In Christ's Garden

....the garden and courtyards of Christ's College in Cambridge that is.

Despite being more centrally placed in Cambridge than any other college Christ's is something of a secret, seldom overrun with tourists and hardly known to most residents of the city. 

Some of the buildings are old, dating back to the founding of the college, originally called God's House, in the fifteenth century. Others are more recent having been added as the college expanded but all seem to be "off the radar" to the guidebooks.

But it's the flowers which took my eye on this glorious spring afternoon.

And you can wander through at your leisure. Everything seems to be open to visitors including the Master's Garden which is very unusual for the Cambridge colleges.

The light was very bright and clear which made some photos difficult but allowed other opportunities which, I hope, I was able to utilise to good effect.

But there are flowers in the courts too

Just when you think you've got the measure of the place - pleasant, well-proportioned courtyards with fine floral displays - you round a corner to be confronted by....

Sir Denys Lansdun's controversial, concrete construction - New Court, otherwise known as "The Typewriter". Love it or hate it, but I think I may not round that particular corner next time I go for a wander in the gardens of Christ's College.

Take care.

Springtime In Britain

We've been enjoying some perfect spring weather in recent days. The walking boots and the bicycle have been taking turns to get some exercise, so these are photos from my recent pedals and toddles in the English countryside around my home.

A butterfly

woke up to find itself trapped in a church

where the windows would not open.

I have always been determined that such a fate 

should not befall me!

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The colours of spring.

Blue - yellow - green.

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In the hedgerows the blackthorn is flowering.

Blackthorn bears its blossoms early,

before bothering with essentials

such as leaves.

They can come later.

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Down on the allotments

things are stirring.

Old chairs are being placed in the sunshine,

pipes are being filled with baccy.

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Tulips are blooming,
hot on the heels of the daffodils this year.

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Interesting shadows 
on the 
grain store.

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Next year's grain
is on the way!

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One man and his dog
in a colourful landscape.

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On the meadows 

Milkmaids can be seen.

For that's one of the names for this sweet little flower.

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And that could be Honesty

- but it's always hard to be sure!

Take care.

Midnight, Gogs And Bunnies

The

Morris men and women

were out in force in Thriplow at the weekend.

Baldock Midnight Morris

were

formed when the town of Baldock was unable to find a Morris side to

dance at its historic Street Fair.

"Right then, we'll do it ourselves!"

Like many before and since they found that it's harder than it looks,

but since then things have snowballed and here they are dancing out

in Thriplow.

Gog Magog Molly Dancers

all have

a connection with the University in Cambridge,

as a result their dances are sophisticated, refined and intellectual.

Yeah, right!

Bunnies From Hell

"Where

 do these people come from?"

you may wonder.

And what kind of jobs do they have
when they're not dancing?

and,

just for me,

the wonderful sound of 

SEVERAL SQUEEZEBOXES!

and,

just for you,

here's a video of the goings on...
and you'll see that one of the bunnies has a nice fluffy pink tail!

Take care.

People Among The Daffodils

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the village of Thriplow hosts its Daffodil Weekend this week. Some of the daffodils were past their best but there were still plenty blooming vigorously. The day was dry on Saturday and large crowds turned out, coming by car and coaches. A few of those people I shall now present to you!

Some found a place to sit and watch the world go by.

Others did the going-by.

Some came to buy.

Some came to sell their wares in the Craft Barn.

A colourful basket-maker demonstrated his art.

One man and his horse.

Another man and his owl.

Herding ducks with dogs.

It's a man-thing!

Getting heads together to fix a miniature steam-engine.

If it ain't broke - sit back and enjoy it!

The Old Smithy is open for the day

and the blacksmith shows how it's done.

Burger, anyone?

And music of course.

Junior buskers.

And musicians for the Morris dancers too.

More about them next time.

Take care.

Small, Rare And Beautiful

We're off in search of something small, rare and very beautiful today. It may be there or it may not. It may be putting on a show or it may be shy and retiring. But first we have to go to the town of Royston and from there we have quite a trek across what is universally known as The Heath, but is actually a chalk grassland.

Up on the Heath, keeping one eye out for flying golf balls, you may find cowslips growing on the slopes.

Skylarks were singing overhead and underfoot (almost literally!) was this fine fellow....

....I think it's a Bloody-Nosed Beetle, he gets his name from the way in which he releases his foul-smelling blood from his mouthparts in order to dissuade potential predators. If it is a Bloody-Nosed Beetle then it fulfils the "small" and possibly even the "beautiful" elements of our quest but is not actually very rare. We need to walk a little further.....

....past what looks like the golf-hole-at-the-edge-of-the-world, and into Fox Covert Wood....

There are some small and beautiful flowers blooming in here if you look closely....

 ....yes, violets, but they're not rare either - they even grow in the garden, whether you want them to or not!

Dog's Mercury is there too, an indicator of old woodland but not at all rare and hardly beautiful. No we have to look out for Church Hill.
Ah, there it is!

It's that little bump in the middle distance. Not much of a hill, I know, but if you walk around the far side you might find....

Pulsatilla Vulgaris or the Pasque Flower. It gets its common name from "Paschal" meaning to do with Easter, the time of year it blooms.

Small, very beautiful and pretty rare too, only growing on long-undisturbed chalk grassland. It is the county flower of Hertfordshire and also has the rather more exciting name of Danes' Blood, which is thought to come from its habit of thriving on ancient burial mounds.

Now I've got to walk all the way back!

Take care.