Steps out of lockdown – 1

So what were all the things I had in my diary this week as we took some steps out of lockdown?

Monday was usual shopping and delivering some food then I went to visit a friend and we sat on the bench outside her flats and caught up! I had coffee and gave her the pegs I had got for her and she gave me my birthday present.

Tuesday morning it was a walk with a friend. We went down to the Nadder and walked along by the river – not too muddy!

Along the Nadder (again!)
Path back along the Nadder

The birds were shouting quite loudly – we heard blackbird, chiff-chaff, woodpecker and various others which we didn’t identify. My friend knows the bird calls – I can only recognise blackbirds! We heard the birds but didn’t see them clearly or at all.

“Our” bench in Queen Elizabeth Gardens

Wednesday I met a friend in Elizabeth Gardens for coffee on a bench and a catch-up. Again the birds were very loud! There was a chaffinch strutting his stuff and flitting between a few branches near where we were sitting; we could hear a woodpecker but it took 2 young ladies to locate it – and I only saw it as it flew away. We also saw 2 grey wagtails beside the river as we walked into the gardens.

View from “our” bench
My flowers

When I got back there were flowers on my doorstep. They are from the church but I haven’t quite worked out all the ins and outs of it. The main names on the label were my housegroup leaders but the people who delivered it were apparently the community pastor and her husband?!?

Thursday, after my shopping in the morning, a friend came round for scones (she brought those!) and a cup of tea (or 2 or 3..) sitting in my garden. It wasn’t terribly warm, but not too bad.

Path back along by the field

Friday there was nothing in the diary so I got up late and went for a walk down to and along the Avon. It was mostly dry but there are still some muddy bits along by the reed beds. There were several tortoiseshell butterflies among the dry reeds and I saw a couple of little grebes (well, I think they were; a bit distant but behaviour and size right) on the river and a couple of wagtails (probably grey but too distant to be sure) on the bank and fliting across the river. I walked back along the path beside the field – the oilseed rape is starting to flower.

Saturday was a walk with a friend. We followed a path by the side of the golf course, where we saw a long-tailed tit and went to explore a wood I hadn’t explored before – it had been too muddy. There was quite a lot to explore so we didn’t have time to do it all!

Sunday, being Easter day, I watched the service on the computer and in the afternoon went for a walk down to the Nadder. It is now dry enough to to the whole route in shoes not boots. I took an extra detour to lengthen the walk and discovered that the post box at the top of the road has acquired an Easter bonnet.

Post box with new hat.

I also had one of the Easter eggs which were given to me on Thursday by my friend.

Easter eggs in basket from my friend

So? Next week looks like it will be too cold to continue with any meetings outside that do not involve walking, which means back to lockdown behaviour.

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