As I may have already mentioned, I am not a keen driver. I do it because I have to. I don’t dread the more familiar domestic journeys, but longer excursions are not so welcome. Needs must. We all have our crosses to bear, and to be honest there are much heavier loads.
However, there are days when it seems less of a chore. Today was one. Today I drove to The Mantle’s estate. Quite often on this particular journey, one that takes me from town to the edge of Exmoor, I imagine experiencing it for the first time. In my head I commentate as I travel along the way, pointing out highlights. The views of bracken hills, the flowering gorse, the fast running ford, glimpses of sea, the beech hedges and winding roads which lead to narrowing lanes. A close encounter of the buzzard kind, road running blackbirds and the memory of snowdrops that are yet to come.
On the estate Peggy the cockerlab or poobrador or something like that, was in residence, more teddy bear than canine. Over coffee The Mantles and myself chatted about yogic ear plugs. We had homemade bread and toasted cheese for lunch and mince pies for pudding. Oh, and we did some gardening.
On the way home I startled a flock of goldfinches, glinting as they flitted away.
Off The Edge Gardening 
I feel as if I rode along with you, sounds lovely,
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Thank you 🙂
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What a lovely drive and lovely day and lovely gold finches glinting in the sun.
Mr TT and I have today encountered a silly woman jumping a red light and thank goodness my ABS works so well and I have her sins on dash cam, a herd of deer dashing across a road in the New Forest, a puncture near Basingstoke swiftly changed to a space saving tyre that limited me to 50 mph, a long hold up on the M4 caused by a three car shunt, another further along being recovered and a detour via Maidenhead and Cookham (Xmas lights very pretty so pleased to see them) to avoid a big tailback on the Marlow bypass.
Not fazed, reminds me of my working days, but don’t want the rest of the week to be similar to my driving day!
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*gulp* glad you stayed safe x
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I call it HCD, Home Counties Driving, prefer DDs, Devon Dawdlers and I don’t mean you!
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My drive yesterday involved a smoky atmosphere, brown crackling lawns, drooping trees, coffee with friends ( the good part) and rather high temperatures, so I enjoyed accompanying you on yours, which sounds delightful.
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I’m glad you came along. Hope you get some relief from the heat soon. x
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Sounds idyllic. A bit like driving around here without the home made bread and mince pies, sadly.
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Very similar I should imagine, any day without rain is being celebrated at the moment. Today let me down.
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A very good day by the sound of it! What plant does that lovely bud belongs too? – a rhodo?
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It is Viburnum bodnantense, all the open flowers were wind damaged, brown and mangled, but the buds looked so perfect.
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