Better Days

We had a very pleasant outing to Chatsworth today. We went to an arts and crafts exhibition, where my friend was showing some of her work. There were lots of nice things but nothing that we both liked that was within our price range. We then went for a very nice walk in the Stand Wood, above the House and Gardens (which don't open till the end of the month). There were lots of birds around. We saw Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Little Grebe, a flock of Fieldfare, lots of Mandarin Ducks, to name a few. The weather was fine, and the sun even managed to break through for a few moments, but it was hazy, so landscape photography was not really ideal. However, the colours and shapes in the woodland were wonderful - lots of mosses and lichens, and some lovely Golden Saxifrage. We also saw a big patch of Scarlet Elfcups. This dead and decaying tree caught my eye with its beautiful colours and textures. After the walk, we felt duty bound to try the cakes at the cafe.