Bright Interlude

A day out.   A fair part of it for my own interests.   I've joined the North Wales group of the Alpine Garden Society, today's meeting their first for three years, was both AGM and talk.  I'd been approached to see if I was prepared to help in any way with restarting the group post pandemic, my many years involvement in the Norfolk group not going un-noticed.   I've a few friends among the members and met up with a couple whom I hadn't seen for twenty five years which was nice.  Today's lecture on Bhutanese alpines, delivered by a local alpine nurseryman who has travelled there, was excellent.  I've offered to organise speakers for the talks, something I've lots of experience of and can do from home.   The catch in all this is that the 'local' group I've joined meet seventy miles away just outside Bangor!   It's a nice drive, albeit better in daylight as today, than on winter evenings.

I drove on along the north coast after the meeting, to Rhyl and a chance to visit Jamie in hospital.  Really good to see him, he's doing OK but anxious.  Waiting for whatever happens next is not ideal.  I was able to take him out for a pub meal in nearby Rhuddlan which was a little treat and we fitted in a couple of games of Bananagrams too.  The two hour trip home included a spell driving through heavy hailstorms which quickly painted the road white.   Made it more exciting.

Iris histrio, a pale form which has burst into flower while I was away this week.  There are other irises in flower in the greenhouse too so I shouldn't be short of blip material now :-)