A Sunday Summer Walk in England

Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.  Psalm 147:8

These were growing wild!  I'm not sure what they are, but they are absolutely exquisite!

Today (June 26) was the most perfect weather day I've experienced since arriving in England almost 17 months ago.  For the first time, I went out wearing a sun dress with a light cotton, short sleeved blouse.  The wind was blowing strongly, but my ears didn't get cold and not once during an hour-and-a-half ramble in the Darwen moors did I get chilled.  A monumental moment to be captured for sure!  The sun was on my skin for the first time in weeks. 

Elder Blain said I looked so pale in church today.  He was sitting on the stand and happened to notice, since we don't get much chance to see each other at a distance these days with being in a car, in a small apartment, or sitting or standing next to one another teaching most the time.

This path I trod easily in the winter and spring is now overgrown.

Darwen moors.  The grass has been cut for hay, but it is greening up again.

The landscape has decidedly changed since the last visit to the moors.  Where there had only been the rough grass turfs on the moors, there is now buttercups and a variety of wildflowers and weeds growing profusely.

Sweet fragrance floated in the air, except when it had the smell of sweaty dogs traipsing about the hills with their equally sweaty owners.  The English do love their dogs!  They are well behaved (the owners and their dogs).

The rock walls were almost buried in greenery.

You can see Darwen Tower on the hill top way off in the distance on the right.  We still haven't had the opportunity to hike up there to see it.

What a joy to see everything so magically transformed!  Exploring without being wrapped up against the cold was exhilarating!  Aaaaah, to be free and unencumbered by hats, gloves and scarves!  (and walking around like a penguin with layers and layers and layer . . .)

The shimmering grass looked almost fake and I had to touch it to see if it was still wet from all the rain we have had.

  A variety of trees had thick leaves or blossoms.

This is the same tree I posted in the winter with green moss all over it.  There's the "tombstone," buried in now amongst the blossoms and leaves.  I probably wouldn't have even noticed it if I hadn't seen it before when there was no growth to hide it. 

Evidence of children having fun hanging from the same tree found in the "fractals" post, which is barren in that photo.

Overlooking Darwen and all the terraced houses and other types of homes.

Today I am grateful to have been captured and embraced by the especially lush products of the seemingly endless rain in these parts.

My cup runneth over with the splendor of these things!  . . . and getting kissed by the sun should help rectify my pale condition ( ;