A blipmeet blip

We drove to Oxford today to meet Sue and John again, this time at their home.  Helena wasn't feeling fully fit, but was well enough to enjoy the outing.  Getting to Oxford reminds me of the decades of travelling between Stroud and London, when the best journeys were always when going via Oxford, rather than the M4 corridor route.

So I once again enjoyed the pretty cross country route through the whole gamut of Cotswold landscapes: narrow valleys, old Roman towns, twisting tree lined roads through woods and then mixtures of arable fields and sheep grazing on pastures.  Once beyond Cirencester the road winds up onto flatter and predominantly agricultural land with occasional picturesque villages with honey coloured stone buildings.

Despite heavier traffic than I expected we arrived without being too late and were greeted warmly as ever and then drank good coffee and had a quick catch up.  I was particularly interested to hear of John's latest research and published work about the state of the English National Health Service, which is his speciality.  He showed me a proof copy of their latest book which will be published very soon.  I will definitely get a copy as I know so little about the pressures and intricate politicking that affects our wonderful service, which seem to be so threatened by many things and most of all by possible privatisation.  It makes me mad.  I will have to get a copy for our council too so that we can inform ourselves better for when any further threats to our local services occur.  We have had a recent fight about our Stroud cottage hospital, which was won by the community lead by some valiant fighters.  Sadly not many people know the facts and this is where John and his colleagues can help.

Sue and John then suggested we go to eat at an old hostelry in the ancient hamlet of Marston, still part of the Oxford city area.  It is set in a pretty spot on the banks of the meandering River Cherwell, one of the two rivers that conjoin at Oxford to become the Thames proper.  After a very good meal we then headed off for blip opportunities, as we are all photographers but only three of us are blippers.    Sue hasn't managed to persuade John to blip, yet!  He is a very good photographer and it was great to see many of his pictures hanging as prints in their home.

Then we were taken towards the centre of the city to the Oxford Botanical Gardens which were a real treat.  I didn't know about them so was pleased that I had brought my macro lens with me.  The light which had been coming and going all day under various types of cloud was by now fading somewhat, and the Gardens were closing at 4pm.  So we had a quick visit to the beautifully aromatic temperate house where we saw many flowering plants including various citrus trees some with oranges and others with lemons of a massive size, probably six inches in diameter.  The smell of jasmine entranced me as did many other fragrant blooms.

We also went to the palm house and saw bamboos and various sub-tropical plants including orchids and other similar species, including ginger which Helena pointed out.  But of all the pretty colours and shapes I saw it was this type of Solanum that I most liked and decided to blip.  I didn't notice its exact botanical name so am not sure whether it was a Brazilian Nightshade, a Chilean Potato Tree or some other species.

In some of my pictures I tried to catch John and Sue, and even Helena, as well as the plant subject.  But with the macro lens it was hard to do them all justice.  I have noticed though that Sue has blipped us all in her wonderful collage of the scene HERE.
 
We got caught by a heavy shower under a black cloud before heading back for tea and hot cross buns at their house.  Then it was time to head home to feed Bomble.  It was lovely to have a blip meet again and I'm sure we will do so again before long. It is such a good idea to meet up with new friends and particularly to have a good laugh while doing so, which is always easy with Sue and John.  Many thanks to you both.