Tandeming down the Herefordshire lanes …
By Rhiannonw
- 2951 reads
Tandeming down the Herefordshire lanes,
push, push, pushing up the hill,
(Can you push a little harder in the back?
Sorry, dreaming, muscles slack!)
then, freewheeling down with care and skill,
– a chance to wriggle round a bit
on where I sit.
Far views of valleys, and verges pass,
keep your eyes open, – what’s that in the grass?:
Jack-by-the-hedge, and small wild strawberry,
white dead nettle, an early patch of comfrey,
starry cloud of stitchwort, pools of bright red campion,
yellow heads, and clocks in fields – abundant dandelion,
here and there sweet woodruff, and a single stem of spurge,
lots of yellow archangel, and now a hedgerow surge
of hawthorn blossom, soft-petalled, cream;
farmyard aromas, a murmuring stream,
big white stars with garlic smells
– ramsons, mixed with deep bluebells,
celandines and cowslips,
vetch and violet,
honesty, and vivid-blue ‘evergreen’ alkanet,
banks of lady’s smock far over there
[stop for a photo, or just to stare],
wood anemone – will soon be dead,
but dainty wood sorrel’s grown up instead;
– what a spring for abundant species,
spectrum and variety constantly increases,
bursting out together in April’s hot weather;
‘chiff chaff, chiff chaff’ and other birdsong,
oh, it’s good to be tandeming along!
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Comments
This is a lovely little
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Best of all the counties
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Hi Rhiannon
Hi Rhiannon
It sounds such fun on the tandem. And very adventurous. I'm not sure I'd be brave enough.
And the idea of listing all the flowers that you pass is nice. I used to do a game with the kids to have them see how many different wild flowers they could find when we were on country walks - but I didn't know the names of most of them - although my husband would have, if he was with us.
Jean
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Hi Rhiannon,
Hi Rhiannon,
It must have been one of those unforgettable days that will stay with you, captured in this descriptive poem.
Being able to name all natures gifts must be a special gift to you. I too see many flowers but have no idea of their names, though I know a lot more since we moved to our present house. I think we all want to be aware of what's growing in our gardens, even if we never planted them.
Riding tandem must be an amazing experience, especially in the countryside where you miss so much in the car.
I really enjoyed reading this and thank you for sharing.
Jenny.
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