Saturday 30th April 2022

Last day of April.

It has felt these last few days that I have been running out of things to write about. Work is work, and the other stuff other than work is all fine. Just a bit cabin crazy I suppose due to not going out. A combination of poor weather and a sore back.

Every days has seemed the same, though we are planning stuff in the weeks and months ahead, so don't think it will always be like this.

Such as?

Well, next month we hope to be going to Welsh Wales, as well as going to see Dr Feelgood in concert and going to London for another Word in the Opera event, this one celebrating Paul McCartney's 80s th birthday.

Yes, you read that right.

Then there is another railtour in July planned, and looking further ahead a trip to the artic circle planned for the start of the new year.

Inbetween them is always orchids. And tomorrow is the first day of May and the beginning of the peak season. So, hang onto your hats as this will be getting busy!

And to start, I had arranged the first group meet at Marden Meadow, which for us is a bit of a hike, the other side of Maidstone, but for others in the group it was literally next door to where they live.

Jools had already done shopping, so once we had drink our coffee and had fruit, we loaded the car and set off up to A20 to Ashford before turning off to go through Pluckley and across country. I had failed to book the weather, and the expected sunshine had been replaced with cloud, but it should break through later.

But the road at Pluckley was closed, a diversion was signposted, but halfway along that was closed too. It seemed for a moment that fate had decided we would not get there.

But down a really narrow lane, we emerged at Staplehurst a few miles from the meadow.

We arrived at nine, half an hour early, but my planned early morning dew-covered shots were stopped by there being no sun or dew. So, we waited by the car and one by one the members of the group arrived until about eight people had turned up.

Marden is a reserve now made of three meadows, the orchids and other wild plants having spread from the middle meadow to the other two. And as a local told us, spreading the nearby gardens and fields too.

We walk round the main meadow, talking and swapping news, it is all rather pleasant. There are only so many orchid pictures from here one can take, but I do take a few.

And then, as if by magic, the clouds part and the sun shines, turning the meadows technicolor.

After a couple of hours, we wrap up and I offer to take a friend, Fran, back to Sturry, where she had parked her car. But on the way we called in at Stockbury for some bluebell and Lesser Butterfly action.

Thankfully, the bluebells were at peak, and well worth snapping, so I wander through the narrow path, like walking through a lake, with the pale blue plants and their scent enveloping me.

I even took a video.

Down along through the reserve, down the steps to the lower meadow. Sadly, the Lesser Butterflies were still only in bud, but it is very early for them to even be this far advanced.

Further along there were lots of Lady Orchids, just coming into flower, again, not at their peak, but close.

We go back to the car and drve back to the main road, then stuck in traffic at the junction with the motorway as they are about to rebuld the junction. But once on the motorway, its easy driving, cruising at 60 on to the Thanet Way, but it seemed most traffic was going to Whistable, as the queue started two miles outside the town.

We cruised on.

We dropped Fran off at Sturry, then turned inland away from the traffic chaos of Canterbury.

Shall we have a pub lunch?

Yes. Yes we shall.

We though the Grove Ferry Inn would be perfect. And it would, but half of Kent had had the same idea, it looked rammed. So, we drove on, and then I remembered our favourite county pub, the Rising Sun at Stourmouth was less than three miles away.

In contrast, there was just one car in the car park, and all bar one of the tables free.

Are you doing food?

Yes, yes they were.

We both ordered burgers and onion rings, and sat down to anticipate the food to come. A few others came in, so the place did have more than one table being used.

The food was great, I mean a burger is always good, they ut cheese and bacon on our, so was doubly good.

Can we tempt you with the dessert menu, the lady asked.

No, we were full.

From there it was a half hour drive home, through Preston to Sandwich then to the Eastry by-pass to Whitfield and home. Traffic was light, even heading to the port.

We were home for three, so I could listen to the football. Maybe Norwich could defy the odds and start the great escape.

No, no they could not.

A 2-0 defeat at Villa, and then other results meant we were confirmed to be relegated.

Put out of our pain at last.