May 7th Saturday. Warm wind and hazy sunshine. Sultry haze on the downs. Joan & I & the dogs & Muriel out for a long afternoon  to see what if anything was left of Bedham (?) Woods. Pretty awful – especially sad the sight of so many uprooted trees putting out leaf and blossom where they lie, for the last time. The bluebells were lovely, and the Ramsay Ray’s garden had largely escaped – even to the peacocks, and blossom, and was looking lovely. But it’s sad how many of our favourite haunts look like a Flanders shellhole now.

© Anthony Lawton 2012