Daffodils

Daffodils, by William Wordsworth 

I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: -
A poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company!
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.

HRH

I still can't believe this, but I was so lucky and thrilled to be invited on behalf of the British Australian society to meet His Royal Highness, Duke of Edinburgh last Wednesday at St James' Palace.  

A small group of us Aussie 'Shielas' as the Norfolk branch is known, tottered off to the big smoke and kicked up our heels in true style!  It was such a magical evening that I will never forget!  

Birthday

February is birthday month for both JP & I.  This year for my birthday, we celebrated at Kesgrave Hall in Ipswich.  http://www.milsomhotels.com/kesgravehall/   For JP's earlier in Feb, we went cycling through Thetford forest with 5 other families, then convoyed on for an early supper at a divine pub which was once owned by the Guinness family.  Good times!