Happy New Year

 All the best for 2021. Let's hope it's a better one, and that the pandemic is under control.

It's been very cold here for the last few days and it snowed in the Cotswolds. I took this photograph in the car on the way back from Stow-in-the-Wold.

A Winter's Tale

For our second day out after self-isolation we decided to go to Stratford-upon-Avon. We wandered around town for a bit. It was a bright sunny day, but bitterly cold. The light was amazing, giving some of the buildings a rosy golden hue.

We visited the Montpelier gallery and then headed towards the river

which had burst its banks, obliterating the path. 

As you can see from this photograph, the benches are in the water

and the bandstand is sitting in the middle of a lake.

The swans were able to swim on the flooded path

and then, we could go no further, as the path was completely submerged. 

So, we retraced our steps and walked along the road until we were able to get to Shapespeare's garden, 

past this round building

and this building, the use of I am not sure about.

The path here is on a higher ground so we were able to walk along

past this tree with its Chistmas decorations

bright sunshine turned the branches of this tree golden

We arrived at the Holy Trinity church

the trees along the church avenue had been covered with knitted jackets

The church was closed

We went round the back, marvelled at this tree trunk and decided that we were not ready to go home yet. So, we retraced our steps, back down to the theatre, across the bridge, and on the other side of the river.

The big wheel, a new addition for the winter, was operational, even though only two cars were being used.

The berries of this tree shone bright red in the sunshine.

We had hoped to get near the river but that proved impossible - everything was submerged.

So we took another path that under normal circumstances is quite far from the water, but that too, came to an end soon, water everywhere

The bandstand that normally sits in the middle of the green, stood in the middle of water

The river had increased ten-fold in size

This is the path we were originally on

and the water was flowing really fast

water everywhere

including most of the Recreation Ground which was on our left.

So, we retraced our steps and walked along the tramline hoping to get down to the river that way 

more flooding on the Recreation Groud on our right

the children's playground totally submerged.

we came to the end of the old tramline

we turned right onto this narow path that would take us to the river

We were really enjoying our walk and then we came upon a patch of ice and I slipped and fell. I was fortunately able to walk back, but by early evening I could not put any weight on my left foot at all. So, we ended up in casualty, where I was told that fortunately, it was a sprain. So, two days after our self-isolation ended, I am back to being stuck at home, barely able to walk. But, I was lucky it could have been much worse....

Happy Christmas

 

Happy Christmas and all the best.

A difficult Christmas, during testing times, but, things will get better and we need to hold on to this thought.

This is a photograph of my sister and me when we were kids taken at the department store Minion in Athens. 

Blooms in winter

We've had some lovely sunny days, but also lots of rain and grey skies, the latter reflecting the mood in the country as a whole. Meanwhile, our new garden is thriving and flowers are appearing in the midst of all the grey.

The pieris japonica is doing really well.

The daphne is full of buds 

This plant, I don't recall its name, is full of flowers, even though it normally flowers in the spring.

The hellebores are doing very well

rain drops on the petals

buds on this one

Lots of flowers on the liriope

Another japonica at the other end of the garden

The white camellia is budding

as is the red one

Another helebore is full of buds.

Nature continues its work regardless of the havoc humans are unleashing.