A PROMISING MORNING!

This morning was overcast but with that promise of a warm, sunny day later on. Today was a short walk, as Jenny had another long, busy day ahead!  She hasn't manage to sort that work/life balance out yet...

We couldn't resist looking at the flowers, including bluebells in white, pink as well as blue, a creamy magnolia and the wild garlic which is in full flower, as we walked down to look at the well-known Shepton landmark, the Babysham Bambi - shown below. This popular 60's icon has been in the news lately and even has a petition to save it! Jeff Body, a well known local sculptor - it is his 'rock flock' of sheep that are on the roundabout coming into the town - is leading a campaign to save it as the imminent closure of the Shepton Cider Mill puts its future in doubt...

We did a spot of window shopping before walking back through the park.  Jenny took time out to look at what snacks and drinks are available in the open air Collett Park Cafe - see above.  I expect business will pick up now that the weather is getting warmer!

These beautiful wedding cakes, which are putting a bit of glamour into an empty shop window, have been baked by mum-of-three, Holly Miller.  She has recently set up her own business making eye-catching wedding and special event cakes.  She was inspired by the bold and theatrical cakes baked by her mother for family birthdays!

Jenny, in the photograph above, is looking at the bee-inspired window which I helped to put together at the One Craft Gallery.  The hat, made from bee material, is part of it and has been made by Liz Oliva, the fabulous hat maker, whose house and workshop I visited and reported on, last December...

The animal most connected with Shepton's history is, of course, sheep, and we found plenty of examples in the carpet shop and tourist information centre.  They even have some of Jeff Body's smaller sheep for sale - see top right picture!

I have just discovered another refreshing drink to have once home from a walk. Blend together a peeled red grapefruit, some fresh mint leaves, crushed ice, and a little water to make a pink frothy glass of deliciousness!  Talking of recipes, I made a second risotto today using wild garlic leaves collected on our walks - tasty! 

WEATHER OBSESSED!

Glove time has arrived!  There was a definite chill when we started our walk this morning.  We are rather obsessed with the weather, but in our defence, it does dictate what we wear.  Today, Jenny got outside her door and decided that she simply wasn't wearing enough for the conditions so added an extra coat!  Walking, as well as any other outdoor activity, is influenced so much by the weather.  We are not cocooned in the heated, dry bubble of our cars so we are at the mercy of the elements!

Above are some of our sights today, including some more fungi on the bark of a tree, a treehouse in the woods, some colourful chrysanthemums, Chinese lanterns and pampas grasses etc.  We also came across some blatant fly-tipping, right by a main road - bags of builders' rubble which will take some removing, unless they are for use by the farmer!  These two geese had definite personalities and plenty to say! They were in the garden of a cottage that had come up with a great way to up-cycle a bicycle as a planter (see centre pic)!  I have an old bike in my garage that I need to get rid of, perhaps this is the answer!

Sunrise this morning was 7.28am, so although it was gloomy when we started, the sun soon came out and warmed everything up.  Heavy dew in the long grasses infiltrated into my socks through the suede uppers of my new boots. Must remember to wear the heavy, leather ones on such mornings.

We saw more sheep today than we have for a long time.  We even saw some lambs - didn't think this was the right time of year!  There always seems to be at least one black sheep per flock.  Even the 'rock flock' located in the middle of Canards Grave roundabout, sculpted by local artist, Jeff Body, has one!  Unfortunately, he managed to elude my photograph, the black sheep, not Jeff!!