On
Tuesday I was supposed to have my right eye seen to but the Junior Doctors were
on strike (a strike I fully support) so instead of being in hospital I joined
Partner-who-loves-tea and Son-who-watches-films. The former hired a van so we could go to
Shrewsbury to pick up a cross-trainer we had had got from E-bay. The trip was uneventful and on the way back
P-w-l-t drove the van down some narrow lanes near Hadnall to the Country Garden
Roses tea rooms. (As a demonstration of
P-w-l-t’s driving skills a small saloon car in front of us
managed to go off the road into the ditch in front of us but we had no
problems!! Fortunately the car got back
on the road OK.)
The
plant centre is in the grounds of Black Birches House which is said to date as
far back as the twelfth century though I could find out little about it.
A
Jay greeted us as we drove into the garden centre and this Collared Dove was
hoping for some scraps at the outside tables but it was too cold to eat
outdoors despite the intermittent sunshine.
This
part of the house is dated 1880.
The
journey took us past many fields of Rape, a crop which did not exist in
anything like such quantities when I was young, so far as I can recall.
Some
of the trees have their Spring plumage like this Oak which is usually one of
the later tree to come out.
Both
Blackthorn and Hawthorn were in flower at the roadsides.
My
eye operation is now scheduled for Friday 29th but the recovery period
before I can get glasses with prisms in (to combat my double vision) will
probably be about another five weeks. I
can’t wait.
Those are some really scenic views. The Country Garden Roses tea rooms look really nice. Lovely shots from the countryside.
ReplyDeleteGood luck tomorrow! Sending hugs and prayers, xoxox Carol
ReplyDeleteBeautiful oak and blackthorn and hawthorn in bloom. What a handsome estate to visit and enjoy tea there.
ReplyDeleteSorry they had to delay the surgery, and i hope it all goes well. What a lovely place to divert your attention from surgical problems!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit to never having heard of Black Birches House.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! Amazing and well-shaped oak, and I love that bird..
ReplyDeleteGood luck, tomorrow, I wish you a quick recovery (and hope rhe prism glasses will come sooner) so that you'll soon see this spring beauty well with both eyes!
Good luck on your eye op tomorrow! I got a post card today from England and I loved the picture stamp next to the HELLO stamp! Thank you! :-)
ReplyDeleteGlasses with prisms, that sounds like you will be somewhere over the rainbow!
It's the 29th today as I am typing this, and I hope your operation goes ahead as scheduled and your sight will be much better afterwards.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, I especially like the hawthorne hedge by the roadside! And Black Birches house looks intriguing.
The new script font on your blog is making me feel like I need new glasses... it's very hard to read, don't you find? I liked the old font better. Thus ends my unsolicited opinion for the day. 8-)
ReplyDeleteAs I write it is evening where you are, and your operation is over. I hope it went well.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have such beautiful and historic sites available to you!
Lovely pictures. It has to be about 38 years since I went to stay at Black Birches. Back then it was an equestrian centre. I was there for 5 days and stayed in a beautiful oak panelled room. We would all sit down for dinner in the dining room around a huge table and the owners of the house would tell us stories of various ghostly sitings. It was wonderful. They had a lovely old Red Setter called Mullarkey. He was adorable. I would love to revisit at some point. Dx
ReplyDelete