Monthly catch up - April 2026

So the start of April began with Easter, which meant a delightful long weekend!

I started off with a trip to Westonbirt.  It is incredible, when you just stop, open up the Merlin app and just listen, how many birds can been heard in one small area in two minutes!

 

Here the Bluebells were beginning to flower, in a week I feel it will be an incredible carpet of them, what a sight! 

 

The blossom on the trees, especially when the sun is out just catching the light through the petals is so magical.  I also could not believe the size of the Magnolia flower, it was the size of my hand!

 

I then took a short 30 minute drive across country and through Dursely, a town I have not stopped at but looks interesting, so I could have a short visit to Slimbridge.

 

I have a few more images and ideas that are all going towards developing ideas for the course.

 

Being treated to seeing the cutest Harvest Mouse and Mallard chicks.  Aren't chicks always just so adorable!  

 

Easter Sunday, when I feel sure many people were delving into their Easter Eggs, I had a treat of my own.  I took my fluffball out for a local wander, stopping off at my favourite coffee shop.  Then on to the phone box book swap, where I left a book and borrowed another.

 

 

The final day of the Easter break was a trip to Croome Court National Trust.  

A place I have visited many times, but is always nice to have a wonder especially as the weather was incredible.

I absolutely adhored the yellow mini in the car park, absolutely immaculate, but in today's world of huge lorries I don't think I would enjoy driving it.

There were also some great metal sculptures which I loved, they depicted the four seasons with different stories, all having the bridge within them to tie them all together.

So weekend two was a quiet one.  I treated the garden to another lovely Rose from Lidl, I have bought several over they years and they do well.

Partly due to the horrendous cost of fuel and being mindful with the diesel I have, the next weekend I did not drive anywhere.  

I did take a walk to my local Nero for a nice coffee to take back home so I could sit and watch Womens Six Nations Rugby England V Ireland.  I am pleased and not surprised to say England won 33 v 12.  

It was a great match and lots of shouting at the tv took place!

 

I have been spending a lot of time working on the next module of my course, which involves researching along with knitting 3d objects.

The grey and white knitted piece I sewed some fabric to the back and shall use in my VW as a little coaster.

The pink stuffed house, is just a cute little house I did and have placed it next to my treasured ornaments my Son gifted me.

Weekend three, I decided to venture a little further afield from home and on Saturday headed to Cannop Ponds in the Forest of Dean.  So a lovely drive out and a 4 mile round trip walk.

The weather had picked up and was warm enough after a gently meander from my parking spot listening to the wildlife and people spotting I found the perfect spot to sit and cast on another pair of Stripes are us socks.

Then before heading home I decided to take a little detour to a Lydney harbour, a place I have been meaning to go to for ages as it is literally across the river on the opposite side from my usual spots in Gloucestershire.

The harbour and view was just a brilliant huge expanse that you could see down to the two bridges that go from England to Wales.  If you sat here for a few hours you would see the incredible tidal river rising, which it does over time really quickly and would make the best time lapse video.  I will definately return. 

The following day I went to another place that I have planned for months to visit.  

I had seen Arlingham on my Google maps for a long time, but never realised how close, (A) it is to home and (B) how close you get to the river!  There is also a brilliant walk that you can do all around the bends called the Seven Way.  So again I shall be back for more exploring.

Then to top off the day a trip to Slimbridge and the canal, as why not!

The final weekend of the month, well what an absolute brilliant one it was! 

Thanks my dear Rugby friends I got to go and watch England Red Roses's V Wales.  It was a brilliant game in an almost completly sold out stadium at Bristol's Ashton Gate Stadium.

It is funny to think, I never used to be in any way interested in watching sport until I started to watch my local team, many of whom were in the England and Welsh sides.  Also watching a live match and seeing the skill involved is just great.

I am now on my twelve visit to Slimbridge since November 2025 when I started my course.  It is not only a base for inspiration, but a place to sit, slow down and fully appreciate the sheer beauty of nature.

Some question why I keep returning so often, but for me, the more you go, the more you see and if something brings you happiness, then go as often as you want!

Monthly catch up - March 2026

 

So at the beginning of March I took a trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon, just a short 45 minute drive from home.  It was around 21 years ago that I last spent much time here and this visit was a real thorough visit around the town.

It is amazing just how many statues there are, I think my favourite was of Macbeth.

With so much rain that we have had in the UK over the last couple of months, it was no surprise to see just how high the river had got. 

The iconic Royal Shakespeare Theatre stands firmly on the banks of the river.  I do love a trip to the theatre and have added this to my list of places to go and see a production in the future.

The last time I came here, I had a walk along this riverbank and went down to the bridge in the distance, but this time that was not possible, unless I had wellies on!

The joy of Google maps when visiting somewhere is that you can just see what it's about and go and explore, which is what happened here. 

It was a nice 4 mile round trip, up the hill and ended up with a great view over the town. 

Obviously craft project is always in hand, so a much needed refreshement was enjoyed.

Before heading home I decided to take a look in the theatre, wow I am so glad I did!  

If you get a chance to visit they currently have an exhibition on which is incredidible.  It goes back 400 years showing costumes that are made on site.

As you go up the stairs there is this mesmerising scuplture depicting Hamlets face made out of stars.

