Mellifluous May

In May I mostly enjoyed:

Listening to the birds and hearing the first cuckoo of the year

Smelling the wild garlic and cow parsley on my walks

Mowing lots of lawns - on one occasion getting my coat caught in the mower caused a bit of a wobbly stripe in a customer's lawn!

Eating home made oat biccies

Winning two bottles of wine on the tombola at the village spring fete!

Nosing around private gardens in the Cathedral Close

Pedalling a pedalo

We had a grand day out in Poole to celebrate Sarah's Dad's 94 birthday!  The weather was kind to us for a change.  We had a sumptuous lunch in The Customs House overlooking the boats.

Ken enjoying the sun and doing a bit of people watching

We went on an hour boat trip around Poole harbour (the second largest natural harbour in the world) and saw five islands, the Dorset lakelands, the Isle of Purbeck, Sandbanks (which has the fourth highest land value in the world - and it is just a spit of sand!!) and Brownsea Island.

We had a very cute yellow boat

Why can't the weather always be like this?!

We didn't get off at Brownsea Island but I would love to go there one day and see if I can spot a red squirrel.

Brownsea Island - managed by the National Trust and over 500 acres of woodland

Sarah and Ken relaxing on board

In complete contrast, our day out to visit Maisie in London was absolutely freezing!

Town mouse and country mouse

Lunch in the Founders Arms on the South Bank - as usual!  Trying to get warm.

Not many customers for the frozen yogurt today!

We had a stroll through Regents Park

and had a go on the pedalos - we took turns in pedalling

Wasn't too happy with the water being about an inch below the side of the boat!

I crawled off the boat at the end in a very undignified, middle aged manner whilst Esme just stood up and ran off!  We warmed up afterwards with tea and cake in a cafe in Baker Street.

Spring finally arrived......

Things are growing at last

I have the sun lounger in place ready 

Rape seed causing me aggro

Sweeties.....

Frank inspecting my newly weeded path

Big Dog absorbing some rays man

Lily's out

Another cold, freezing day (grrrrrr.....).   Big Dog did a sponsored walk in aid of the RSPCA - 'Big Walkies' in Bournemouth with about 300 dogs.  You could choose to do 2.5 or 4K.  Big Dog was so excited that we did the longer one.

We started at West Cliff Gardens

Bournemouth Pier in the mist

Nobody on the beach today!

All the dogs ran on the beach

We had another (fed up with our weather) grim day for our snoop around the Cathedral Close gardens.  10 private gardens were open to the public in aid of the Friends of Salisbury Cathedral which has 3000 members and raises money to preserve the future of the Cathedral.  Nearly £7,000 was raised that day and over 750 people were as nosy as us!

It was lovely to see the garden of Arundells, the home of Sir Edward Heath

Arundells has a 2 acre medieval walled garden

which backs on to the confluence of the river Avon and Nadder

This is the bow of one of Sir Edward Heath's yachts and is a memorial to 2 crew members who lost their lives when it sank in 1974

A favourite garden was Myles Place. 

They have a resident baby owl!

Myles Place - good stripes

Getting ideas for the veggie patch dear?

The South Canonry - home to the Bishop of Salisbury and also 4 trees over 300 years old!

Very neat veggie patch

I took the chance to get a look at some of Sophie Ryder's great sculptures

We visited 9 of the 10 gardens open so I lost track of where these next pics are from!

Nice log store

If no one had been around.....

I'd like a path like this

The College of Matrons, founded in 1682 was another favourite of mine.  Each matron has an area of garden to tend.  

The College of Matrons - Another beautiful and peaceful space.  You wouldn't believe you were right next to the High Street

Lots of garden talk going on

I so enjoy the longer evenings, strolling with Big Dog.

Watching the wildlife

Then back for a snooze.....

Well, it's 20th June as I type this - the first day of summer!  I had to drive to work down the middle of the road this morning (nothing new) to avoid the floods and it hasn't stopped raining all day.  It is heading to be the wettest June on record so I'm off to buy a pair of flippers and a snorkel......