Bluebells - Ashridge Estate

A pleasant afternoon was spent wandering through the woods and inhaling the wonderful scent of bluebells.

Simply a feast for the senses.

Ashridge Estate - Bluebells

Another walk at Ashridge Estate on Friday - enjoying the bluebells that are really starting to show their colours.

The old hunters hut. no longer in use by the looks of it.

I've  borrowed my husband's camera today as it is so much lighter than my SLR Canon & lenses, so experimenting with snapping some shots with it, hence the log!

Simply bluebells.

Mark & Percy - hmmm...Percy not in focus...was taken at quite distance, but need to practice this type of shot for the best settings.

The handsome Percy

The camera is a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ200.  I have to say for ease of carrying and use, I am pretty pleased with these shots.

The Woods

Yesterday was an absolutely amazing day.  Crystal clear blue sky with the sun shining, although it was rather cold, it was a perfect day.  My husband and I took Percy for a walk in the woods.

Light shining on the leaves

A tree that must have been blown down in the winds the other day.

The streams are now full of flowing water

I just love the sound of running water over the pebbles and rocks, something so restful about it.

A little water fall

Wonderful textures of fungi, leaves and moss.

Come for a walk with me.

It was grey, wet and drizzly for most of the day yesterday so Percy and I didn't get to go out for a walk until late afternoon, and that was just around the local streets.

Fortunately this morning was a completely different matter!  Sunshine, blue sky and temperature of aroumd 15 degrees Celsius, now that is a result!  It was really lovely walking through the woods today...would you like to come with me...

Down we go between the trees...

The sun is shining through...

Across here...

Glancing across to the left.

A slug on some fungi

Chestnuts fallen to the ground and bursting open

Teeny tiny fungi...you had to look carefully to spot these.

Through the woods we carry on.

Observing as we go.

Look at the way this chestnut casing as spread open...almost looks like a butterfly shape.

Plenty of interesting shapes and textures to see.

Sunlight through the leaves...

Looking across to the right, an interesting shaped dead tree.

Two toadstools!

Fly Algaric

Strange shapes.

Almost back to the car park, glancing back where we have been.

It was the most perfect of mornings, warm, sunny and bright.  A lovely day for a walk in the woods indeed.

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I have been working on my journal, not everyday, but just when the fancy takes me and these are a few of my latest entries....

Now artist will I make, but I can have fun 'pretending' I am one!

The other day I spotted a book on a blog that seemed strangely familiar but I wasn't sure why...I ordered it as I found it for £2 (and the first one) and thought what did I have to lose?  They duly arrived and it was as soon as I opened the pages that the penny dropped...I had some of these pages photocopied from when I first came to the UK in 1994/95!

These are great little books, full of pearls of wisdom and wonderful quotes.  I shall enjoy dipping in to these books.

I have done this very thing myself...starting 1st October, I turned over that page, started going for walks...the more I do the better I feel and the clearer I can think.

Lastly some shots from the garden this afternoon.

The little Nuthatch taking a drink.

Enjoying the peanuts

A rose in sunshine

A slightly more mature one from the same plant.

Some experimental shots with different settings...only two I was even remotely happy with.  On another note, I was really surprised to see a bee with heavy pollen loads busy round these flowers...unfortunately it didn't stick around for long

May need to have a rest for a few days now as the crocheting I did last night has caused a flare up in my arm...so need to take heed and not do any more things that irritate it...computer included!