Holme for Gardens Wareham

 

There's a mixture of photos to accompany today's post starting with the morning dog walk which is getting earlier each day as the days lengthen. It was fantastic walking under trees where there would be a sudden rush of wings, the sound loud above, as dozens of rooks and jackdaws took to the skies together literally above our heads.

I was back from my 5km run before 9 so that Alison and I could get out for our Wednesday trip, this time to Holme for Gardens, partnered with the RHS which would give us a discount for entry usually but there is no charge until March. It is just outside Wareham and we were fortunate to have the most spring like day of the year so far, warm sunshine and no breeze, which made walking round the gardens a pleasure. The heathers were absolutely alive with bees, honey bees and bumble bees, and there were plenty of daffodils in flower too. I read this morning that flowering has moved forward a month or so since the 1990s. It was very believable during our visit.

There is a lovely pond next to the cafe where we sat and watched the birds keeping the customers company, blackbird, blue tit, robin and house sparrow. Alison bought a pot of snowdrops having had no luck with them in the past, whilst I bought some coriander and squash seed. We usually buy a squash a week and so growing our own would be great. I think the key thing will be getting the seeds to successfully germinate and then make it through to be transplanted in the allotment.

On the way home we stopped at Wareham Forest so Juno could have a good run and the walk was lovely, sun, pine trees, open spaces, heather and dry conditions under foot. That gave us time to stop in Wimborne to wait for Maria to finish school so she didn't have to endure the bus ride home.

Joseph has been here again with Bridie still testing positive for Covid but he is enjoying his food with us. Tonight it was potato wedges, carrots, brocolli, spring greens, 'chicken' nuggets and boston baked beans. The beans were soaked overnight, cooked for an hour this morning and then put in the over for nearly an hour soaked in a sauce made of olive oil, salt, pepper, black treacle, ketchup, tabasco and paprika. Joseph loved the beans and they did go down well. He'll have done 8 nights in a row with us before getting back home.