Viola riviniana

From Wikipedia: Viola riviniana, the common dog-violet, is a species of the genus Viola native to Eurasia and Africa. It is also called wood violet and dog violet. It is a perennial herb of woodland edges, grassland and shady hedge banks. It is found in all soils except acid or very wet. 

We took a drive and a walk to Siccaridge woods nature reserve today, to see bluebells. They were heavenly! The scent of them filled the air, and winding paths led up and down the bank. I came at last to a stone bridge, and thought I'd better look for CleanSteve, who had stayed on the lower path. I soon found him, but not before I'd snapped this pretty little violet.

The woods were lovely, but filled with people, dogs, and other people on quad bikes or dirt bikes roaring around on the opposite bank. I'd like to find a really quiet wood: I grew up in the West Highlands of Scotland, and my nature rambles tend to be fairly solitary. I have some time off later this week, to seek out such an experience.

Afterwards we went to Wynstones ice cream factory, on the edge of Rodborough common, to try my first Wynstones ice cream of the season. As it was a bank holiday, plenty of other people had had the same idea.

'How simple our pleasures can be!' I pondered.
A walk, a cowslip, a seat with a view; a a dog gambolling in the sunshine a baby crawling on a picnic blanket. No need to get into the car and spend hundreds of pounds on ready made entertainment, when we have the alternative on our doorstep.