Hellebore flowers in the wind

I enjoyed Valentine's Day yesterday. Helena was able to get home for the afternoon and celebrated the beginning of half term and a week off, by having a long sleep accompanied by Bomble. We have eaten well, drunk just enough and had some laughs.

I was particularly pleased to get a phone call from Camilla, who has been fundraising on behalf of the town council for money to help with the regeneration of Lansdown Hall. Yesterday I mentioned that we had to meet the trustees of a fund we have applied to. So when Camilla told me today we had been given the full amount that we had applied to from another Trust, I was very pleased. (I can't reveal yet which trust has promised the money or how much they will give for a few weeks, for legal reasons). It will mean that we can start the second stage of repairs and new facilities to the building by the late spring, if it can all be coordinated in time – AND we might hear in a couple of weeks about the other fund. Our fingers will remain crossed.

Today the weather was still poor, with very strong winds, sideways rain and a generally glowering cloudy sky. I took Helena to catch a bus to Cheltenham where she is going to attend a folk festival for two days which I really hope she enjoys. I am not as keen on folk music as her so have opted to vegetate at home.

When I got home, the rain had just stopped and I was contemplating an indoor shoot of a still life with flowers, following discussions with Richard Donkin. But I noticed the hellebores looking rather forlorn and bedraggled in the front garden and thought i would try to photograph them in situ. I have been thinking of blipping them for some days, but I don't really want to cut them and put them in a vase. Their world is definitely outdoors and flowering in winter is such an unusual thing to do. So despite the strong winds I have taken a few pictures which do look wonderfully colourful and delicate all things considered.