Another sunny day!

After such relentless wet and windy weather throughout the whole of winter so far, to have two or three sunny days in ONE WEEK, is really very special.  I find it almost impossible to stay indoors when it is so bright and sunny outside, so Tilly and I were off and out this morning, for another tramp around the fields.

As it was such a lovely morning I thought it would make a good outing to walk across the fields to Smeaton, a lovely garden nursery set within a walled garden, with an excellent cafe, and of course, cake.  We slid, splashed, slithered and squelched our way along the saturated field margins, stopping a few times to tune in to the song of the larks, high in the blue above.  They were enjoying the good weather too!

The Smeaton Estate has a walk around a small lake, and the woodland beyond, at the moment, is full of snowdrops.  They are a joy to see!

And then on to the garden nursery, which was looking wonderful with delicious hellebores, witch hazels in bloom, a carpet of colourful polyanthus and all sorts of lovely things.  

Tilly and I sat outside in the sunshine, while I enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate and we tucked into a large slice of Victoria sponge.  I didn't just share it with Tilly, a cheeky little robin came and scoffed a few cake crumbs from the plate, inches away from me!  

I think I might have to go back to the nursery and buy one of these hellebores.  Looking at them again, here, I think they are rather irresistible!