Thompson’s Park in Cardiff on New Year’s Day – people gathered near the duck pond
One of my New Year resolutions in this time of lockdown was to get out more, walk most days and get some sunshine. At least I started well on New Year’s Day with a walk around Thompson’s Park. It’s a favourite of mine so I suppose none of these images show anything new.
In these Covid days I do try to avoid people so find myself straying from the pathways to distance myself and holding my breath as I pass if I can’t. I don’t suppose I was surprised that people gathered dangerously together near the duck pond in the lower part of the park.
Anyway, here are my snaps from a healthy 3,400-step walk on a cold winter’s day…
The oak tree I followed in 2016
This looks like an unprickly holly…
Burrs on an oak tree
Pine cones
A wrecked tree trunk that looks like a dragon
Messy fungus on another old tree stump
Magpie
Pine trunks
Pine bark
Terminal buds of a member of the Prunus (cherry) family…
…and the bark of the same tree
Catkins forming – possibly a type of birch
Colourful bark of the birch-type tree
Gorse
Beech hedge
Rose hips
White camellias do badly in wet weather and we had a lot of that before the current cold snap
Daphne
Magnolia flowers forming
Children make their own entertainment! Boy with a broken branch
Beech tree in the foreground and a queue for the coffee shack in Thompson’s Park
Needless to say to reach the exit I sneaked across the grass behind the coffee shop to avoid the crowd. As the days lengthen I must travel farther afield…
The Squirrelbasket 
Holding your breath? Do you not wear a mask?
People are the most alarming thing out there!
I wear a mask indoors but not yet outdoors – I would if I went into the city centre but there aren’t very many people about in my leafy suburb.
Stay safe with your “new variant”.
Best wishes 🙂
One of our scientists said calling them (UK or) South African is penalising the countries which have the scientific capacity / will to pick up variants. UK and SA found the variants, but we don’t actually know where they started. The scientific ‘names’ of the variants are a string of letters and numbers …
A very good point – and we still don’t really know where the first virus came from, as there is evidence it was in Europe before Wuhan.
Of course the Spanish flu of 1918 wasn’t Spanish, either, but in wartime the authorities in the USA and France censored news of their outbreaks while in Spain they didn’t…
All the best 🙂
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Good post and pictures. I don’t make any resolutions except to do less but better. I’m the same about avoiding people and holding my breath when I’m out.
Take care. xx
Less but better? That sounds like a good idea!
I never know when to give up…
Best wishes 🙂
Lovely post – yes avoiding other people is an issue, I’m glad its not just me that holds my breath and I turn my face away as well if I think there is not enough room to really avoid
Usually in the park it’s not so difficult to avoid, but it can get a bit muddy under foot when you stray from the path!
All the best for 2021 🙂