A Garden Centre Visit

I'm so grateful that we have a garden and I'm mobile enough to be able to be out in the fresh air, appreciate the plants that are still flowering and in a small way prepare for the Springtime by planting up some pots of bulbs.  A visit to the local garden centre and the high street was this week's plan of action.  I was also looking forward to meeting my friend for a coffee and a chat.  You may recall that I didn't get to meet up with her a few weeks back because of the extremely hot weather at the time.  We also changed the venue to a café on the high street so that my friend didn't have to walk far from the bus stop and we certainly enjoyed our time together.  

The day before Mr P and I went to the local garden centre - a five minute drive along the Loxley Valley.  It was also an opportunity to take in the beauty of the countryside.  Again it was a break from our domestic routine and television watching of national and international news events.  

The garden centre is a big one and I always enjoy seeing the seasonal flower displays, this time with an autumnal theme.

Retail centres and individual shops are displaying photos of Queen Elizabeth II as a sign of respect at this time and the garden centre was no exception.  I was touched by the photo of the Queen and Prince Philip. 

Mr P and I had a leisurely walk around the garden centre site and we even sat down and had a coffee and a chocolate brownie cake. 

Before going back home we stopped in the lane in a safe place as I had spotted a newly engraved stone that had been placed in a parking place by Bradfield Parish Council.  Robin of Loxley, that is the mythical Robin Hood based on a real person, is said to have been born in Loxley.  Whether true or not it's an interesting story.  There are so many paths to walk around our neighbourhood.  This one is next to Loxley House and one that I hope to walk along another day.  The leaves on the trees are beginning to change colour especially the horse chestnuts demonstrating Autumn is with us.  

A 'conker' (the glossy brown seed of the horse chestnut tree) 

lay on the ground among the fallen dry leaves of the tree.

Back at home the bulbs and seeds are ready to be planted in pots or in the flower beds.  

Once more thank you for coming by.  Have a good day.  

Lower Bradfield and Seeing Rainbows

Daughter D took this photo from the middle of the stepping stones, something that I've never done!  The water in Agden Beck by the bridge wasn't very deep. Sometimes when the water is higher they can be slippery.  I've known her boys to have crossed the stream using the stepping stones when they've come for a visit.

Someone has had fun balancing these stones one on top of another.
How's it done we wonder?

Further along the water channel the stream opens up into a wider place with a shallow weir where the ducks can swim, make nests and generally shelter away from visitors although they're always happy to swim or walk over to say "hello".

We wandered along the lane and sat in the garden of The Plough Inn.  From the look of that pile of logs the inn is ready for the colder months. There's a large inglenook fireplace inside.

Honeysuckle and clematis are still in full flower.

There's a view of Foxholes Farm at the back of the pub garden which is surrounded by farmland.

Sitting in the garden looking the other way we could see St Nicholas' Church high up on the hill at High Bradfield.

The evening was drawing in and we didn't stay long.  A faint rainbow over the fields indicated that despite the fact that the sun was setting there was rain not far away too and it was time to head home.

On our way home we stopped to take a look at the decorated mural on the walls of the bus stop shelter next to the local school. It has been designed and painted by the schoolchildren and funded by Bradfield Parish Council. It looks like exterior improvements to the school building and the road outside the school entrances have been going on during the school closure and Summer holiday period.  No doubt everything will be completed in time for the children to be welcomed back to school.   

Here's the school taken a few years ago during one of my local walks.

Thanks for calling in.  Have a lovely day and a good September!