May/June Staycation

 Friday 28th May

Finally a warm and sunny day, with more forecast! Perfect for a bank holiday weekend, plus lockdown restrictions eased further on 17th May so pubs, cafes and restaurants can serve customers indoors and we can meet with up to 6 people in our homes.

After work, it was straight out into the garden to sow cornflower seeds, trim the lawn edge and tidy up some pots and flower beds. 

Saturday 29th May.

The temperature is up a little more!

We have an aim of tackling some of the longer Norfolk walking trails this year and the Walsingham path, recently launched, seemed a good place to start. We covered familiar ground, between Norwich Cathedral and the start of Marriotts way, as we were in Norwich anyway. 

First meet up with Paul and Gilly, since their wedding in December 2019! They have recently moved to Horsford. We were keen to revisit the Grosvenor for fish and chips. Sadly the Bird Cage closed down during lockdown so we ate on site, in the 'basement!  It tasted just as good.

Sunday 30th May.

Supermarket shopping and some pottering in the house and garden.

In the afternoon, the weather was again perfect for our meet up with Alice and Chris for a Stody Lodge open day, complete with classic car rally. The rhododendrons and azaleas were at their peak. 

Monday 31st May.

Still warmer (low 20s).

Garden pottering then another short stretch of the Walsingham path, from the start of Marriott's Way to Hellesdon Road, 2 miles, then back again. Although it's a walk that we have done many times, we hadn't done it recently & it was lovely with the spring weather and vegetation. 

On the way back we discovered a nursery in Costessey that we hadn't visited before.

We spent a pleasant afternoon in the garden, in the company of our neighbour,  Ashok. We were glad of our new gazebo with canopy to provide some welcome shade. 

Tuesday 1st June.

A lovely walk in Gorleston, lots of people enjoying the sunshine, but still plenty of space on the beach. Back for an afternoon of cycling, sourdough making, kimchi making and making a spicy bean soup.

Wednesday 2nd June.

Another beautiful, hot sunny day.

We went to Taverham garden centre for more parts for the garden watering system, lawn shears and 2 gooseberry plants to occupy our empty pots. Peter made further improvements to the irrigation system and rearranged the patio plants. There is more room around the patio table and the plants make a better display.

I then finished the kimchi & left it to ferment for 2 weeks, pottered in the garden & went to Sainsburys for salad. After some bike riding it was time for more pottering in the garden before our first barbecue: mackerel with salad and new potatoes. 

Thursday 3rd June.

Warm but slightly overcast. Made dough for practice pizzas. Walk from Hellesdon Mill to Drayton and back (Marriott's Way/Walsingham Way), with a rest at the Red Lion for a cold drink in the beer garden. (All ordered on the app). Detour to Taverham garden centre on the way home, irrigation tubing and a gently watering can rose. Home to bake ham & mushroom pizzas and try on new green clothes!