A Local Walk

We're experiencing warm, sunny weather at the moment so I took advantage of it and took a walk on Saturday afternoon while Mr P was resting after a morning of gardening.  I've come to appreciate the trails that I can walk not far from home even if most of them are at the top end of our hilly village. Further out from this village in the north-west of the city we have open countryside and the many reservoirs managed by Yorkshire Water called "The Lakeland Loop".

The area is crisscrossed by old routes once used by packhorses and other horse-drawn carriers.  These trails were important to the local economy and are now used as a leisure resource.  Heritage Highways have created a number of walks, horse rides and bike routes to help local people explore the rich history of the area.  The British Horse Society has sponsored the research needed to train up volunteers so that the trails and bridleways are well maintained and sign posted.

Below are some of the photos I took on Saturday's walk not far from home.  The trees are back to life in full leaf now and there are many wild flowers to be enjoyed along the way (even in the new park at the top of our road where the grass has been left long and many species of wild flowers were planted last year along the edge of the playground).

 English bluebells are still blooming in shady places. 

It was a joy to hear the birds singing and capture this little sparrow pecking the ground for insects among the fallen new leaves.

Back near home I was pleased to see the wisteria flowers that droop down so prettily.   Back in our own garden the neighbour's hawthorn tree that gives shelter to garden birds in the Spring and Summer months and berries to feed on in the Autumn and Winter was looking beautiful against the clear blue sky.

Thank you for coming by.  I hope you have a pleasant week whatever you're doing. 

A Walk in Ecclesall Woods

It has been a while since we've been in Ecclesall Woods, but yesterday a shopping trip took us along the leafy roads that go through them.  It's early for the English bluebell flowers that grow in these ancient woods, but as we parked up in our usual lay-by spot we could see them through the openings in the fence.  In a week or two they'll be at their best and there'll be a haze of blue in these woods.  

A wood is my favourite kind of habitat.  In the Springtime the young beech leaves are a vivid lime green. There are starry-shaped wood anemones, quantities of wild garlic leaves, golden yellow celandines and the beauty of the delicate English bluebells.

It was rather a cloudy day yesterday (and it's the same today) so it wasn't the best weather for a walk in the woods and photo taking, but it was a good morning out-and-about in an area that's a great green space for the local community.  

Friday Five: Our Garden in August

Due to very little rainfall over the Summer the water company that maintains the reservoirs has just imposed a hosepipe ban in this region and probably other water companies have done the same.  This is no problem for us as having lived in Italy we know about the need to conserve water in a dry season.  Plants in the covered yard get watered with bowls of washing up water and there's still some rainwater in the outside water butt.  The weedy-looking sunflowers, especially those in the front garden, have survived and have grown quite tall.  The grapes that Mr P grows by the wall have developed, but probably won't ripen so the bunches will be left for the birds as usual.  Mr P pruned the top branches of the magnolia tree as it was growing too tall. There was a recent appearance of flowers and the tree looks healthy.  The hydrangeas are colourful at the moment although the flower heads will eventually dry out.

The roses continue to produce buds and flowers as I routinely go around deadheading them.  The English lavender is still attracting bees.  I shall cut and gather the stems of the lavender bushes once the flower heads have dried out.  I'll put the stems in paper bags and store them.  Some dry flowers fall into the bags, but usually I keep them as stems as I like the fragrance of lavender in the house. The French lavender which is tender and won't survive frost has been re-potted and remains in the covered yard over the Winter months.  It's time to gather some seeds from dry seed heads especially the antirrhinums and favourite types of poppy.

When daughter D was staying with us we enjoyed gardening together with Mr P.  We planted the salvia bush Hot Lips (above) that I bought at the local Wentworth Woodhouse Garden Centre.  Hopefully it'll get established and fill out.  

English lavender, different kinds of fuschia and white heather - there's still colour from seasonal flowers in the garden.

As I sit quietly in our garden I'm still seeing butterflies - Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown or Gatekeeper.  They might appear drab-looking and their life cycle is fleeting because they live for only a short while, but I'm pleased to see small creatures in the garden. We've had a baby toad (or it could be a frog) in our garden that hides in the vegetation and then jumps out to give me a surprise, but it's welcome as we've had fewer slugs and other garden pests to deal with this Summer.  

There are more figs that are almost ready for gathering.  The small, green ones are unlikely to develop further. They'll eventually shrivel up, stay on the branches or drop to the ground.

I hope you have a good new month wherever you live. We've been pleased with our vegetable and fruit harvest. More figs were gathered along with lots of French beans that have been processed and put in the freezer, more tomatoes have been bottled and the sweet corn husks are filling out etc. Yesterday Mr P trimmed the hedge again especially around the back where it gets less attention.

Happy September!  Thank you for visiting.

 Linking with Riitta's Friday Bliss # 207