After looking round the exterior of the church and the churchyard we went a wander round the small village where the houses were widely dispersed so it turned into a lovely walk along the lanes.
The East Lodge to Pudleston Court (I couldn't see the house from the road). The Court was built by J T Brearley of Liverpool 1846/7 for Elias Chadwick, a cotton trader from Wigan.
Mile a Minute taking over an outbuilding roof.
In the centre of this photo you might be able to make out clumps of mistletoe. So many trees in Herefordshire have mistletoe.
Horsetails growing on the grass verge.
Field Bindweed
Village Hall which had a past its best little wildflower meadow and bench in front. There was also an apple tree covered in apples (we resisted the temptation to pick a few!).
Out of focus sloes - it was windy!
Berries on Lords and Ladies
I always struggle to distinguish between Black Medick and Hop Trefoil unless I can see the seeds but I have a feeling this is the former.
Elderberries
This pig was snorting and grunting at us.
I planned to drive back via Bockleton and see if I could spot Upper Swingle Wood nature reserve but we spotted a one lane gated road signposted to the village where the caravan park is so we missed it turning off too early. It was a lovely quiet lane with only a few farms and cottages although I was praying I wouldn't meet anyone coming the other way! It came out opposite St Leonard's church. It would be a good place to walk in the future although I am not sure I fancy that long uphill walk from the caravan site to the church - I would be worn out before even walking along the lane!
Later that afternoon we went for a walk down to the pool at the caravan site.
Good to see a log pile
Lots of thistle seedheads and we have seen Goldfinches feeding on them.
Owl nest box in the meadow
Ash Keys
B cleared more of the little garden - only narrow but we did find a mint plant which has given me an idea of planting more herbs such as thyme and oregano and perhaps a lavender plant which would all be good for bees when in flower.
Hydrangea
Timothy needs to stop having a glass of wine with his meal!
We brought home 9 cooking apples from the little tree. B made an apple pie last night and I will make either a charlotte pudding or a Sussex apple pudding with the rest. They are quite tart so have to add quite a bit of sugar!
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
11 comments:
Timothy!
I think a herb garden is an excellent idea. As you say, good for pollinating insects, but I would think very capable of holding its own if you can't get there regularly to take care of watering. I don't think I know of Mile a Minute, but it certainly has taken over.
Rustic Pumpkin - Timothy blames me!! I think I will do the herb garden but perhaps not until next Spring. We had Mile a Minute over an arch in our garden. I liked it but OH didn't so he removed it and we now have a weedy looking clematis that has never got going!!
I had to smile at Timothy with his glass of wine. Your little garden sounds so interesting and herbs would make a great addition to it. The site around looks wonderful too. The village looks a lovely place to wander around. I'd never heard of Mile a Minute so will look it up. Good to have puddings made from apples straight from the tree. A friend brought us some apples from their tree over the weekend and we gave them some plums from our tree, I love the fruit at this time of year:)
Rosie - Thank you. As Timothy not going out so much these days he regards the wine as consolation!!!! :) Yes the caravan site is lovely although I am still struggling a bit coping with being on a site even though usually there are very few other people stopping there! I do have a thing about my privacy! Mile a Minute also known as Russian Vine. I love English plums - I was horrified to see that when my daughter put some on the Tesco order they were from Spain!!! Why can't supermarkets stock English ones?! Will be glad when I feel it is safe enough to visit a farm shop. Taken to ordering cheese online as Tesco don't seem to have the selection that Sainsburys did.
Those Herefordshire lanes look so beautiful, RR. As I think I have said before, we occasionally ventured over the Herefordshire border from Swansea, but it was always a long day trip! I hope the apple puddings are excellent. A kind friend brought us a blackberry and apple crumble recently :-) which was delicious. I think your idea of some herbs in your 'new' garden is an excellent one.
What a lovely walk out. I've been out of the blogging world. I have a hard time keeping up to date with my own stuff. I think Timothy has the right idea. Apple tarts? Yum! It's so hot here that it's hard to imagine a lovely stroll outside. Everything is so nice and gray and green over there. Sometimes I long for that weather. Yesterday it was 109 degrees, have the West coast is on fire...so we have their smoke, Trump is still our stupid president and covid is still everywhere. I swear if things don't change after our election, we are applying for Canadian citizenship where it's cold and civil....with lots of clouds and big green forests. It literally is greener on the other side. Thank you for reminding me that there are still places that are quiet and not in chaos.
Caroline Gill - Thank you. Herefordshire is a lovely County and close to my heart due to Dad's family coming from there. It would be a long day trip from Swansea! I like blackberry and apple crumble too - in fact I prefer it to pies!
Rohrerbot - Thanks Chris - so lovely to hear from you. In these strange times it is difficult sometimes to keep up with all the things we normally do! I really don't know how you cope with your temperatures. I hate the heat and as for humidity well best not go there! I watch from afar at the horrors of Trump - do hope things change after the election. Very frightening times and it is hard to imagine times when life was normal and you could just go wherever you wanted without worrying. Glad you enjoyed the stillness and quietness of Herefordshire - a very rural county and not thank goodness, particularly a touristy area! Take care.
I love the places that not many people know about. If the US can't get their act straight, we're packing our bags and applying for citizenship elsewhere. I am so embarrassed to call myself an American right now. Our country is heading into a civil war. Terrible people everywhere. So we all stick to our clans right now. Fires, covid, lies, corruption....how did we go from Obama to this hell? I'm surprised I've been able to do as much as I have. I miss Britain and there are times I think of my strolls there. I made a large canvas of Holyhead to hang over my TV. I miss the intelligent conversations, the snarky wit, the meals and the scenery. I follow the podcast of the Casual Birder with Suzi Butress . It takes me out of reality and transports me to your world. It's all so overwhelming sometimes. But your garden/wildlife walks and dessert selections make me happy. When i get a chance to sit down, your blog is one of the first ones I start reading. I get to do that about once a month now. My own blog posts are almost every two weeks now because I'm not out with people guiding so there's nothing to report:) Have a good weekend and I hope you have something fun planned!
Rohrerbot - Thanks so much Chris for your kind words. I watch from here the awful things happening in America - you have my sympathy to be stuck in the middle of it. All not sweetness and light here either though - we have a dreadful prime minister and govt and there is the horrors of Brexit to come plus the horrible situation with the pandemic :( Take care and hope things improve over there after the elecction - sending positive thoughts!
Is that another huge oak or is it one of the ones in the churchyard? Thanks for taking us on this stroll through this pretty village. You are obviously finding tons to see and do near your new 'home', and to have that pond in the caravan park is a real bonus! The apple desserts sound yummy...... :-)
Millymollymandy - Thanks Mandy -sorry about delay in publishing your comment we have been back to Herefordshire again! It is one of the same oaks. There are some super ancient and veteran trees in the county. The pond is good - mainly used by people that fish but there is a bird hide there too.
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