Sunday 9th April

Yesterday we went to a birthday party in the afternoon, most of the village was there and not only had the weather decided to grace the day with sun but the garden was also very beautiful. There were about 80 odd people in the half acre garden, with a marque set on the lawn.  We sat round in circles of familar faces and chatted, there was a band later on but we did not stop for that.  The party was for mother and daughter, one birthday yesterday and one today, so there were plenty of young people as well.  We had a tour with our host of the garden.  Set in an old orchard, some trees dead but retained for their shape, collections abounded, old watering cans, wooden barrows and a lovely little summerhouse.  Also  got to meet other people in the village.  One person has a rather marvellous job, he is the 'security' for York Minster, and has to keep an eye on this vast edifice.  Another useful talk was with the people who lived in the large house next to the cottage the party was at, they have a right of way skirting their garden, I had been always rather nervous about walking round there but she assured me it was alright.  To be truthful I need more backbone when demanding the rights of way, but faced with bad-tempered people my courage goes walkabouts!

Rachel whose land goes down to the river behind us says there are definitely kingfishers and otters in it, but still haven't seen them. They are getting seven lambs today. the ewes were sent to a local farmer, produced their offspring and now will come back, this is hobby farming of course.  Talking to her husband, he mentioned the fact that I had handed in my 'egg money' that morning to the coffee and cake event, and we chatted about the church.  Also a non attender he is the fabric manager of our small church, when the electrics go, and they do, he mends them and recently has put up a grill on the one rather beautiful window.

Photos of today, starting with one solitary car spied on the green this morning, where all cars had to be left..

four little bunnies captured in hiding

Ransoms and dog mercury are the plants on show at this time

Primroses in the church, but not wild

Looking towards Rachel and John's fields

Cottage just gone up for sale, in the hands of one of these cheap internet estate agents! Will the real, on the ground ,Estate agents disappear?  The little attached cittage was the journeymen's cottage in days of old.