or "Tisty Tost Balls" as they were sometimes known as. I gather children used to toss them to eachother singing:

"Tisty Tosty, tell me true,
Who will I be married to?
Tisty Tosty, Cowslip ball,
At my sweetheart's feet you'll fall"

but this I cannot claim to have done! However, here are some of the flowers:

Tree Reflections

I have written before of my fascination with reflections of trees in the nearby River Avon and the Canal. Today- walking my brother's Jack Russell, Rosie- I again became obsessed with both the clarity and the distortions of these reflections and at the risk of boring my readers I am going to show more images. That said, if I AM boring you, please TELL ME- it is so good to get some positive comments, whether good or bad....

Shadows on a Silver Birch tree:

Initially I was attracted by the fresh, bright green new leaves on this Silver Birch- but then what caught my eye was the shadows of these leaves on the tree trunk- so here are some of them, starting off with the bark itself:

April in England

Today was a very English April day- sunshine and clouds, wind and rain- apple blossom....so changeable and so pretty.

Willows by the Avon

Down by the River Avon again- where the nettles are growing high and the Willow trees make abstract patterns among them:

PINK 2

My second Pink Post is of the amazing pink Magnolia flowers in the Botanical Gardens in Bath- they are so fascinating and sculptural and painterly when you get really close to them. Have any readers got Pink flowers to share? it would be great to see them if you have.

PINK 1

I've got two pink posts to write up today, my first being pink Cherry blossom. Normally, I am a bit condescending of double cherry blossom, preferring the delicacy of the wild Cherry- or "Gean" as we always call it in Scotland- but in this instance I was overwhelmed with the outrageousness of these great pink pom-poms:

Daisies on The Meadow

“The Meadow” runs alongside the River Avon in Bath and has a life of its own, being where all the local dog owners walk their dogs, dogs and owners forming firm friendships as they meet, chatter and pass on. I always feel there is material for a “telly play” there, in the interactions of dogs and people. As in the Playgroup days when one was “Molly’s Mum”, often one just knows the dogs name and yet one gradually learns a section of their owners’ lives.

I don’t own a dog myself- life being too complicated as I move backwards and forwards between the UK and the US, but when I’m in Bath I regularly take my brothers’ Jack Russell, Rosie, for walks- hence my involvement with The Meadow life.

Over the Easter weekend I met one of my Meadow friends’ Granddaughter, a little girl called Daisy. Like all small children she liked picking flowers- so when Daisy picked a Daisy, and then a second one, I felt I had to take a photograph of Daisy holding Daisies….

In this post I am also including some images of my friends’ Whippet- the delightful, elegant and miraculously patterned Inigo Jones, posing among the Daisies on the Meadow. And I could not leave Rosie out, so the final image is of her and Inigo Jones on the river path- even though there are no Daisies!