February 2021

Sunrise over Charlton Kings

 Isn’t it strange how the time just seems to leak away, at the moment? Days pass by almost unmarked by any memorable incidents and I keep putting off until tomorrow what I could easily do today! It’s more than a month since my last blog and I had such good intentions of writing more regularly!

Out of the blue, I was called for my first Covid vaccination, so hightailed it back to Somerset for the weekend of 13^th/14^th February, to make sure that I didn’t miss out. I chose the coldest nights of the year to return to my less-than-cosy home and, although I had left the central heating to come on twice each day for an hour, and had asked Mary to switch it to constant at lunchtime on the day of my arrival, it was still really cold! I slept in my dressing gown, with the hood up, a pair of fleecy bedsocks and with a hot water bottle, too and I was still cold! I duly had my jab and suffered no more ill effects than a slight headache and feeling really tired that evening. Both of these symptoms could have been triggered by the socially-distanced walk that I did, in the afternoon, with Jeni. 

Ice sculpture 1

Ice sculpture 2

Ice sculpture 3

The wind was strong and bitterly cold but we decided to be intrepid, after all, and went for a countryside walk along some paths that Jeni discovered, in the summer, not far from her house in Shepton Mallet. I had been a bit worried about getting muddy but it was so cold that all the mud was completely frozen solid and I was more in danger of twisting an ankle! An ancient sunken trackway that we followed downhill towards a small hamlet, had a stream running down one side of it and the little splashes of water had created some great ice sculptures, in miniature. Typically, as we reached the farthest point on our walk, it began to snow and we were soon contending with horizontal snow stinging our faces as we turned for home. However, despite the weather conditions, we were entranced by the frequency and variety of the snowdrop clumps that we saw and also little groups of primroses braving the conditions. Our lovely walk was made complete when a red kite suddenly hove into view silhouetted against a snowy sky! These are still relatively rare in this area so, as I fumbled to get my camera out of its case, Jeni fired off a couple of shots with her smartphone and, by the time I was ready, it had disappeared over the treetops! Note to self: stop procrastinating and get a smartphone!!

Red Kite against a snowy sky

On Monday I drove back to Cheltenham again and took up the battle of the cupboard doors. I think I may have been a bit too ambitious when I designed the cupboard as I wanted nice crisp lines and flush doors, but I’ve had dreadful trouble getting the doors to line up with each other – everything has to be done so accurately, and I only have basic tools to work with. Needless to say, my Mum (who never swears) has had to put up with hearing some rather bad language! I think I may be almost there now, but it’s still not finished.

Yesterday, in a fit of the blues, I took myself off for a long walk to try and lift my mood. I set of with no clear idea of where I was heading but ended up walking into Cheltenham, following the course of the River Chelt as it wound through a large meadow where the circus and fun fair used to pitch when I was a child, and then through the lovely Sandford Park, where Mum used to take us as children to see the ducks and ducklings and watch the goldfish in the Italian Garden. There were several mills along the Chelt, back in the day, and one of these, Barratts Mill, is situated in the park where you can still see and hear the rush of water under the building and the relative calm in the pool beyond.

The old millstones

Topside of Barratts Mill

Below Barratts Mill

Sadly, the Italian Garden is a very neglected space now – the pool is empty and the low wrought iron fence surrounding it desperately needs a new paint job. There is a board telling its history with a photo taken back in the 1930’s which shows how it used to be – what a contrast! A few years ago they had a new initiative to turn the area into a sensory garden for the visually impaired and lavenders, roses and other scented shrubs were planted to great effect, but even those have gone now – it is such a shame to see it now.

From there I walked along a couple of streets until I came to a small alleyway between shops where an historical ‘happening’ is recorded in mosaic plaques: the Bertram Mills Circus used to come yearly to Cheltenham and set up in the meadow that I have already mentioned. They used to parade through the town to advertise their arrival, usually with several elephants, as well as clowns and a band. This particular year, the elephants got away from their keepers and raided the local corn merchant’s shop! There was much pushing and shoving until the elephants could be persuaded to leave the shop and return to the parade. It seems strange that this little historic gem is hidden up a back street with no signage to show that it’s there!

Mosaic #1

Mosaic #2

Mosaic #3

Mosaic #4

Mosaic #5

I then meandered my way along Victorian terraced streets that gradually segued into semi-detached Victorian villas and then, finally, into large Victorian houses set in their own grounds, before climbing uphill to the very up-market Battledown area and thence back down into the village and home. I’d been gone two hours, walked several miles and my mood had miraculously lifted!

I am only here for another couple of weeks and then I must return home and try to get back into the gardening routine as things are already beginning to move, the weeds are growing and vegetables need to be planted.

Spring catkins