Dance of the fritillaries

We drove over to Lechlade-on-Thames today to buy some card display stands from a former trader. She was waiting for us in a car park with her tiny towing caravan, and we exchanged a few pleasantries before heading off again: she to Chipping Norton, us in search of snakes- head fritillaries, which flower at this time of year.

CleanSteve had spotted a nature reserve with a traditional meadow full of wild flowers, near the Spill Brook, in Wiltshire, near Minety. We were not disappointed by the number of fritillaries, nor by the peace and quiet of the meadow, filled with the sound of birdsong. We only saw two other people in the far distance! We wandered around taking photos, then decided to return to the car and find somewhere near a lake, to have our picnic lunch. You'd think that, what with us being in the Cotswold Water park, it would be easy to find such a place, but no ... many lakes, formed from old gravel pits, are privately owned, and others are geared towards tourists spending money on restaurants or water sports. We were not in the commercial section today, but experience has taught us that picknickers are regarded as eccentric, and not to be encouraged.

After a cup of tea in the car, we drove home across country, still looking for a bench or a picnic spot. On reaching Stroud, I remembered that I had on me some greetings cards to deliver personally to a 91-year-old client. There had been some confusion over her order - is it me or is it everyone that's confused these days? At any rate, I needed to put it right, so I dropped them off in Stonehouse, admired her post-lockdown haircut, and we set off for home.

On the way, Steve suddenly veered off towards a bridge, having remembered that there was a bench with a view by the canal at Ryeford. Turned out it was already taken, but we found a stone ledge by the former coal pen, and settled there to eat our picnic. It was four o'clock by then, and chilly, but I didn't mind. A picnic is a picnic, and I was raised on the west coast of Scotland, so I know how to party outdoors in all seasons!

Since arriving home, I've been getting my cards and equipment ready to take down to the market tomorrow evening, in time for Friday's Grand Reopening. Can we have a brass band, please?