Herefordshire - April Visit - Part 1: Herefordshire Trees and Tenbury Wells

 

We managed to return to Herefordshire last week and stayed four nights arriving at Tuesday lunch time.  

There was not much change in the Herefordshire Trees from when we visited the week before although leaves are now appearing on the Aspens at the site and Hawthorn is coming into leaf.

Herefordshire Oak

Octopus Tree

Constable Tree(s)

We used to have a lovely pink primula in the border under the hawthorn hedge which always seemed to be in flower when we visited. Sadly that seems to have disappeared but a tiny plant seems to have self seeded on the lawn!

Sorry about the blurred photo but we were so pleased to see that a pair of Blue Tits were investigating the nest box B had put up last year.

Garlic Mustard is nearly in flower.

My little bowl of succulents bought last year seems to be doing well.

It was good to watch birds while we were there especially the Buzzards and Red Kites. The bat detector was picking up bats every night and I could also see them swooping around the caravan.

On the Wednesday which was hot and sunny we went into Tenbury Wells to do some shopping. The verges of the country lanes were full of primroses, dandelions and lesser celandine. Blackthorn in the main is past its best flower wise but it won't be long before Hawthorn is flowering.

First we stocked up on bird food although I do realise that the latest advice from the RSPB and BTO is not to feed from May to September due to the risk of disease. I have certainly now stopped feeding birds at home.  

We walked to Mr Thoms as I wanted to buy some more of their apple chutney which is delicious. Sadly, they were out of stock so I bought some pear, apple and ginger chutney to try.

Blossom by the River Teme

On the  way back to Tesco. where we stocked up on food. I popped into the Tourist Information Centre to pick up the NGS booklets for Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.  I would like to visit more of the NGS gardens this year. I have already highlighted a few to visit if we are in Herefordshire when they are open.  We saw our first Orange Tip butterfly of the year on the site when we returned.

On the Thursday I popped to St Leonards to look round the churchyard but I will write about that in the next post.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (If anyone wishes to use one of my photos or one of my sons I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).

This and That

 

I am sorry for lack of posts recently but I haven't really been anywhere to make it worthwhile writing a post.

Recent Reading

I do enjoy Peter Robinson's DCI Banks books and read two at the beginning of January.

I enjoyed this Rachel McLean book more than the previous ones I had read in the series.

I haven't read a DI Wesley Peterson book for ages and really enjoyed the next in the series.

During the first covid lockdown I attended an online course on heraldry run by the Heraldry Society from memory and really enjoyed it.  Recently and not being able to go to Herefordshire for a few months I thought I would try and learn a bit more about the subject. As a way of revision I read this Ladybird book on Heraldry - I know the books are meant for children but you can learn a lot of basic information from them.

I am a member of the Mortimer History Society and last autumn they gave a couple of zoom talks on Heraldry which I found really interesting.  They also have a free online Heraldry course on their website which I am working my way through.  It is a fascinating subject although there are lot of technical terms to remember but I thought it would be good when I see heraldry in churches on monuments and stained glass to know a little about the subject.

I've also bought the following two books secondhand.

Yesterday D and I went to Coleshill for a wander around mainly to visit Books Revisited where I bought one of the books above.

This is an old fashioned ironmongers in Coleshill - B loves shops like this!

As usual we walked back via the church of St Peter and St Paul which is a Grade 1 Listed medieval church.  The C14th  tower and spire reaches to 710 feet (52 metres).Construction of the church began in the early C14th and it was completed by the early C16th.

Preaching cross in the churchyard.

In other news I've been trying to fend off cellulitis for the last 11 days using a cream the GP gave me. Sadly, it got a lot worse overnight and so yet another trip to the GP's today and yet another dose of pencillin :(

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would appreciate an email first - thanks).

Herefordshire 2023 - November Visit Part 4: The Hop Pocket and a Trip To Coleshill

 

We made a detour on the way home to visit the Hop Pocket by Bishop's Frome. Its a nursery but there are also a number of independent shops there and a farm shop. Its a good place to look for gifts.

There was a wonderful selection of Logaston Press books.

On the Saturday back at home we visited Coleshill as there was an Antiques and Vintage Fayre being held in the Town Hall.  After a comment left on a previous post by Wessex Reiver I'd also spent some time researching Coleshill again. According to several websites there is supposedly a rare Edward VIII post box just past Packington Lane. The only one I could find in that area was a George VI postbox  although it did have a splendid postbox topper :)  I am not sure if the Edward VIII post box is located elsewhere or whether the information is incorrect.

Coleshill was once an important staging post on the London to Holyhead route and from London to Chester and Liverpool. At one stage there were over 20 coaching inns in the town and quite a few remain!

Plants in Pavements

We briefly visited the Antiques Fayre but to be honest there was not a lot of interest for us and we couldn't find the stamp stand.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).

Herefordshire 2023 - November Visit - Part 2: Tenbury Wells and Burford House Garden Centre

 

B is still looking for a plinth for his sundial so on the Wednesday we went and had a look around Tenbury Wells and then onto Burford House Garden Centre.

An impressive looking boot scraper on a doorstep.

There were sandbags piled high everywhere - I know the River Teme there is very prone to flooding.

We went to have a look round the small antique centre we visited last time - it has the most amazing selection of objects!  Sorry Christmas is rearing its head again!

A rusty iron bedstead anyone?

A Green Man :)

I felt so sorry for this teddy bear languishing on the shelf - but a purchase would no doubt have put Timothy's nose out of joint!

We bought some cheeses from The Smiling Goat - somewhat expensive but they have a super collection and even had some Perl Las! The most delicious cheese ever!

The Spa and Pump House

Then onto Burford House Garden Centre

I have really missed visiting the gardens here - B hasn't been keen since they started to charge. I have decided that next year I am going to  buy an annual pass - at £15 as a concession I think its a bargain. To be honest I am surprised the gardens were free to visit for so long - they really are lovely and the volunteers do an amazing job of keeping them looking wonderful.

I know I said I don't "do" Christmas before December but it was hard to miss the displays at the nursery!

I've did a double take on these things! - perhaps the present for someone who has everything!

Callicarpa - I can really recommend this shrub - Blackcaps love the berries!  

EEK!  Not my idea of a garden ornament!

But I would love one of these - a Gryphon I think.

B did eventually find something he could use as a sundial plinth - a stone plant pot which turned upside down would be ideal.  If we ever find anything better then the pot could be used as a planter.  I'll show a photo in the next post.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone ever wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).