Saturday 6th March 2021

Today (Sunday) is going to be busy, what with Jen coming for lunch and football and #wildflowerhour later, so I am writing the blogs nice and early.

It is nearly a year since COVID hit, and although lockdown didn't begin here until the 23rd, this was really the last weekend of normality. On Friday we collected our new car from Canterbury, I'll say again I never thought we would be in a position to buy a new car, let alone an Audi, made me feel like a millionaire. On the Saturday we went to Rochester to look round the cathedral, have breakfast out then went to Cuxton for some churchcrawling. The last such time we did that until September, really.

Life hasn't got back to normal since then.

A year on, some easing is going to happen on Monday, but for us there won't be that much change, we will take care, mix as little as possible, so stay safe and keep others safe, thus reducing the strain on the NHS.

On Saturday, the plan was for some walking in the sunshine.

I had noticed on Google Maps that the Nailbourne seemed to be joined by a new bourne just west of Bishopsbourne, and its source seemed to be a pond in the meadow. We had crossed this stream two weeks ago, but I thought it was just where the main Nailbourne had split somewhere in the woods in the village. I was wrong, this seems a more permanent flow, with the image on Google suggested it flowed in summer when the main bourne was dry.

So after breakfast of toast made with the crust of the loaf I made last week and criossants to follow, we left at about nine for the short drive along the A2 to Bridge, turning down the moss-covered lane into Bishopbourne and parking outside the church.

It was about ten degrees colder than the last time we were there, two weeks previous, so we wrapped up and walked through the churchyard and through the gate into the meadow.

At least being early it meant that dogwalkers and families and families walking children and dogs were still at home, meaning it was quiet and safer. It was just a short walk to the first concrete bridge, then turning from the path we walked to the pond, with sheep with attendant lambs behind.

Its not much to look at, but bubbling from the base of a shallow bank was clear cold water, in a steady flow, and runs ofter enough that here, and in the outflow stream, no grass grows in its bed, instead it is lined with gravel and stones.

I take pictures and we are done.

We walk back to the car for the short drive through Bridge, Hardres and Petham to Denge Wood.

We were going to Denge Wood, obviously to check on the orchid rosettes, but a walk is never wasted. I was hoping to see some different flowers in bloom, even this early, especially Coltsfoot, a member of the dandelio/daisy family that flowers before it's hoof-shaped leaves appear in about a month.

We parked in Pennypot Lane, in the usual place. There had been some logging, so the track was rutted and muddy, and gaps in the trees to the right as we began to walk down to Bonsai. Its also lighter because there were no leaves in the canopy, so much airy and open than it will be in even a month.

Not much to see, until at the lowest point, where there was a stack of pine longs, on the other side a few stalks reached for the sky. Coltsfoot only really open on a sunny day, and it was still cool, and the endless sunshine promised had instead turned into sunny intervals, so the flowers were partially open at best.

Oh well.

Further on we go into the resrve, taking the top path, eyes down looking for rosettes. Good news is that we saw dozens, maybe hundreds, with more emerging, mostly of Lady Orchids, it will be a good display come May.

I marvel at the silver birches that I don't notice, not when there is green all around, but their trunks and bark stand out well against the bare down behind.

We are done, at the end of the reseve, so we turn back and wander back towards the car.

We stop outside the reserve, sit on a bank to allow by aching back some respite, and we were disturbed by a couple of couples, walking and talking in high class accents, they would scare anything off that wasn't stone deaf.

Have you seen anything one of the ladies asks, we say orchids, flowers, and they are happy. But they miss the two buzzards circling above. There's always something to see, if you know where and how to look.

We drove home, nothing exciting happened, getting back at midday.

I make tacos for lunch: I had made the tomato sauce before we left, to allow the spices and chipotles to add to the depth of flavour. Back home I butcher the chicken thighs, gently cook them, add the sauce, warm the shells and we sit down to eat at abot half one, Jools with a cider and me with a large glass of tripel.

Perfect.

We sit down to watch the football at three. I watch the footy, Jools nods off and sleeps through to five. I watch the Middlesborough v Swansea game, listen to the radio for the Prem game, and follow Norwich via Twitter.

It is a perfect afternoon, especially as Norwich have a fine old time, beating lUton 3-0, and playing like the Citeh of the Championship acording to the Hatter's manager.

Back to ten points clear, buh.

I watch the Wolves v Villa game next, and is entertaining without having a goal. We have crispbakes in rolls for supper, with more tripel, and the evening draws to a peaceful end. Outside the half moon shone down from a jet black sky.