Five out of Eight ain't Bad

On Monday morning we headed over to Packwood House. As we had less time than usual we took the opportunity to visit a National Trust property near to home.
Before we left I had been rushing around doing housework. I really didn't realise how warm it was until we got there! #shouldhavetakenahat

We started in the kitchen gardens. where I was very taken with the scarecrow. I think DH should have one on his allotment - as long as it doesn't look too much like me!



Here they grew strawberries in pots suspended in a frame - a set up I have not seen before.




We crossed the road towards the house, passing a particularly fragrant floribunda rose, with an aroma that caused passersby to pause, and breath in the floral fragrance - unless of course, they were sensitive to such scents, in which case they moved on swiftly and avoided lingering within the aroma zone.

In the gardens, the sprinklers were in action, trying to keep the gardens looking fresh.
I was tempted to step through the cascade of water droplets, but I resisted.
#shouldhavegotwet









We followed the path around the lake, pausing to ponder in the art installation 'Prospect Room'. From the outside, it looked like a tatty shed, but inside the view through the walls was interesting - which I assume was the whole point of the project.
#shouldhaveseentheview














We did a quick tour of the Yew Garden, aka The Sermon on the Mount', which this iconic collection of ancient trees was laid out to represent. The KHT climbed the spiral path up to the highest point, pausing to wave enthusuastically from the foot of 'Jesus'.

We then beat a hasty retreat to the cafe before dehydration set in!
#shouldhavetakenadrink












In the evening I met up with part of the group in whose company I spent my Thursday evenings for a couple of very interesting, challenging and enjoyable years. It was a long overdue opportunity to catch up with all their news. We plan to meet up once a term. I missed the last gathering - and that was nearly a year ago.  We start off with good intentions, and then they slip...

The eight of us went through Reader Training together followed by Funeral Training. Our backgrounds and personalities are very different, but we bonded well as a group, and probably had a lot more fun than the course tutors intended...
#shouldhavebeenmoreserious

Sadly not everyone was able to be there and we missed those who could not make it. Five out of eight ain't bad, but eight out of eight would have been even better!
#swishyouhadbeenthere