Age of Steam

The above steam train is called 'Duke of Gloucester',

& the location is Bishops Lydeard railway station.

The start of the Somerset Railway,

 which meanders through the somerset countryside,

 to  the coast & final destination of Minehead.

A journey that takes approx 90minutes,

with stops on the way.

The station feels it is taking you back in time,

especially with the characteristic old signs displayed.

There was even an old fashioned bus

 waiting to take passengers

 to the nearby town of Taunton.

Although this is fairly close to my home,

I have never been on the steam railway here,

but I mean to change this,

particularly as my Mother is keen to make this journey again,

a route she was very familar with when she was a young girl. 

She is now 86 years old.

Much More Than Yellow

While the sight of the sunny colour Yellow is a welcome sight,

 much more is happening in the garden.

Berries & leaves are still decaying & progressively becoming darker,

But, even in a day,

 the daffodils are appearing in an abundance.

And yet,

 the Grape Hyacinths are also appearing,

 & nearly in full bloom.

Even a favourite herb of mine,

 Rosemary, is also in flower.

A very small flower,

 but wonderful in detail & colour.

Another softer shade to be seen,

comes from the flowering Heathers.

This time shades of pink are dominant.

Also emerging,

 is the Flowering Redcurrant.

Tightly  compacted flower heads slowly unfold.

Even the rose bushes are showing signs of life,

after being so dormant for many months.

Today, the 21st March, is officially the start of Spring.

Everything is now progressing,

 to a wonderful season that is showing signs of new life.

Brilliant!

I look forward to much more!

Improvements

Primulas providing us with

stunning colours,

 to help us look forward to the Spring season.

Vibrant pinks to beautiful purple.

And splashes of yellow.

Even the old fashioned Primroses are emerging.

Signs of Spring, wonderful!

Changing Landscapes

A woodland walk in the Quantocks. . . .

Tree roots exposed to the elements. . .

And trees even up-rooted. . . .

Moss covered trees. . . .

to moss covered stone walls. . . .

Expanses of water strewn with fallen branches. . . .

Decaying leaves caught amongst the lichen & moss. . . .

Uphill walk leading to an open exposed barren landscape.

But the uphill trek made it worthwhile,

 with magnificant views looking out over fields,

 with the village of Holford,

 & beyond,

 the English Channel.

 Even at the top of the hill though, nature still flourishes,

from sheep gathered on the hillside,

to fungi growing on dead wood,

And  bushes of broom,

 flowering in splendour at the start of the long walk down.

Between Seasons

A bitterly chill still in the air yesterday, but glorious blue skies to admire.

Not quite Spring, & yet not quite the end of the Winter!

Headed to East Quantoxhead,

 a relatively short drive on the edge of the Quantock Hills,

 & a short walk from here to the beach.

Beautiful Camillas were flowering in the gardens of the large Estate of the village,

 which could partly be seen from the public footpaths.

A stream was in full flow, no doubt,

 heading towards the beach & into the sea.

Plenty of catkins blowed & swayed in the chilly breeze

Part of the large Estate was flanked by a long row of barns,

 housing farm equipment,

 which even included this really old tractor.

 I wonder if it still works?

We did visit the village to see its duck pond,

but to our surprise & dismay, this had been virtually drained.

A shame, as this is definitely a central focus of the village.

Afternoon Out.

A drive out last Monday took me to a visit to Dunster,

famous for its Castle,

 although today,

 just enjoyed a stroll around the gift shops in a leisurely manner.

With the weather so lovely, Porlock became the next destination.

Leading out of the village is a very steep hill,

certainly not suitable for lorries or caravans.

An alternative route is available at a price.

On my return journey,

I stopped to explore a small idylic village, Allerford.

The water ford immediately attracted my attention,

 together with the old stone bridge,

 with its cobbled walkway.

Very quaint & tranquil.

 The small village was very characteristic,

 with the esscence of an ideal British village.

Last place to visit was Minehead, mainly to let Max,

 my dog, have a walk in the North Hill area.

Parking by the beach,

 plenty of seagulls,

certainly not deterred by human activity.

An enjoyable occasion on such an inspiring day with it's spring like weather.

Delicate

Although only taking photos of just one flower, various shades emerge.

All  images make the flower look so delicate,

 maybe appropriate as we're nearly in between seasons,

 waiting for the  next season & yet although we see glimmers,

 it's not quite with us yet.

A very delicate state.

But we wait in anticipation. . . .

Another Year

Another year, my birthday last Saturday.

Enjoying a long weekend, not back to work until Tuesday.

Received flowers from an Aunt on Friday,

beautiful Springtime colours,

 a mixture of carnations & freesias.

On my actual birthday,

 I travelled to London with my daughter & her boyfriend,

 to meet up with my sister in law in Covent Garden.

We enjoyed a lovely lazy meal in an Italian restaurant,

followed by retail therapy walking to Leicester Square, Regent Street, Oxford Street & Piccadily.

A long tiring day but so much pleasure & enjoyment.

Although very wet weather to begin with, the day, thankfully, stayed dry.