The Wonders Of Gardens

Last weekend the sun shone and we were able to welcome some friends for a socially distanced visit in the garden.  Our first lot of visitors were Beth and her mum for an early Fairy Day.  Pip would normally celebrate the solstice day with Beth and the two of them have gathered together every year on this day since they were five.  However Beth returned to school this week and since we are still shielding the safest option was for them to meet a week earlier instead.  The girls really enjoyed being in each other's company; they played catch, drew with the chalks and chatted about anything and everything.  I've really missed my regular half termly chats with Claire, we usually catch up in the school holidays throughout the year and  due to the lock down have missed two of our regular meetings, it was good to catch up:

Side by side photos taken at the very end of the visit.

Sunday was Ben's birthday get together with his best friend Lewis and what a laugh we had when we realised that he was a good head and shoulders taller than Ben!  For a good while the lads were almost a similar height but not now 😀  Debbie and I had a lovely in real life knit and natter which makes a change from our Monday night WhatsApp video chat:

On Wednesday we actually managed a trip to a very special garden at Sizergh Castle.  When the country first went into the lock down The National Trust had decided to keep its parks and gardens open but it became apparent very quickly that this was untenable.  During that first weekend large crowds of visitors flocked to popular sites and social distancing was impossible.  As a result of the easing of the lock down the parks and gardens are once more available but you have to pre-book your ticket.  Our plan was to meet Mum H in a nearby parking spot and then travel in the one car to our destination.  It was so lovely to actually be somewhere different and even the rain and an overhead thunderstorm did not dampen our spirits:

The luscious kitchen garden which would have been put to use in the cafe had it been open, still I'm sure the vegetables will be put to good use elsewhere. 

The day was enjoyed by all and it was a much needed mid week boost.  It's interesting to notice how so many folk have almost reverted back to 'normal' since the easing of the lock down.  We are still shielding at this end and rely on an online food delivery each week and even though many non essential shops opened their doors on Monday, we will not be visiting our local high street for the foreseeable future.  We have however tentatively booked a holiday cottage in September and provided nothing goes awry will be taking ourselves and Mum H to Somerset for a week.  Mum will stay with Uncle Andrew and Aunty Catherine and we are in a lovely accessible cottage 8 miles down the road.  We figured that if we went in September most of the kids will be back in school provided their is no second wave of Covid-19 and so parks and beaches are likely to be quieter.  We won't be venturing far, it will be just good to spend time with family.  This lock down has really reinforced the belief that it really is the simple things in life that count.