Summer Has Begun

It is probably more true to say that Summer began yesterday, but it was a day of doing things.


Today was a day of doing things with time for doing other things. The day started with a cloudless, blue, sunny sky. The temperatures rose to the low twenties very rapidly. During the morning I concentrated on marking (GCSE Religious Studies) while Irene re-potted the  precious seedlings that we bought yesterday.

After lunch we set off for Highfield Park which is part of the grounds of Nottingham University. We have never seen so many people out in the grounds. There was no place to park near the lake so we set off to park on a street just off the Derby road and walk through the nearest entrance. I had never been in the way and was astonished by how vast the university site really was. We passed student accommodation set on the edge of a large meadow.

Eventually we came to the lake, crossed the bridge and explored the rhododendron area. Normally we visit at the tail end of the flowering, but this year there were still bud, probably due to earlier poor weather.

Coming around the theatre was bride and entourage. Public place wedding photography is catching on in this country, it would seem. But what a beautiful day in such a splendid place to do it.

 Just to surprise us on the way back was a fantastic toadstool. Perhaps a sign of the underlying wetness.

However, by the end of the afternoon was soaring to near 30 degs

Nottingham University

This morning mum and I decided to set off for Nottingham University- Highfield Park. The idea was a brisk walk, so I took just the camera and a spare battery. It was warm, dry but overcast.
It was easy to park near the theatre area and off we set. A small group was busy doing art along the lake side. At the place they sat was a colourful collection of boats.


We walked all around the lake and rediscovered the walled garden. Then on the way round the back of the university buildings was a cheeky squirrel.


When we got back to the theatre we debated having a cup of coffee. Thirst beat finance. At the counter was a young lady with a baby in a pram. She recognised us and then we recognised her as being one of the delegates at our Saturday house church conference. We settled down to coffee and a chat. She, Anna, has a strange way of meeting people in cafes. She told us how she met up with the leader of the conference. She told us that she felt led to go to a cafe in Sherwood. She went up to talk to man she had never met. It was Pete. Pete too had been led to go to the same cafe in Sherwood; in fact he had earlier left the cafe moved his car, but felt that he had to go back in. Coincidence?