London buses!

Sunny days are like London buses - first none come then several all at once!  This picture above was taken on Wednesday afternoon....

 This one yesterday morning....

and this one in my garden this morning!  How lucky we are to have these wonderful pellucid blue skies and sunshine and we are revelling in them!


On Wednesday afternoon we did another walk with our neighbours (not the dog this time as he had gone to the kennels as our friends were off on holiday early on Thursday morning) and this time we went to Melbury Osmond.  Here are some of the views en route...

As we walked along our friends told us that unfortunately there wasn't anywhere on this walk to stop off for a cup of tea and some cake but we were enjoying the walk anyway so it wasn't important.

The footpath finally emerged here alongside a very pretty thatched cottage and what did we see but a little notice (can you see it in front of the pink plants?) saying that the gardens were open that very afternoon and tea and cake would be being served in support of the WI!  Well how serendipitous was that?

 

This is the very pretty cottage - isn't it beautiful?

And here is part of the garden....

By now the sun was shining, the sky was blue and the tea and fruit cake eaten outside overlooking the delightful garden was delicious.  The owners - an elderly couple were lovely and told us that the cottage like many in the village was leased from the Ilchester Estate and they had lived there for 15 years and worked hard on the garden.  It was my dream sort of garden with lots of little corners and tiny old buildings including a little brick built shed with leaded windows!  My photos don't do it justice as it was quite the prettiest garden I have seen in a long time)

 

Having refreshed ourselves we pottered on into the village - lots more pretty cottages and gardens and many more open - we could have had tea at each and every one of them had we wished!  Our route then took us towards Melbury Sampford House ...

The photo on the above link will show you that the house isn't really tilted but I was getting tired by now unless there was more to the tea than I had realised!!

 

Nearly back to the car now after a lovely walk taking in manor house and parkland as well as little cottages and including a lovely tea in the sunshine.  Thanks to our neighbours for showing us this lovely place.

 

Yesterday dawned bright and clear again and we set off towards Devizes where we had arranged to meet some Guildford friends here - Caen Hill Locks.  Somewhere I had never heard of I must admit.    

 

We walked downhill along the tow path ...

Watched the canal boats navigate some of the 16 locks in this section....

The scenery was beautiful and the surroundings peaceful - canal boats make just a gentle puttering sound quite unlike the noise of road traffic!

 

How tranquil is this?!  We had lunch at the little cafe housed in what was originally the lock keeper's cottage and ate it sitting outside alongside the canal.

 

A sandwich and a drink revived us and we walked a little way in the other direction towards Devizes but it wasn't as pretty as going downhill so we came back and had an ice cream before parting comapny to go our separate after a very pleasant few hours in good company. We were home by 4.30 and had a cuppa in the garden but I gather our friends got lost on their return drive and didn't get home till 6.00!

And as I said at the beginning today is yet another sunny day which we are spending at home pottering in the garden - tomorrow will be my husband's birthday I wonder if it will be another fine day?!

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