Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Hay and Sunshine


We're at the peak of blooming tree season, it seems. Any walk around London leads past billowing clouds of pink and white. Yesterday morning I took Olga to Gladstone Park, and we found these cherry trees growing in a tight pair, one seeming to bend over the other protectively.

Getting Olga to the park helped alleviate my guilt about not taking her anywhere at all the day before. We had a long walk, and then her dog-walker showed up in the afternoon and took her for another long walk.

She's still in bed as I write this.


I spent the afternoon on my own outing, a photo walk through Walthamstow and Snaresbrook, in far northeast London. I hadn't been to that area in a while and I got some interesting shots. This was the most curious shop I found -- a place that specializes in providing hay bales for parties. Can they really make their overhead? Maybe that's why they're closed.

I walked past the William Morris Gallery, which looks like it would be an interesting place for a future visit -- but I didn't go in. Not this time.


I eventually wound up in the Epping Forest, a large, linked collection of wooded tracts that snake from Leyton up into Essex. I was in an area called the Leyton Flats, where there were lots of people out picnicking, bicycling and boating.

After a few hours of walking, I stopped in the village of Wanstead and had coffee and carrot cake at Costa, watching the passersby from a table on the sidewalk. It's such a relief to have reached a time of year when sitting out is possible. Then I made my way back home.

Yesterday morning I potted our rescued, rooting foxglove. I dusted it with rooting powder and put it in special seed compost, and it's still looking perky this morning, which I consider a very hopeful sign. If we can keep it going for a while and get it to produce a few more roots, we can put it in the ground and I'm sure it will prosper.

I also sorted out my situation with British Airways. I called them up to buy a ticket to Florida with my credit from last summer's unused Copenhagen flights, and for some reason they balked because the credit stemmed from flights for two people and I only wanted a ticket for one. But then they said they could issue me a full refund instead! Hello?! Why wasn't this option made clear to me nine months ago? I have no idea. But supposedly I'm getting the Copenhagen money back and I can just go buy my own ticket for Florida -- an infinitely simpler solution.

12 comments:

e said...

Great news on your refund! The cherry tree blooms are wonderful, and I'm glad Miss Olga got a work out. It has been beautiful here.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Currently, I am very envious of the fact that you can walk for a few hours as I continue to be troubled by my right knee. I think that The Hay Shop would have been more of an attraction to hay buyers if it had been constructed from hay but hey - what do I know?

Marty said...

You might want to avoid booking with United, in light of recent events. . . .

Ms. Moon said...

Seriously? Hay for parties.
Nah.
That's a front.
Glad you got the airline thing sorted. Jeez. Why is everything so hard?

utahDOG! said...

If it was United Airlines they would just choke you out and throw you off the plane.

Sharon said...

Good job with the air line tickets. You just never know what they might come up with so I'm glad BA came through for you. Sounds like you had another fun day of exploring.

ellen abbott said...

wow, an airline that just refunds money for unused tickets. maybe the hay shop is only open seasonally. and really, what would their storefront look like...different types of hay bales?

The Bug said...

Looks like a beautiful day! I especially like that last picture - very dramatic!

Catalyst said...

I remember the days when I could walk for hours. All in the distant past now. But I enjoy your tours.

jenny_o said...

Maybe the hay shop sold something else out back :)

Nice to get your cash back. It seems that rules can have more than one interpretation - sometimes it's who you happen to talk to.

Red said...

Ya gotta watch these airlines . Don't let them throw you off like the poor guy in Chicago.

Alphie Soup said...

Looking at the outdoor photos; I need to get out more...

Alphie