Yesterday the weather was so good, the light was clear and the skies were blue. It was time for another walk and an exploration of a park nearer to where we live than the big park where I go to the library. It's about five minutes walk from where we live, but I've never been in it. Actually, it's more of a recreation ground for a housing estate, but at the same time there are wooded areas, high banks and downhill grassland and, therefore, suitable for a quiet walk.
Here we are at the far side of the field. In the distance you can see a residential home for the elderly and that was the way into the park through an entrance on a road by the buildings.
On the other side of the field, being high up, I could see the the wooded hills of the Loxley Valley.
A willow tree that has fallen, but is still alive.
I could just imagine children running up and down the grassy banks, playing football, racing around in the wooded areas, but there was no-one around except a lady out walking with her dog. The nearby primary school, of course, is closed, locked up and silent.
I walked a little way along a path that leads to the housing estate and could hear children playing in a garden over the other side of the fence. The gardens are quite big and it's probably safer to play there where a parent can see them.
Can you see the owl ornament on top of the fence? Owls are popular as a mascot around our area of Sheffield.
I walked back up onto the field.
There was a sycamore tree glowing in the bright sunshine...
and a cherry tree showing the first signs of developing fruit.
There was a tree with fluffy catkins which is probably an aspen.
I liked the way someone, (a park keeper) had painted the trunk of this sapling (possibly a preservative) and then painted a pattern in white paint on the railings.
I walked on to the park entrance and passed the old people's home. There were people in the gardens that are surrounded by thick beech hedges and flowering shrubs such as yellow broom.
At the top of the short road which acts as a drive into the park is a church and the primary school....
and at the crossroads the shops are the nearest to where we live which includes the post office and small store.
Here there's a sculpture of woodland animals carved in wood which I've featured before on the blog. It has weathered considerably since I shared photo images in 2013 and I'll show more closeups another time.
This was another tree glowing in the sunshine. I think it's some kind of oak judging by the leaves.
holly flowers
A Prunus Padus or bird cherry is an ornamental tree with white flowers growing in the grounds of the sports centre and charity centre hub that's also closed and locked up at the moment.
The ancient village stocks outside the pub.
Inside the pub a rainbow paper chain has been created for display.
On the fence of the sports centre community hub children have been encouraged to put up their drawings.
I'm back at the corner of the road where we live.
There are even more flowers on the rosemary bush.
The peonies are just coming out in the front garden.
The hawthorn tree in the neighbour's garden behind our hedge in the back garden is now in full bloom.
I hope you enjoyed the walk. Have a good day.