Blossom in the Garden

The cherry tree looks good...



...but there is one downside - a pond full of blossom.



Seaside garden plants - a euphorbia...



and an unidentified grass.



Sue's solution to letting the chickens have fresh grass but not letting them create havoc.

The Garden at the end of January

The snowdrops have started to appear during the last week.



There is the odd splash of colour elsewhere - Cotoneaster horizontalis



and the Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'



We have decided it's time to do something to the border that runs along the bottom of our neighbours garden. The fence is about to collapse (replacing that may feature in a future blog) but for now we have decided to remove the cherry tree which shades the border in Summer and is not a very good shape. It doesn't look very tall in this photo...



... but when you are vertically challenged....



....you call in the professionals - or you hack at the upper branches, trying to ensure you don't decapitate yourself in the process and try to look as if you know what you are doing by wearing a hard hat.



Annie and Clarabelle decided to have a dust bath as far away from us as possible.



Only when we had finished for the day did they re-appear. You will note that the trunk is still standing. I decided it will be a nice feature but I think it has an appointment with a chainsaw sometime soon.

A walk in the snow

The last shopping Saturday before Christmas and what do we get - more snow. I decided walking into town would be better than driving.



The Jack Fairman Pub



Our very own department store



The Foresters looking very seasonal



On the way home again looking back into town the snow was getting heavier.



Just the weather for Father Chhristmas



Compare with the first picture which was taken about an hour earlier



A snowman




The garden by lunchtime



The chickens were desperate to find bare ground to scratch in.

Proper Snow - the sort that isn't fun when you have to travel

Yesterday I failed to get home - instead I stayed with friends in Fleet. Today I left work today at 11:45, got to Victoria Station at noon, finally got a train to Gatwick at 12:45, got stuck at Purley Oaks for 20mins as a train had broken down in front of mine and finally got to Gatwick at 2pm.

This is the view looking towards Gatwick Railway Station.



South Terminal Gatwick Airport - nothing is moving



The long walk home from Gatwick alongside the railway line



A large expanse of snow on the roundabout on the 'Garden' Estate



Despite the parcity of decorations the town centre looks quite seasonal



The best Florist in Horley (until yesterday when the owner sold the business!)



The War Memorial with the wreaths from Remembrance Sunday still in place


The park looks quite picturesque



Walking down the road this dog came running towards me



Home - this is the cleanest Mavis the car has looked for a long time.



The raised pond is partially frozen



Unhappy chickens...



...but a very happy dog

Churches along the Stour near Stratford

Another trip to the Midlands and the chance to look at a few churches along the Stour just south of Stratford upon Avon.

First ; St David’s Church, Newbold on Stour. Unfortunately the church wasn’t open so I just had a quick wander around outside. The church was built and consecrated in 1833. It was restored in 1884. The spire was removed in 1948.



Just down the road was St Mary and Holy Cross Church, Alderminster. The church had just been opened!

The earliest part of the church dates back to the 12th century, with the chancel and tower dating from the 13th century. Work was also carried out in the 14th century. Then in 1873 and 1884 a major restoration was carried out with significant re-building although old materials and features were re-used. The church is actually two churches in one with the Church of the Holy Cross with an alter in the nave under the tower and the Conventual Church (a church attached or belonging to a convent or monastery) of Our Lady in the chancel.



Finally, St Mary’s Church, Preston on Stour.

Preston on Stour is actually off the main road but well worth the visit. It has a collection of old houses including this black and white one on the green. It still retains a village shop and post office.



The church has medieval origins but the oldest part now is the late 15th century tower. The remainder of the church from that period was subject to major restoration and in the case of the chancel, rebuilding, in 1753-57.


This church was also open and looked very impressive with sunlight shining though the clear glass of he nave windows making it bright inside. The 15th century panelled timber roof with its carved bosses stood out.



Wandering back to the car I looked over a garden wall to see a collection of fancy chickens – it will need someone more expert than me to identify them.

A day in the Life of Dobbin - Saturday 23 October 2010

The day started with a trip to





to fill the car with petrol.

This was followed by a haircut.

Back home by 8:30 I was cleaning out the chickens.



Only one egg this morning



By 9:15 Skye and I were on Reigate Heath with too many golfers



It had rained quite heavily in the night much to Skye’s delight





Happy Dog!



Take Skye home, quick change of clothes and by 10:30 its back in the car and the joys of the M25 to collect Grandma from Woking.



Lunch at the Skimmington Castle by Reigate Heath. Very good liver and bacon. The Skimmington Castle started life as a farm 400 years ago. It became a pub in 1825. http://www.skimmingtoncastle.co.uk/index.php



A dead tree in the car park stood out in the sunlight.



Then drive to the Harlequin in Redhill to meet up with Matthew to watch The Opera Clup of Reigate and Redhill perform Beauty and the Beast (costume pictures to come on later blog)- What I saw of the show was really good






Unfortunately I had to leave the show with Matthew at the half time interval in order to get him home and then onto





So he could start work at 5pm.
Feed dog.
Put chickens away.
Drive back to Redhill.
Collect Grandma from Harlequin and drive back to Woking (arrive 6:15pm)
Curry with Grandma watching Felicity tango on Strictly
Drive back to Horley.
10pm : its back to



To collect Matthew from work.