My morning walk.

Stephen had a meeting this morning so I took myself off to Sutton Park Nature Reserve.
I had a coffee and biscuit (sitting outside) at the Bistro at Blackroot Pool. Some people we know were inside having breakfast when I went to order my coffee. It was the parents of a good friend of our son and daughter-in-law, over here visiting from Atlanta.
They had their other daughter and hubby with them from the States along with their munchie baby boy.
Aimee, their daughter who lives here, not far from our son, was there with them and we all exchanged greetings and I left them to the birthday celebration for her mum.
I went outside and was drinking my coffee when another Blipper spotted me! She was having a church Staff meeting and pointed them out all sitting together with two tables pushed together.
I recognised several of them having been a member at Sutton Baptist Church for 35 years until we changed churches 6 years back.
It was lovely sitting there in the sunshine and increasing warmth in the morning air.
Following my coffee I went for a long walk. It was so quiet on the pathways I almost had them to myself.
I wandered under huge pines alongside the Pool, enjoying the reflections of the leaves in the water, of the deciduous trees, whose branches overhung it in places.
It was so peaceful. I revelled in the freshness after the heavy downpours of the weekend. The heathland turf was giving out that lovely aroma of grass which had enjoyed being refreshed as I meandered on.
I looked up at endless blue through the ancient beech trees with their dappled sunlight filtering through.
There are large swathes of gorse, blackberry bushes, and ferns. As well as birch, rowan and willows. Wild Exmoor ponies were imported several years back now to maintain the scrubland. I didn’t see them today.
The herd tends to move around.
Eventually I reached Bracebridge Pool. As their refreshment kiosk is close on a Monday, it was also very quiet.
I arrived just in time to see three anglers land a huge Carp. They netted it and then put it in a special long bag in order to weigh it before returning it to its habitat. They kept pouring water over it whilst this process took place. (Photos in extras).
I was pleased it was going to be put back into the Pool.
I eventually retraced my steps until I reached the entrance gate which we use.
Stephen came to pick me up at that point as I am still finding, as he does, that there is a point at which my energy drains having had Covid a few weeks ago.
But it is receding thankfully.
I made our lunch on my return, and have spent time in the garden since, deadheading the roses and desultory pulling up a few weeds!
I also had to put on my shorts and a thinner top, as it is now quite warm, in a pleasant 20C.
Read a couple of chapters of my current book. I’m going to really enjoy it!