These costumes really reminded me of Bridgeton.

I loved the simplicity of this dress for the character Viola.

But this dress from The Tempest for Juno the queen of the gods in Roman mythology.  It definately does symbolise a clear blue sky on a starry night.

The placement of William Shakespeare's work with the stain glass windows was just magical, especially as the sun was shining so brightly through.

The other brilliant freen activity you can do is go to the 8th floor and it is so worth it, what a view!!

So the second weekend in I decided to take myself of for a local walk to Dowdeswell Reservoir.  Having subscribed for a year's memebership to Altrails I have saved a variety of walks to help inspire me to adventure.  

 

I had decided to follow the orange arrows (not shown on this post!) and I had not seen any guidance as to what each colour represented, which would turn out to be fun later! 

 

For me personally, I am more of a fan of big open spaces and views, not really woods.  But I wanted to make the most of the visit as it was not too far from home to get to. 

 

Noticing the close up details of the tree bark and the height of the trees was fun. 

Due to the rainfull the resevouir was certainly high.

The one, for me big downside was the constant sound of the A40 main road which just had an endless stream of traffic.

 

This is where the lack of orange arrow meant I came unstuck as taking the route off into the middle of the woods equalled a huge amount of very very muddy tracks!!

I did leave the Merlin bird app running and was amazed at how many birds there were in the woods.

So now we have reached week 3!  Goodness March is a 5 week month with the clocks changing at the end of the month where we get to "spring forwards!"

For Christmas my Son purchased me membership to Westonbirt Arboretum and I have only used it once so far since he gifted it to me.  So with the sun shining, I thought what better place to go than a lovely drive out in the Cotswold countryside.

 

Westonbirt is split into two woodlands, I decided to head to the old Arboretum, this area is dog free, but also wow I was greeted with the most incredible display of spring blossom, with flower heads the size of an adult hand!

The sound of the bees was such a lovely sound, as I feel sure there must be so much nectar for them on these flowers. 

I have Primula's in my garden, but it was lovely to see native Primroses in big swaths across the woodland floor.

The vivid blue sky is such a welcome sight, and I just love the contrast from the bright pink.

I have no idea what this tree is, but it has to be one of my favourites, I mean just look at that bark!! 

I absolutley love to use the Merlin bird identify app.  Just standing still and listening and incredibly all the bird song is picked up and identified is just brilliant.

The weather is now picking up and we were treated to the most glorious sunshine.

I took myself off to a town just 8 miles from me for a glorious walk.

  

It definately lifts your spirits to see glorious blue sky.

 

They have an area in the Cotswolds called the Blossom Trail.  Even though I have lived here for 38 years I've never done it!

But it was so lovely to walk along the tree lined route and hear all the bees buzzing away already.

 

Cotswold stone buildings are always a lovely colour, but even better with the sun shining on them, they just glow a gorgeous gold colour.

Daffodils of so many colours are still out too which is just such a welcome sight.

I did as always have a craft project with me, so I could just sit, craft and take in the sun's rays, nature and being outdoors.

 

My home is a place of colour, be it through yarn with cushions, blankets and many knitted garments and accessories.  But I have also decided that I do not need to limit it to items that can be swapped around.

 

I painted areas of my bathroom recently in the delightful colour you now see on the windowsill.  I absolutely love it and in a different light it is a different colour.

 

So this week I decided to paint the downstairs windowsill and I'm so glad I did.

 

 

Saturday was a very mixed day of weather from sunshine, rain and hail! But this did not stop me getting my lovely weekly treat of a Cafe Nero, admintedly from not from my favourite Barista as she is on holiday.

 

When I saw her recently she gifted me the best stickers for my mug with the Crafter and a rainbow Pixie which I have put on the top.

 

Last weekend whilst at Slimbridge I decided to cast on a quick mitt project I had designed. 

In anticipation of wanting to wear them to Rugby, I actually stayed in and watched tv in the daytime, something I rarely do. 

But I finished them with thirty minutes to spare till my friends came and picked me up! 

We headed to our favourite (and anyone who supports Rugby) cafe Mozo.  Run by the Captain of the England team Zoe Stratford and her close friend and Captain of Gloucester Hartbury (the team I support) Natasha Mo Hunt.

It was such a tast Lattee and personally made by Zoe which is just incredible!  

For followers of Women's Rugby who attend games you will witness just how down to earth, kind and generous with there time the ladies are.  Always happy to sign autographs and have photo's.

My friend Carol (in the pink) is never shy to ask for a picture, thanks to her I have got many pictures I would not have asked for.

This is Kate Wiliams who not only plays for Hartbury, but is the Captain of the Welsh Women's team for the up and coming Six Nations Rugby for which me and my two friends here will be watching the England, Wales game in April.

Kate is holding the Slater Cup yet another trophy to add to there ever growing collection!

This final picture is the beaming smile of Mo, who recently last month reached her 100th appearance playing for Gloucester Hartbury. 

The Number 15 is Emma Sing who on this game also reached the incredible milestone of 100 appearances.  Having seen both play over the last 18 months I have been following the game, I have to say they are just brilliant.

So we have now reached the end of my March fun and on to whatever adventures I have in April!