HOPE COVE

This is one of my favourite sea-side places in Devon, it is near Kingsbridge in the South Hams. The picture shows the pretty beach of Outer Hope & just around the corner is the little harbour & pretty thatched cottages of Inner Hope. There are really stunning cliff walks in either direction, east towards Bolt Head or west to Thurlestone. I enjoyed several swims & a glorious hot day on the beach!

MOUNT EDGCUMBE

I am currently exhibiting some of my bird paintings in the "Visions of Nature" exhibition which runs from the 24th of July to the 6th of August in the Barrow Park Centre in Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, Cremyll, Torpoint, Cornwall. The exhibition marks the 80th anniversary of the Cornwall Bird Watching & Preservation Society & features paintings, sculpture & photographs from some of the best wildlife artists in the UK. It is well worth a visit & when you have finished looking at the artwork the walks & views in that area are also stunning.

MARY WHIDDON

Here is one of the more unusual flower arangements in the Chagford flower festival. This is number 23 out of 42 amazingly clever flower displays. This one is set in the year 1641 and shows a ghostly figure of Mary Whiddon standing on her tomb in St Michael's Church. The stone slab is inscribed with the words "behold a matron yet a maid" and it is believed that Mary was killed on her wedding day by a jealous lover and that this was the inspiration behind R D Blackmore's book Lorna Doone.

CHAGFORD FLOWER FESTIVAL

There is a wonderful display of flowers in St Michael's Church in Chagford to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the dedication of the Church by Bishop Branscombe. Each display depicts a period in the history of the Church & Chagford dating from 500AD to 2011! Well worth a visit.

MARBLED WHITE BUTTERFLY

A lovely warm day has brought out lots of Butterflies & I spotted several Marbled White's, Greylings, Small Heaths, Gatekeepers & a Small Tortoiseshell on my walk below Castle Drogo this morning. I managed to get some nice photo's including this one of a Marbled White on Blackberry flowers.

The DRANG CHAGFORD

This quaint and narrow passage is next to Whiddons Eatery in the heart of Chagford and links through to Stannary Place past the old Cinema and into New Street, at the moment it is looking very pretty bedecked with flowers.

Groan About the NHS

I have not been out walking so much recently as I have hurt my knee which is very frustrating especially having to wait so long with the NHS just to find out what the matter is! This started in March but I did not get to see a specialist till mid May, then had to wait till the end of June for a scan & I now have to wait till August to see the specialist again to find out about it....I am tearing my hair out & missing my long walks & also finding all the stairs in the gallery a challenge! Oh well thats my groan over, & here is a picture taken in my garden of a cheerful poppy.