Tuesday, April 28, 2009

HAIL TO THE SPRING!

The season when the countryside comes alive again. This picture of my garden illustrates well the stark contrast between how it looks today and how it looked on that snowy February morning...... shown in my last post.

Isn’t it just the most delicious time of year, each day beginning with a dawn chorus of bird song....... our meadows, pastures, hedgerows and gardens are full of the prettiest spring flowers........ and bright, warm sunny days tempt us to linger out of doors and enjoy the visual brilliance and sweet fragrance that abounds right now.

The mowing of lawns is a frequent sound right now and the exquisite smell of freshly cut grass lingers in the air..........

........and garden retreats are tidied up to be enjoyed again.

THE HOPE AND PROMISE OF EASTER
I hope you all enjoyed a blessed Easter. On Good Friday John and I joined the procession of the cross through our town...... stopping at each church and chapel along the way where a hymn was sung together with a prayer and reading. The picture below shows us nearing the end of our walk as we approach the church we attend.
Here the cross comes to rest at the end of its journey....... to be decorated in flowers for Easter Sunday.
Later on in the day we joined the local narrow gauge steam train as it set off to tell the Good Friday story fittingly named ‘Stations @ Stations’ a journey that depicts the 14 Stations of the Cross...... commemorating the last journey of Christ from his trial to his burial. The train paused at each of these stations along the track enabling passengers to alight for prayer and meditation.

It was such a beautiful evening with masses of bluebells, primroses and daffodils in flower in the hedgerow. The occasion was well supported by local people and also visitors from afar....... we were joined in our carriage by Maureen, a charming lady who was a visitor from New Zealand, she was great company and like everyone else she thoroughly enjoyed the event. There was a collection for the diocese of Matebeleland at the end and the fantastic sum of £760 was raised
The Bishop of Bangor joined us.......

Wonderful views were enjoyed as we travelled along........ here a little village nestles on the hillside. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you will see that the fence, like many in this area, is made up of slabs of slate.

The road below runs alongside the railway track.......

Here we arrive at the end of the track for a reading.

NEW WOODLAND

A new woodland has recently been planted on the outskirts of our village courtesy of The Woodland Trust......... It was a great occasion that allowed local school children and the community to join in the planting of trees........ something that will not only be enjoyed by future generations but will provide habitat for many species of wildlife. Isn't it an exquisite setting for this woodland.



We chose to plant oak trees. This tree I planted in memory of my Mother

This oak was dedicated to our dear friends Betty & Edward in America



BICYCLE RIDES
Now that spring is with us John and I are enjoying bicycle rides again. It is such a joy to experience our glorious countryside this way..... taking in the wonderful scenery, fresh air and the fragrance of the season along the way.

It can be hard going around these undulating lanes, but the views are worth the effort.


Around each bend in the lane, pretty sights are found........


Glorious golden gorse cover the hillsides. If you click on this picture below you'll see in the background some of the 10,000 trees that have been planted, representing the 10,ooo children born in Wales each year.


And my final picture is of the sun as it sets over the sea.

I would like to thank all of you who left comments and sent emails wishing me well with recent health issues. I have since had results of scans taken and with great relief, further investigations reveal that the 'something' that had been detected has been confirmed as being a cyst.

14 comments:

Barbara said...

It is so good to hear such good news, dear Marion. (I can feel your relief!!) They match perfect with all the beautiful Spring pictures you showed. This season is indeed filled with splendour, bliss and colour. So let's enjoy it with all our senses.
Have a good time!
Barbara

Susie said...

Dear Marion,
Such a delight to read your wonderful news. Your springtime pictures are full of all the glorious wonder of the promise of new life.
Think of how beautiful all those trees that were planted will be in the years to come!
That sunset it absolutely magnificent!
xo

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Marion, what a lovely, lovely post! I feel refreshed just reading it. Your photos are beautiful; what a lovely place you are blessed to live in there in Wales.

I'm so glad to know it was only a cyst.

Willow said...

Such good news! I'm so relieved for you. I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting Spring with you. The Good Friday events sound like something The Professor and I would have enjoyed. And the bike rides, too!

Betty said...

Dear Sweet Friend Marion,

Although I had seen most of the pictures previously my heart was overjoyed to see the tree you planted for us...what a thoughtful gesture.

The scenery is magnificent...and you look so 'athletic' in your biking gear!

I still rejoice over the good news. Indeed prayers are answered...Betty

Kerri said...

Hello dear Marion. Yes, 'delicious' is a fitting word to describe Spring. I'm ecstatic to be able to sleep with the windows open (only a few nights have been warm enough so far), and awake to birdsong. What a joy!When I get a day off work I can't seem to put the camera down. I find myself running out to take pictures of the Tree Swallows fighting with a house sparrow over a nesting box....a new flower....the silver maple buds flowering, etc. etc. I'm sure you know just what I mean :)
The sights, sounds and smells of spring are intoxicating!
Thanks for this lovely tour through your spring happenings. That's a lot of trees and will be a beautiful woodland for future generations.
I'm so glad to know that the 'something' is nothing serious. That must be a vast relief. You're looking very well. It's so nice to see you both.
That sunset is heavenly!
Wishing you the happiest of springs, dear friend. xox

Alice said...

Marion, I'm looking for my 'hiking boots' (well, trainers/sneakers, in this case)right now, ready for some walks through that beautiful scenery, and your especially lovely garden.

I'm so pleased to hear that your health concerns were not as bad as feared and that you are feeling so well again - certainly well enough to enjoy invigorating bike rides in beautiful Wales.

Not long now, dear friend....

Sharon Goemaere said...

What a beautiful post!Thanks so much for sharing such lovely pictures of your beautiful Wales with us!Glad you are well.~Sharon

Barbara said...

So pleased Marion to know nothing sinister.
Thhis is a wonderful post with so much in it that I don't know where to start to comment.

Your Easter walk sounds great and the train ride with the stations of the cross fascinating. And what enjoyable scenery.
Blessings. Barbara

Sigrun said...

Hi Marion, thank you for the impressions from Wales!
My back is lalala, every day it is changing!
Today we have very bad weather, but the last days it was wonderful. We have been in the Netherlands for buying plants.

Sigrun

Mountain Mama said...

I'm so glad to hear it was only a cyst although I know thay can be painful.

Your post is so inspiring with all the lovely pictures. I learned about Gorse a few years ago. It's so pretty but I read that it has awful thorns.

You look so cute standing by the fence with the bike. You certainly struck a pose!
And I do love the sunset picture. It is just gorgeous!!!

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Marion, I am so so glad that you are doing well. I had not known about your health issues but now see that all is okay..Wonderful!! You have the prettiest country there but I have told you that before...Nice pictures of you and John...take care and enjoy those bike rides..someday when you knees do like Mike and mine have well then it is not very easy..so ENJOY while you can..
Sandy

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

I am off today to visit with a blogging friend too..She does not live far from me but we just never seem to get together..So we are meeting for lunch..Let us all know when you meet your blogging friend from Australia..I bet you two have a great time..Sandy

Lulu said...

what a beautiful place..