Exploring Unfamiliar Territory

I set out to deliver an article to an address in a nearby village but because I didn't know that area very well - and it was a lovely, sunny day - I decided to drive further and explore the lanes, camera in hand.  Just look at the beautiful Primroses growing along the hedges.

 In the distance - the Parish Church of St. Melor, Linkinhorne.

Oooops!

 Obviously, these lanes are EXTREMELY quiet!

 I couldn't possibly disturb him, so I turned the other way!

 Kerney Bridge crossing the River Lyhner at Golberdon.

 And there was a footpath alongside the river - "Come on, Zac!"

 But quite soon, the path turned left and started a gentle climb up through the woods.

 We came upon fallen trees . . . .

  . . . and this one, which completely blocked the path, signalled the end of our walk

 So we made our way down towards the river again, the path bordered by wild Garlic - I love the aroma of the wild garlic and so, it seems, does Zac!

 Oh no! There's the car, but in front of us and blocking our exit, is a padlocked gate and a stile (which Zac couldn't possibly negotiate).

 But someone had peeled back the wire netting from the side of the stile and Zac managed to squeeze through the gap.

Thank goodness he could get through that gap; I really didn't fancy climbing back up through the woods again on that hilly route.

Spring flowers, jam and a Red Squirrel.

I couldn't resist picking a few stems of these Tete a Tete narcissii and the scent has lingered in the house all week. 

And this is the precious Jam of the title - Kea Plum Jam, to be precise. Kea Plums were discovered growing by the Fal estuary near the village of Kea over 400 years ago and were harvested from the trees overhanging the river by being literally shaken into boats.
I had my first taste of this delicious jam last year when a fellow blogger and friend gave me a small jar when we met for the first time. WOW!  The taste is out of this world, like no other jam or posh preserve I've ever tasted  - so good that I asked Elizabeth to buy more on my behalf when next she saw the lady who makes it and sells it.
So now I have three jars . . . . . .

 . . . . because last week we met up again, in Trewithen Gardens, between St Austell and Truro.
 The drive doesn't look very Spring-like in this photo, does it?

The sudden appearance of the sun highlighted all the daffodils and celandines to give a very different impression.

Trewithen is at its best in the Spring - and is also dog-friendly, so I was able to take Zac along as well, although he wasn't too keen on the gravel paths on his tender feet!
But we enjoyed the Azaleas, Magnolias and Rhododendrons all in full flower and looking spectacular on this (mainly) sunny day.

And then a bit of a puzzle - we came upon a wire enclosure containing some conifer branches; it looked deserted but a notice said that it contained one male and two female Red Squirrels and that last year they had reared two kits and were showing signs of preparing a drey again.
So we peered into the branches . . . . . but without seeing any sign of them.  Then just as we were walking away I spotted one, sitting in a wire extension that wound around the main enclosure.  I managed just one photo, but as I tried to get a better angle, he/she disappeared out of sight.

I'm still thinking that it seemed a strange thing to find in the middle of a Cornish garden.

We ended our visit in the very pleasant little Tea Room where we enjoyed a restorative coffee each and a light lunch. Oh - and of course a small purchase from the nursery area! It would have been rude not to, wouldn't it?

Easter week - out and about

Thank goodness the weather forecast wasn't very accurate this week
or we would have been battling heavy rain and wild winds.
Good Friday was a beautiful day with wall-to-wall sunshine and
our beaches and roads were busy as locals and tourists alike made
the most of such a treat.
However, I fancied somewhere quieter so I took Zac to Golitha Falls,
not very far from home and with few cars to be seen along the
narrow lanes.

Oops!  I hadn't noticed that Zac was wandering out of shot!

This Gorse bush was a lovely bright spot after the shade under

the trees - and the scent was glorious.  I always think of it as 

something like vanilla, but I've heard others describe it as like

coconut.  What does it remind you of?

And having taken that photograph, my camera shut down!

Note to self - charge it regularly!

Another drive out, this time to Seaton Country Park. Those brown reeds in the distance grow alongside the River Seaton as it makes its way through the Country Park, under the main road, over the beach and eventually out to sea. And that's where you'd expect to find the seagulls, isn't it?

But no - this noisy lot were enjoying the big puddle left behind after overnight heavy rain had flooded the grassy area of the Park.  I've even seen a heron standing in there, but not today; I don't know if the river had flooded and deposited fish in that puddle or if frogs were the attraction.  Who knows?

But it wouldn't be Spring in Cornwall without the Daffodils and Primroses, so here's a selection of the sights you see all over the county at this time of year.  

Fields of commercially grown daffs - 

Swathes of Daffodils at Cotehele House and Gardens -

 And the true Cornish Primrose, a very pale lemon -

 They can be found on the banks of the lanes, naturalised over many years along with the glossy bright yellow flowers of the Celandines - always a very welcome sign of Spring.

So we've had a mixed bag of weather - sunshine, hailstones, showers, grey days and bright ones - but without this combination Cornwall wouldn't be such a magical place with its green fields, beautiful flowers  - and wouldn't life be boring if every day was the same?