A Walk To Ashelford Corner ...

... and beyond. With the sun shining and not being able to do much gardening I went out for an hour's walk at my gentle pace. It was such a lovely day that I only needed shorts and a vest and even in the shade it felt nicer than most of our 'summer' days. Once I got up the hill it was hard to resist the temptation to head off at a jog but I know that my knee would pay the price later. Instead I concentrated on my posture which is something I can and need to do. 

At the top of the drive the air was heavy with the scent of the Himalayan  Balsam. I simply had to gently touch some of the bigger seed pods to see if they would pop open. I don't know if anyone has measured the explosive force they generate but it is almost impossible not to flinch when they burst open. Up in the lane the loudest sound was the buzzing of bees visiting the balsam followed by bird song and then in the background the distant drone of traffic or farm machinery.

I walked down to Ashelford Corner which is my usual route to work then turned left and then on to the track that runs out to the fields. 

There were a few muddy puddles to negotiate at the end of the track before I could open the gate to walk a short way through the field.

I was only wearing trainers so I didn't walk far through the wet grass before turning and retracing my steps. 

Back home I put some new draught excluder around the front door and on the window in our bedroom that faces into the prevailing winds. It might have been lovely today but winter is not far off. 

It wasn't until later in the afternoon that I got on with my planned job for the day, making fondant roses for the wedding cup cakes. I made the 25 white roses I need before thinking that my back was beginning to ache. Naturally I had made them standing up at the kitchen counter because that's where I do my cooking and also has the best light from the ceiling strip light. But if I had used some common sense I could have done them sitting down at the kitchen table and just got an extra floor lamp for light. So that's what I'll do for the rest of the roses I need to make. Oh and I did go out and cut a little bit of the grass on the back with the long handled shears because it was dry and does need doing.