Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
The hedgerows are changing colour as we transition from summer to autumn, and there are subtle shades of pink if you look closely. This was in the valley park yesterday, where Flora and George wore themselves out chasing swallows.
I hope you’re all feeling in the pink today, have a relaxed Sunday and join Becky’s challenge.
If you’re a certain age, you may have been given Rose Hip Syrup as a child. The bright red round and oval gems were used as a tonic to prevent winter colds because they’re rich in vitamin C. But did you also know they were baked in tarts, added to wine, marmalade and made into soup? Best of all, they were used as anti varicose vein tea!
Now, the only thing I’ve ever done with haws is mix them with crab apples to make jelly, what about you? Well apparently, since Roman times the cheerful sprays of berries have been picked not just for jellies and jams, but to make wine and as a cure for the headaches that drinking might have caused! Women also gathered them for dyeing their hair, I touched mine up yesterday, I wonder if it’s worth a try.
I’ve always fancied myself as a medicine woman, a curandera, perhaps in a previous life.
The still life at my feet
6WSJoin Debbie at Travel With Intent for 6WS
Two spotted orchids for my lovely friends, enjoy, especially if you’ve never seen one!.
Jude’s photo of oats earlier today reminded me of the seed heads I collected a couple of weeks ago, in the fields. I’d gone out without even a phone to take photos, so I took some home, planning to post them here, so that one of you clever people could identify for me.
So I dug them out, looked for a spot to snap, and there was my hat.
Aren’t they pretty? but I still don’t know what they are!
A lovely group of bloggers have decided to create a new weekly photograph challenge, now that WordPress no longer run theirs. This week it’s the turn of Leya, who has picked ‘cooling’ as the theme. She brings us an unusual riverscape in Switzerland, perfect for a cool down.
My choice is one of my favourite Devon rivers, the Bovey at – surprisingly – Bovey Tracey!
This is one of the places where my children paddled when they were little, our golden retriever Jassy beside them, great for a cool down in the water and shade.
Thanks Leyla!
I picked some wild cherries today
I’m sorry I’ve been a bit absent recently, nothing exciting, just enjoying a hot summer.
Outside of the building where I work stands this beautiful, large tree. For the last month it’s been blooming it’s little heart out, It has pointy leaves and bundles of tiny creamy yellow flowers.
Every morning as the sun warms and comes around to my side of the office, the pungent stench, fragrance wafts its way to my window. I can’t see it until I go outside and I don’t know what it is, but it’s driven me crazy, because it’s pollen hell and has really aggravated my asthma and hay fever, so I’d like to CHOP THE DAMN THING DOWN!
Anyone know what the monster is?
One of my favourite short walks takes me along the mill leat in the Riverside Valley Park. There are three bodies of water in the Valley Park, the canal, the river itself and the mill leat running roughly parallel, for about a kilometre. My walk begins less than a kilometre from the quay, at Salmon Pool Lane, where I pause on the bridge over the leat, hoping to spot a kingfisher.
No such luck.
There’s some major flood prevention work taking place on the river, so I head over to check it out.
This is the view up river.
And this is down. I can’t make any sense of it, but the work’s been going on for several years already. Retracing my steps I pause to admire what I call the photo posts ( they make a great setting for family photos).
Then it’s back to the path.
Where I find this Hairy Dragonfly lady, quite happy to pose for me.
The flora and fauna get together, and give each other a helping hand.
Now, I hope that someone can tell me what this wildflower is, Jude perhaps? I only saw one.
Flora and George are keen to get going now, it’s such a hot day, they’re tempted by the water.
As it’s shallow they give it a try.
But not for long.
Someone’s been busy.
Next we cross the wooden footbridge.
This is the point where the North Brook joins the leat, just before it re-joins the river.
So we walk across the wooden footbridge.
The dogs know there’s rabbits around, but they have no hope of catching them.
The bright green plant intrigued me, it’s further away than it looks, could it be a Gunnera escaped from a garden?
We’re getting close to Mill Road now, the Mill was an overgrown ruin when I was a child. A grade 2 listed building, it belongs to the city council, and quite a lot of restoration has taken place. The first mill was built in 1284 by Countess Isabela. It was powered by the leat and was used to grind corn, but from the 1630’s paper making using rags began. Through the 18th and early 19th century, the quality of paper produced changed to good writing paper, notes for private banks and news print for the Times of India. In 1816 a fire destroyed the old mil and this replacement was built.
At it’s height, 200 people were employed, the Industrial revolution was here and it was one of the first to install machines.
Once rag paper was replaced with wood pulp, the mill went into decline, such a shame. I’ve always been interested in the building, it’s so striking.
I think it would make a fabulous hostel, for walkers on the long distance South West Coast Path, just a hop, skip and a jump down the road. With a café and interpretation centre wouldn’t it be nice? If only the council thought so too!
I’m sharing with Jo, for her Monday Walk, the first time for ages, Jo save me until another time, you’re probably all set for tomorrow already. 🙂
Lucid Gypsy 