A fragrant afternoon

An idyllic few hours spent at Leonardslee lakes and gardens this afternoon. There was an enormous amount to see there. On the edge of the Sussex high weald, much tramped by Anton and myself, is this fragrant valley full of what Lorraine informed me were rhododendron and azalea species of all kinds and colours. Their sweet fragrance hung everywhere in the truly beautiful little valley. Lots of trees too, and geese and goslings wandering about, and koi carp and goldfish, and a pheasant, not to mention a couple of dozen wallabies lolling sleepily in their enclosure, and other fish in the ponds. Simply a very beautiful place. Lorraine happily going about knowing the names of plants, fondling leaves, and rubbing tree bark and doing various Taurean things.

Also there was a small exhibit of vintage cars, but perhaps surprisingly what was considerably more interesting was a Beyond the Doll's House which was a miniature market town of great and witty detail.

Home and a chat with Sophie whose parents have both been in hospital over the last few months. She was returning from having taken her kids to see the Dalai Lama in Nottingham.

I had a chilled evening in, watching Walk the line on TV. Johnny Cash doesn't particularly butter my parsnips but this was an excellent film, with Reese Witherspoon putting in a fine performance I thought. A great love story.

Below Lorraine happy among foliage, the rock garden, a pond and goslings, dolls house doctor's surgery complete with a pipe smoking skull on the pillow, a garden sculpture of what appears to be cardinals. As ever, click the pic to enlarge.