Rhododendrons

Since Thursday I’ve had awful pain in my hip - not sure if it is sciatica, bursitis or what, but it only hurts when sitting or lying down, so after a morning of “ouches” whilst sitting down and standing up during the church service I went out for a walk. The Rhododendrons are beginning to look wonderful up in St Ives Estate.  Sadly they are not managed as they used to be.  They were always cut back each year which doesn’t happen now, so many have be some far too large or “leggy”.  A large number of them had to be removed as they were carrying disease.  Many are still beautiful though.  The main image is one of my favourite views each year on days when there are reflections in the pond.  In extras there are the Rhodies in various stages of blooming.  Sadly I then noticed that an adult swan had become trapped by its feet in the wire at the edge of the pond.  It was becoming very angry and distressed as was its partner. Late afternoon and nobody around to help, so I tried to ring a swan rescue, but it closed at 4pm.  There was suddenly a loud beating of wings and the swan managed to free itself.  I went through the gate to the edge of the pond and found a branch to try to pull the offending wire out of the pond, but it wouldn’t budge, so I sent a message to a group up there in the hope that they could help.  The new cygnets were safely up at the other end of the pond.  Postscript on Monday - have heard that sadly more cygnets have been caught in the wire.  Not sure how the wire even ended up there - it looks like a roll of plastic netting - not seen any like that being used around the estate.  Poor babies.