darling buds

Anglesey Abbey (which, curiously, is nowhere near Anglesey) is bathed in sunshine. The glade of silver birches is stunning, rising above a burgundy carpet of ground cover.

Elsewhere the dogwoods have been cut back, promoting new growth that in due course will lighten the winter gloom. The mild winter just passed has left a dusting of old leaves on the oak trees, jostling for the light in competition with unfurling spring buds.

How marvelous to be here among nature's beauty.

missing

St Gregory's Church in Norwich is now a busy antiques centre, but in the narrow strip of garden to its front stands a cherry tree in full blossom, defiant in the face of the bustling commerce within.

The tree is decorated with loving messages, photographs, ribbons and trinkets. A colourful yet poignant memorial to those who are missed.

 

aston villa 2 v 1 bristol city

It could all have ended so differently.  Bristol City are just below us in the table - one point behind, but with a game in hand.  It's yet another crucial match for the Villa and to make matters worse we're missing a number of key players.

Tyrone Mings, the lynch-pin of our new found defensive wall of steel, is suspended following a dubious red card on his last outing. Kortney Hause, his fellow centre-half, is injured. Both Jack Grealish and Jonathan Kodjia have succumbed to illness. The side should be thread-bare, but all across the field fresh players step up to the mark.

Axel Tuanzebe and Mile Jedinak perform wonders in defence whilst John McGinn yet again bosses the midfield with another show of prodigious talent and energy. In attack Anwar el Ghazi is a revelation. His twists and turns tie the Bristol City defence in knots. And Tammy Abraham mans up brilliantly to put away a penalty for the first goal of the game despite missing from the spot a few days ago against Rotherham.  Another goal from Conor Hourihane a few minutes later and Villa have Bristol City on the ropes.

But for the efforts of Max O'Leary, Bristol's young goalkeeper, Villa could have netted three or four more. He puts in a blinder, saving time and again.  Bristol pull one back through an overhead kick from Famara Diedhiou but the Villa defence remains strong. After five minutes of extra time we see out the win, our eighth on the trot.

Happy days at Villa Park!

time streams

The streets of Norwich, a thousand passing souls walking, sitting, eating, snoozing in the midday sun. Paint dries, a random woolen jumper stuffed into a stone alcove, faces and reflections glimpsed in windows as time streams by.