An unplanned jaunt.

There are times when I'm a tad dippy....last Friday I knew that I was meeting 3 of my oldest friends, but somehow in the excitement of it all I had forgotten that we had agreed to go for a walk. As luck would have it I already had my boots in the back of the car, but I didn't have my camera with me. Murphy's Law states when that happens you will see things that you would like to capture...so crappy phone camera it had to be then!

I find it fascinating looking at other people's photos of a shared experience....we all took photos of completely different things. This was my small selection from an area very close to my home, yet one I have never explored.

C is responsible for spotting this first one lurking in the hedge. She's a keen plantswoman, but couldn't remember the name of the huge leaves that looked so out of place on the verge of the lane. Whilst I could provide her with "Gunnera" I'm pretty sure that I would still have missed the flower spike if she hadn't pointed it out. It's not as if it's a small target is it now! Its architectural form is most pleasing.

Sharpenhurst Farm is one of those where the public foothpath passes straight through the middle. The farmhouse itself dates back to the 1300s [not shown] but nowadays it hosts weddings. It's sited at the base of the hill of the same name and once we had climbed to the top we had to stop and admire the view. At special times like the Millenium, there is a beacon lit which links with other ones that can be seen stretching across the neighbouring hills. Friend J says that the Platinium Jubilee will be marked in this way next year so hopefully I might be able to see it for myself. It's one of the highest points around us here and normally you get a fabulous view of the South Downs [it's J's favourite], but it was murky when we were there so we couldn't see very far. I'll badger her to take me back again on a fine day though

J knows the route like the back of her hand, but I went along roads and past buildings that I simply didn't recognise as ever having seen before. Naturally this one with all its additional accoutrements and hare weather vane appealed to me. The perimeter wall was festooned with little fairy doors!

Frankly the only certain thing about going on any walk is that at some point you're going to come across something completely unexpected.....there was a load of these old pods all lined up and looking rather folorn in the scrap yard. I wonder where they came from and what their eventual fate will be.

Having completed our walk with the four of us catching up [we haven't all been able to be together for over a year because most of the time B lives in the Middle East where her husband works, so most of our contact is via Zoom] it was then back to J's for yet more nattering and bucket loads of tea⛾ I am looking forwards to the next time we meet.

Arilx