Are Friends Electric - Tubeway Army

OUR NEW ONES ARE!

There is one thing which is certain in my life,

while fit and able, and that is that the Moth Traps

are monitored at the earliest posible convenience with the Insectsbeing

Returned to the Wild Unharmed!  

06:00 is a lovely time of day at this time of year and on occassion the nocturnals are not alone.

We started with a waterlogged

LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY

glued to one of the traap collars by condensation but quickly

rescued, dried out and released.

Things took a bit of an upward turn as we ventured further afield

to find 2 x First's for the year

 LEASTCARPET

and

 DARK SPINACH

on the Heath.

They do say that 

"A Change is as Good as a Rest"

and on the day it was certainly true as meeting at 08:30 with 

Senior Apprentice Chloe

for a 

Dalliance in Darkest Dorset but more particularly the tiny hamlet of Morton!

Here lie 2 of my favouate monuments in the county and while not the remostest bit

religeous one of there is a Church and the other a nearby Grave

and an absolute joy to share with someone else!

 The church of 

 dates back to before the 1400' as it's dedication was changed in 1490 and 1776

and rebuilt in both 1776 and again after suffering a direct hit from a German bomb in 1940.

It is without doubt most famous for its 13 'engraved' windows  (not stained glass which is far more usual) by poet and artist Sir Laurence Whistler.

Unfortunately the church was locked due to the current situation but a wander around the church and graveyard

 reveiled some interesting

 STONES

 and these mighty

YEW TREEs

While getting totally inadequate views of the windows from the outside

 we were certainly not going to be beaten by the virus as reaching into the

Depths of the Archive.

 We have click these images on extra-large for best effect.

 Note the Spitfire Wing

Morton Manor in the Snow

 Salisbury Cathedral

There were many memories for me here but none stronger than the days

 when along with my 2 daughters, as children,  did 

Brass Rubbings

of this and other 'brasses' there and elsewhere.

Only a short walk past a number of the beautiful 

Village Buildings

 A Private Dwelling (r) and the Old School House,

erstwhile a fantastic Tea Room, closed for reasons unknown a few years ago?

"Who's That Girl" - Madonna

 Manor House

and the 

Cemetary Lytch Gate

before reaching the last resting place of

 British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer

T. E. (Thomas Edward) LAWRENCE

far better known as

LAWRENCE of ARABIA

(or so Peter 'o' Toole told me!)

Back outside the gate I was singing

"The Lamia" by Genesis to the vivacious Chloe

where we happened upon

Jo, Peter and their 2 Most Delightful Children.

We broke into some light and then more meaningful conversation

(while I speak for the sextet here to say)

we jelled imediately and invited them for tea and cake at the 

'free to enter' but do ask for a donation

Walled Garden

a delight in itself, 

Do Not Miss this if you Venture that Way!

 The childeren found, and identified, a

 juvenile

 ROBIN

among enough plant-life, both wild and cultivated,

to please Percy Thrower, Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don for evermore,

 while Chloe and I endulged ourselves with posing a-front both

ARTWORK

and

 GARDEN FOUNTAIN

Only regret, if you can call it that was not enough 'clicking'

especially in the Tea Room - a delight!

WE BOTH HEARTILY THANK YOU FOR YOU VIBRANT COMPANY!
and it being 05:40 let me be the FIRST to wish you a
VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Dear Lady!