Kew Gardens

Last Tuesday I met my friend in London and we went to Kew Gardens. It was lovely to meet up with my friend again, we try to meet at least once a year. We walked and talked, it's always nice to find out what she has been up to. We took lunch with us and sat in the sun to eat, it was quite warm in the sun but chilly in the shade. I took lots of photos, here are the best ones.

Cow Parsley

Bluebells

Snakeshead Fritillary

Summer Snowflake

Magnolia

Reflections on the water

I hope you enjoyed sharing this trip with me, well done if you made to the end!

Glorious Sunday!

What beautiful weather we had in the South today! The warmest day of the year so far, I think we got to 18°c. It was so nice to feel the warm sun on my skin (I was in short sleeves!) and to have the windows open so a breeze flowed through the house. I did three loads of washing and got it all dried on the line too.

I spent about an hour and a half in the garden planting and just watching the wildlife enjoying the weather too. I planted my mini daffodils and some snowdrops in the rockery, to hopefully enjoy next year.

All of the time I was outside there was a Comma butterfly flitting to and from the heather. I took eight photos but only a couple were any good!

Comma butterfly

This could be a dead leaf in the heather!

There were a couple of bees too, a Red-tailed bumblebee and one with a white bottom. I also saw a yellow coloured butterfly and two butterflies dancing around together but I couldn't see what they were. 

Red bottom!

I spent 10 minutes standing still, by the washing line pole, waiting for a robin to feel brave enough to come to the feeders so I could get a photo. The robin teased me, flying from the tree, to the fence, onto the grass but never to the feeders. Just standing, listening I heard the sound of people chattering, a lawn mower starting up, a motorbike whizzing up the hill, a car alarm going off all sounds I wouldn't necessarily have acknowledged if I hadn't been still. Sometimes our lives are so busy and on the go, we forget to stop and listen and take things in. 

A few more photos from the garden today. Blossom in my neighbour's garden.

Daffodil buds.

A lone seven spot ladybird.

My washing blowing in the wind.

Spring is on the way and I can't wait! I hope you've all had a glorious Sunday too!

One frosty morning

Some photos from the garden this morning.

Weymouth holiday

I've been writing this post since I got back, a little bit here and there when I've had time. It's quite a long holiday post so I'm sorry if it gets a bit boring!

We had a lovely time staying at Haven Weymouth Bay, we went from 14th-18th October and booked it through the Sun Holidays. Weymouth is one of my favourite places and I've been on holiday there quite a few times now. I got a bit snap happy while away so I'll choose some of the best photos to show here.

Monday

We left home at about 11am and arrived at about 2.15pm. As we couldn't check in until 4pm we went to Asda to get a few bits then had a walk on Weymouth beach and it was so good to be there, by the sea.

We checked in just after 4pm and we had been allocated a Standard, two bedroom caravan. I decided to ask about an upgrade, they gave us a three bedroom, Standard Plus for £15 extra.

We had pie and chips for dinner from the local chip shop, unpacked and settled in for the night.

Tuesday 

We woke up to a sunny morning and decided to have a trip to Portland Bill and Chesil beach. It was a beautiful day, quite warm and not as windy as it has been previously when we've visited. I took loads of photos, especially of the sea and sky! I used my camera but also my sisters camera, as hers has a much bigger zoom.

This is Portland Bill Lighthouse, there is some history on the lighthouse here.

These birds were all over the top of the lighthouse, I think they were Starlings.

This fishing boat was out catching something.

I like the clouds in these three photos.

The sea crashing onto the rocks.

There were lots of these birds flying around but I'm not sure what it is.

On the way back we stopped off at the new Chesil Beach Centre. We bought lunch at the Taste Cafe, it was fairly expensive £6.50 for my baguette below but we were hungry! The last time I was here it was just a little cabin, doing burgers and similar things.

After lunch we walked along the new walkway, there were lots of these wooden animal figures along the fence, I only took a photo of this first one though.

At the top of the pebbles, looking back and slightly to the left.

Looking towards the sea and to the left, the sky looks so beautifully blue.

Looking towards the sea and to the right, it looks like the beach goes on forever!

Seaweed and a feather I found close by to where we sat down for a bit.

I love the way the sun is glistening on the water and the spray you can see coming up as the wave was breaking on the pebbles.

The sun on its decent into the sea, wow!

Our long shadows walking back towards the centre and car park.

Wednesday 

It had been raining most of the night and still was when we woke up too. We had already decided to go to Dorchester Market, we left it late to leave as the rain was supposed to clear up in the afternoon, we got there at about 11.30 and it was still raining a bit. My dad saw a friend that he works with, they were staying in Weymouth too! By the time we started walking around the market the clouds were starting to clear and when we left the sky was blue and the sun was shining. The market wasn't as big as usual because of the weather, after the market we had a quick walk around the town before heading back to the caravan park.

We had lunch in the caravan and then walked to Bowleaze Cove, there is a path from the park through another park down to the beach. The waves were quite big here and I loved listening to the sea.

The sun was starting to set, this was just after 4pm.

Looking back towards the Riviera Hotel, Sarah at Down by the sea also has this hotel in this post.

Looking towards Weymouth.

Our shadows, even longer than the other shadow photo, on the way back towards the hotel.

This rabbit was munching on the grass, in the field between the two caravan parks.

Thursday

We woke to another sunny day. We were going to use the Park and Ride to go into Weymouth but then went to Value House in Wyke Regis, this shop has lots of different departments and is quite cheap. My dad saw his friend here again! The fire alarm went off while we were in there, after a few minutes they asked us to leave and as we walked out they said over the loudspeaker that it was a false alarm!

We then drove to Weymouth and parked in the Swannery car park, there was a small market on so we had a quick look. My sister and I went to the Shirt Shack and I got a jumper with a flower printed on it. We bought a pasty for lunch and had a short walk on the beach. 

I wanted to go on the Sealife Tower but we didn't have time.

Friday 

We packed up the car ready to leave, once we handed our keys back we played in the arcade for a bit before heading to West Bay. It took about 40 minutes to drive there, we took the coast road and I took quite a few photos while driving but most were blurred. These two were the best.

I think this one is of Freshwater caravan park.

It was VERY windy and a bit drizzly when we got to West Bay.

Boats in the harbour. 

The tide was out and some men were working on this boat.

We walked along the pier.

This gull looked like it was waiting for fish and kept looking into the water.

Looking back from the pier, we walked up that sandy path when we stayed at the Parkdean caravan park here.

A Cormorant waiting for an opportunity to grab some lunch!

We walked on the beach before heading back to the car to eat our lunch.

We left at about 1.40pm and arrived home at about 6pm. This holiday seems like ages ago now so I'm glad I've managed to get it all written down here.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my holiday, sorry if it's a bit long but I wanted to be able to look back and remember it all.

Hope you've all had a lovely couple of weeks.