Today's “Flowers” 110

Last week Denise included trees in her blog so I took my camera out today to see what i could find as the flowers are fading fast as winter looms.


We walked over the Steam train line into a large grassy clearing. Sadly it not appear.

All around the field were high hedges and I went searching to see what i could find to show  you all.

Umm not flowers but the produce of Elder flowers. Ripe black juicy berries – they make excellent wine.

Next – blackberries, well “red” berries in this case waiting to ripen in the autumn sunshine.The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit


These are hawthorn berries. Created by the beautiful May flowers which smell so sweet and herald the beginning of Spring.
 
Then I found sloes, deep purpley black, plump and ready to pick for your sloe gin.


More bird food – the seed heads of Queen Anne’s Lace.

Now I’m not sure what the above berries are. Looks as if they are growing on some sort of vine – perhaps bindweed ?Yes, that is what they are, similar to  Morning Glory.

Finally, the ever present Ivy with it’s ultra shiny leaves and seed heads ripening slowly.
An amazing bountiful Autumn harvest for our birds and small mammals to help them face the harshness of winter.

I will not be here for the next 3/4 weeks as we are off to Spain to get some sunshine to boost us up to face the winter.
I will of course take my handy digi camera and show you what we’ve been up to when I get back.
Bye For Now
JJ

And more fab flowers are here -
Click on this link to see more of natures beauty.
http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

TODAY'S FLOWERS TEAM
LUIZ SANTILLI JR. - DENISE IN VIRGINIA - LAERTE PUPO - VALKYRIE

A Trip to North Devon

As Mike wanted to test drive our new car – A Passat CC we went off early heading north away from Torbay. We began to think it was a a bad idea when we were stuck in traffic at Exeter alongside the river. At a standstill for much of the time I guess it took us 30 minutes or so to travel a mile! Not funny, but we were the lucky ones. .we did not have an urgent appointment to make or a train to catch. Our time was our own.

Eventually it cleared and we headed up the the valley towards Crediton.

This a photo of the weir on the Exe.

Crediton – Not the prettiest town in Devon but it does have a very long main road .

 

Then on to Barnstaple – nothing enticed us to stop so I suggested we make our way along side the estuary towards Bideford. We were looking for a way down to the water when we saw a sign for  – Fremington Quay which looked promising. After winding along side the creek on a single track road we arrived -

 

There were loads of bikes everywhere and then we realised why. It was slap bang on the Tarka Trail

There was a restaurant / cafe selling mainly snacks at exorbitant prices – £5 for a baguette so we did not stop!

Back to the main road we continued heading south west until we saw the sign for Instow. Sounded familiar and when we arrived we had been there before and liked it. Unfortunately the pub food was not up to much – not the lovely fish and chips we remembered. Hey ho, nothing stays the same and we did remark that the prices were dearer in that area compared with Torbay.

There is a lovely sandy beach on the estuary and it was like stepping back to the 1950’s. Nothing had changed, or so it appeared. Unspoilt, natural scenery and NO SEAGULLS

Yes, we ate an ice-cream unmolested by any birds. In fact despite looking for them there were none. One of life’s mysteries. I guess they have all migrated to Torbay.

Across the river lies Appledore, a well known ship building town. It can only be accessed by road if you go down the river and cross over the bridge at Bideford.

At Bideford we noticed a sign for an out of town shopping mall and we just had to take a look and we got some good bargains.

Then it was time to head home via Clovelly. We passed Hartland where my sister in law lived and worked for Lady Asquith but, entry to Clovelly is restricted and you have to pay. As it was past 4.30 it was just too late but here is a photo from the car park!

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I mapped out a direct route home,, we got lost and ended up more or less back in Exeter.

I will get Tom Tom out next time

TODAYS FLOWERS 109

This week tulips.

Origin of the name

Although tulips are associated with The Netherlands, commercial cultivation of the flower began in the Ottoman Empire. The tulip, or lale (from Persian لاله, lâleh) as it is also called in Iran and Turkey, is a flower indigenous to a vast area encompassing parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe. The word tulip, which earlier appeared in English in forms such as tulipa or tulipant, entered the language by way of French tulipe and its obsolete form tulipan or by way of Modern Latin tulīpa, from Ottoman Turkish tülbend ("muslin" or "gauze"), and is ultimately derived from the Persian language dulband ("turban").

 

I never have much success  growing these magnificent flowers in our garden but, when in season, I treat myself to bunch after bunch.

They also make the perfect subject to paint.

This a card I made saying goodbye to a group of people who had helped me recover from  my depression.

Front of card

Inside of card.

 

A close up of an open flower.

Shimmering in the flashlight

A variety of wonderful colours.

 

Delicate palest pink flowers below

 

A design made from an original tulip flower. Would make a stunning wall canvas. ( I will let you know if I ever get round to doing it)

AND, DID YOU KNOW – YOU CAN HIDE A ZEBRA IN A TULIP!

 

Or, if you prefer, camouflage - in black and white

 

 

And more fab flowers are here -
Click on this link to see more of natures beauty.
http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

TODAY'S FLOWERS TEAM
LUIZ SANTILLI JR. - DENISE IN VIRGINIA - LAERTE PUPO - VALKYRIE