Bright.

Sunny and chilly again today. I heeded the weather forecast which promised showers and didn't do any washing. That was a mistake as apart from one shower during breakfast time it stayed dry all day long.

After breakfast and the usual routine I took myself off for a walk (Peter is having trouble with his ankles so wasn't able to join me). I decided to be more adventurous and explore a road that loops round the back of the village passing the zoo, community gardens (allotments) and church. Often as I'd worked at the zoo I'd seen people passing on the other side of the fence with either dogs or babies in buggies and wondered where they were going. Checking on a map I could see that this is one of the very few lanes, more of a track, that comes off the High Street.

Step off the High Street by the surgery and straight away you are on the flat plain that was once marsh land. St Matthew's Church sits on a small rise formed by a glacier in the ice age.

It is not a very old church having been built in 1874 but the grey building gives off a sense of calm as it surveys the village from its vantage point. There are at least three other buildings that were once 'chapels' in the village.

I had a wander around the grave yard and was then invited to have a look inside by two lovely ladies who look after the church. 

The two stained glass windows at the back of the church were installed in the 1980's replacing the original plain glass windows. Unfortunatley the camera did not pick up the jewel-like colours of the intricate designs. The windows along the sides of the nave were put in a bit earlier and the window over the altar was much earlier. Possibly installed when the church was built. The small organ which is still in use has the most beautifully decorated set of pipes.

Behind the church the fields and marsh lands stretch to the river and the mountains in the distance. 

Next to the church are the community gardens which to me look just like allotments. In my fitter days I would be thinking about applying for an allotment but not now. As I went past I spent the time of day with a couple who were 'gardening' sitting in folding chairs enjoying a cup of tea and a sandwich.

I've been told of a thriving gardening club there but it meets on Thursday mornings so if I want to drop in it will have to work around the university holidays.

On the other side of the track the fields were full of ewes and lambs.

Several ewes were using the plastic protectors around the metal hawsers supporting the telephone poles as handy scratching posts.

The lane brought me back across the railway line to the High Street near the station. From there I walked onto the beach and back home. As the tide was in I mainly had to walk on the shingle which is not much fun to walk on. On the few sandy areas I saw the first barrel jellyfish of the year, just in time for the Easter holidays. It was strange how they disappeared only a day or so after the end of the school summer holidays last year and now they're back again.

At home I did some catching up on DuoLingo. I've gone right back to the start which is frustrating but they introduced so much new stuff that I was getting confused. I also did some sewing, putting new elastic in my favourite bra top. Maybe not as flattering but so much more comfortable than a bra especially when my rib inflammation plays up.