Day 255 - September 11th

Beautiful pastel coloured Snapdragons in my Mum & Dad's garden.

Day 254 - September 10th

Scrapbook time.

Day 253 - September 9th

Wayne gave me some flowers for our Wedding Anniversary and the lilies are now opening.

Day 252 - September 8th

Today we joined our monthly walking group for a walk from Meppershall to Henlow. Stormy weather was threatened and whilst thunder storm was active during the walk and we did get a little wet, we avoided the worst of it.

When we started the walk there were blue skies and it was quite warm.

Part of our walk took us along the HICCA way and alongside Henlow Lakes and Henlow Grange.

Day 251 - September 7th

This evening we joined in the 6.5 mile Sunset Starlight Walk for the Garden House Hospice. It was the second time we have taken part and this year there were over 400 participants.

I didn't take many photo and those I did take were mostly of the back of other walkers!

Harry the Bear was cheering everyone on and dishing out packets of sweets.

Cupcakes were available at the half way point.

At the Kennedy Garden fountain we were able to place a candle in memory of Wayne's Dad.

Day 250 - September 6th

Whilst out yesterday I found my first conker of the year.

Day 249 - September 5th

Today was our Wedding Anniversary so we took the day off of work and decided to have a day out.

We visited NT Ascott House near Leighton Buzzard, an historic house with a large collection of paintings, furniture and fine porcelain and natural & formal gardens. The house presents as an ‘Old English’ manor house of black and white half timber but at Its core is an old farmhouse thought to date from 1606.The original farmhouse has undergone many changes since being acquired by the Rothschild family in 1873. It has been on our list of places to visit for some time so was nice to finally spend some time exploring the house and gardens.

Within the garden there is a large pond which was originally created for skating on in winter and beside it the thatched 'summer house', which was also used for changing into ice-skates, sits.

Many areas of the garden are quite unique in their design. In the contemporary Lynn Garden, landscaped circles sit among moated islands and infinity pools.

A sundial is made entirely of topiary complete with Latin numerals and the clipped yew hedges surrounding the sundial read "Light and shade by turn, but love always".

Some of the gardens are more traditionally laid out with fountains and flower borders.

In the Dutch Flower Garden the flower beds were filled with dahlias, geraniums and other brightly coloured flowers,

A huge fountain with dolphins and cupid on top takes pride of place.

Jagged Cornish Slate has been used to create the 'Ascott Circle' modern art installation.

The largest feature of the garden is the bronze fountain representing Venus in her shell chariot attended by cherubs. I loved the sea horses and turtle elements of the fountain.

Having looked around the estate and stopped briefly in the café for a drink we then drove onto P E Mead & Sons Farm Shop and Tea Room for a late lunch. We visited the tea room back in July when walking the canals near Tring and thought it worthy of a revisit. The ploughman's lunch was delicious.

This wasn't to be our only meal out today, as in the evening to celebrate our anniversary we dined at The Flying Horse at Clophill where we also ate some delicious food.

Day 248 - September 4th

Thankfully we've not had too many of these on the lawn this year.

Day 247 - September 3rd

My Mum & Dad's hanging baskets are still looking great.

Day 246 - September 2nd

Anemones in my Mum & Dad's garden.

Day 245 - September 1st

Today we went for a walk from Pirton to Pegsdon Hills and back and on route stumbled across an amazing field of sunflowers.

We started our walk in the village and headed through the churchyard to Wood Lane. I was really surprised to see cyclamen already in flower beneath the trees.

We walked up Wood Lane. Today is the first day of meteorological Autumn and the leaves were already starting to fall.

There were blackberries in the hedgerows ....

..... and dried heads of flowers.

As we neared the end of the lane we came across the field of sunflowers. We had seen them in the same field last year, but having seen no sign of any sunflower plants when we walked the lane a few months ago, we had assumed there wouldn't be any this year. 

I couldn't resist once again creating a face in one of the flowers.

After pausing for a while to look at the sunflowers, we walked on past recently harvested fields.

In the distance we locked eyes with a deer, who promptly ran off.

We crossed the road and headed for the hills.

The views from the top were as lovely as always.