Sunday morning 8am

We woke to sunshine and headed to the beach for a morning walk. The Bournemouth half marathon was due to start at 10am and parking restrictions were in place for where we usually leave the car by the tropical garden. We drove on a little and easily found some street parking. A calm and lovely day.

The lifeguard lookout posts are now in place ready for the start of the season next weekend. There were several groups of women swimming and the usual motley collection of dogs - and owners - relishing the open sandy space.

Clouds were already starting to gather as we turned round to go home.

We took a different route back, going over the bridge. A collection of memory locks are slowly accruing, a pattern that I think started on the bridges in Paris.

Below us we could see the route where the half marathon runners would soon be travelling.

But we were safely home by then!

Flowers in the garden in March.

You can see from the photos that we've had a LOT of rain. The good news is that the garden has loved it and everything is bursting with promise. There is plenty to look at when I venture out between the showers. I am wanting to move a number of plants and bushes into different positions but every time I go outside in my boots and look out my spade and fork the weather takes a turn for the worse. My phone has nothing better to tell me than, "drizzle for the next hour" or 'intermittent rain." Here are some photos of what the garden has to offer today.

The maple trees are just starting to colour up while the camellia bushes have been flowering steadily now for several weeks. I've treated myself to a new camellia, white with a pale pink edge. It is un-named, indeed mislabeled as it had a bright red label attached when we went to B&Q to buy some cement to patch the crazy paving. (It's always dangerous when I'm "just having a look."I invariably find a plant that has to be bought.)

The first of the tree peonies, in pots under the veranda, is flowering.

The hellebores are still going strong.

And everything, as they say, in the garden is lovely. (I'm not mentioning what is happening elsewhere in the world because the shame of it is beyond me.)

I hope, dear bloggers, that you are well and that whatever makes you happy is happening for you.