Spring flowers.

This is actually in next door's garden and they are away on their one week a year holiday, ski-ing in Italy.

I love the Helleborus, its lightly tinged petals and modest way of standing with the softness of British wildflowers. Who would swap this for a brightly coloured non-native like a Begonia? Many people I suspect; It's like eating pizzas instead of potatoes...

Yesterday I rode Bertie up on tyhe dreggie track with Sue on Rogan. Both horses behaved immpeccably and we cantered for long stretches and Rogan neither bucked nor kicked.

Bertie was a total star but I had to get off to walk...such is the pain after less than an hour's ride.

I will not be able to keep Bertie and am sorry. In the lovely weather and lengthening days, it is a great temptation but having made horsey mistakes before...not this time,

It's Ralph's birthday. A friend is going to die sooner rather than later of cancer and he will be the 3rd close friend who has died pre-maturely of cncer. One did know the consequences of his smoking and died at 52 but Hilary died at 50 having lead a blameless and healthy life. Other friends and aquaintances have survived cancer, breast cancer (2 of them), bowel cancer and a tumour in their dudeneum.

I hte cancer, because it is a sneaky disease that shows no discrimination.

Think ofthe spring flowers and be thankful for the re-generation of life.