Ellie likes it too.
I like to sit under this tree and do my 'meditation' (daydreaming). The sound of the river is enormously soothing as is the feel of the treetrunk against my back.
On the far side of the river in the above picture you can just see the embankment along which the Penzance-Paddington railway runs. Ellie loves racing the high-speed trains. Sometimes she almost wins. Luckily she's not a swimmer so she stays this side of the bank and doesn't endanger either herself or the train. I probably shouldn't let her race the trains but I love to see her run. If I call her she wheels round in a huge arc like a proper sheepdog.
Just after I'd taken the above picture a swan took off and flew towards me, its wings making a tremendous creaking. I tried to take a picture of it but wasn't quick enough. I hope I wasn't disturbing a nest.
Cuckoo-flower in the water meadow next to the river. Normally the meadow is too boggy to walk on at this time of year but today it was dry and hard so I pleased to see the cuckoo-flowers - which only grow in damp places. They are named of course after the bird which should arrive in this country around now. However I haven't heard one in Devon for about five years. I'm just crossing my fingers that the swallows will return.
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