Reunion With An Old Friend

What a difference a week makes!  The snow has almost vanished, and I at last got back on my bike for the first time since November. 

My aim was to assume that it would be business as usual and that I'd be able to get straight back into my customary 21 mile run.  I've been keeping a reasonable level of fitness throughout the winter, so it didn't seem an unreasonable goal.

It was hard work, but it was straightforward enough.  Being the west of Scotland, there was a brisk headwind.  I'd forgotten how unplesant a brisk headwind can be...  But I felt quite strong and I think my pedalling style has got much smoother over the winter.

One of the things I love about cycling is the camaraderie shared by the 'Knights of the Road'.  It was good to see the same old faces out and about.  There are, however, some absent friends.  One older cyclist we used to see every time we went out is no longer around - last time my husband met him, he was standing at the side of the cycle track in considerable pain after having been brought down by an out-of-control dog.  He was taken away in an ambulance, and we've heard no news of him since.  He must have broken something, so I fear we'll never see him out and about again.

In today's post, I was going to try and introduce you to the Collegiate Church of Castle Semple.  I have a soft spot for this monument, because its founder, the 1st Lord Sempill, is the hero of my first novel.  I always say hello to him as I trundle past, and keep him informed with progress (it's usually somewhere along the lines of 'still no change, I'm afraid').  To think he's sleeping snugly in his tomb is wishful thinking - I'm not even sure that his mortal remains reside there. 

But more of the 1st Lord Sempill and his unfortunate end some other time...  Sadly, the light conditions were too poor for decent photography, so I'll have to go back when the weather's a bit brighter and hopefully take some better pictures. 

There were some lovely things to see nonetheless.  Here's a swathe of snowdrops growing in woodland just outside Lochwinnoch:-

 

When we came home, our intrepid postman had manouvred a package onto our back step.  It was a tree-paeony, the latest plant to join the merry throng in the garden, where things are moving on apace.  The dark purple crocuses are now in bloom:-
 

 

And I'm delighted to report that our first hellebore is now in flower.  It's one of our second generation hellebores - a 'Washfield Double' from Thomson & Morgan - and it's flowering for the first time this year.  As I mentioned before, it's been a lottery how these plants are going to turn out.  This particular one's a beauty.  It's a full double, with the beautiful speckled hellebore look - the patterns always remind me of the Narns in Babylon 5, for those who remember the old science fiction series.  Here's a close-up of the flower.  It's still not quite open, but it's getting very close:-

 

Reunion With An Old Friend

What a difference a week makes!  The snow has almost vanished, and I at last got back on my bike for the first time since November. 

My aim was to assume that it would be business as usual and that I'd be able to get straight back into my customary 21 mile run.  I've been keeping a reasonable level of fitness throughout the winter, so it didn't seem an unreasonable goal.

It was hard work, but it was straightforward enough.  Being the west of Scotland, there was a brisk headwind.  I'd forgotten how unplesant a brisk headwind can be...  But I felt quite strong and I think my pedalling style has got much smoother over the winter.

One of the things I love about cycling is the camaraderie shared by the 'Knights of the Road'.  It was good to see the same old faces out and about.  There are, however, some absent friends.  One older cyclist we used to see every time we went out is no longer around - last time my husband met him, he was standing at the side of the cycle track in considerable pain after having been brought down by an out-of-control dog.  He was taken away in an ambulance, and we've heard no news of him since.  He must have broken something, so I fear we'll never see him out and about again.

In today's post, I was going to try and introduce you to the Collegiate Church of Castle Semple.  I have a soft spot for this monument, because its founder, the 1st Lord Sempill, is the hero of my first novel.  I always say hello to him as I trundle past, and keep him informed with progress (it's usually somewhere along the lines of 'still no change, I'm afraid').  To think he's sleeping snugly in his tomb is wishful thinking - I'm not even sure that his mortal remains reside there. 

But more of the 1st Lord Sempill and his unfortunate end some other time...  Sadly, the light conditions were too poor for decent photography, so I'll have to go back when the weather's a bit brighter and hopefully take some better pictures. 

There were some lovely things to see nonetheless.  Here's a swathe of snowdrops growing in woodland just outside Lochwinnoch:-

 

When we came home, our intrepid postman had manouvred a package onto our back step.  It was a tree-paeony, the latest plant to join the merry throng in the garden, where things are moving on apace.  The dark purple crocuses are now in bloom:-
 

 

And I'm delighted to report that our first hellebore is now in flower.  It's one of our second generation hellebores - a 'Washfield Double' from Thomson & Morgan - and it's flowering for the first time this year.  As I mentioned before, it's been a lottery how these plants are going to turn out.  This particular one's a beauty.  It's a full double, with the beautiful speckled hellebore look - the patterns always remind me of the Narns in Babylon 5, for those who remember the old science fiction series.  Here's a close-up of the flower.  It's still not quite open, but it's getting very close:-