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Diary – 2014 August
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All my diary pages going back to 2009
DRAWING & PAINTING:
2 August
The fuchsias are doing well and I think this is the best way to get some flowers
every year without a lot of work. I bought this rose as Golden Showers but it is
a different one, so I found a spare place for it. I like the frilly middles,
just like a party dress.
We had to clear out a narrow bed by the fence. I made a low concrete edging bit
so the water does not go through to next door. I had some help putting the
granite stones back, and I had lots of spare good soil to fill it in. The old
soil was hard and worn out so we scattered it down the end of the garden.
Here is a real Golden Showers, and the flowers start off a
deep yellow, although they do not last long. It is a climbing rose and I hope it
will grow all over the fence.
4 August
I found these rosehips growing by the side of the footpath, they
are as big as tomatoes, and there were a few of the roses still in flower. I
have never seen rosehips so big and it is called Rosa Rugosa. I wonder if I
could find a space to plant one somewhere in my garden?
This is Thompsons Nursery, and we spent ages wandering
around amongst the flowers. We eventually bought some evergreen shrubs. I wish I
could buy everything so I could look at it all day!
On the way back, I found this map of Africa in the asphalt
paving. I am not sure what the other islands are doing there though!
7 August
This blackbird's cherry was glowing brightly in the
sunlight, it looked like a light bulb was on. These are my Spartan apples, it is
the only cluster growing on the tree, but at least the tree is putting all its
energy into growing long branches upwards, which is just what we wanted, then we
can cut off the lower ones that hang over the pond. Maybe next year there will
be more apples.
The new fuchsias are doing well, and they are much better
than the pots we used to have here, no daily watering is needed!
9 August
I put some nasturtiums around the pond and they are the
same bright orange as the fish. We have one passion flower fruit. The plant
popped up on its own from a stray seed, and I am going to let it grow really big
over the arch by the side of the pond. The yellow fruit is much brighter than in
the photo and it will turn a brilliant orange later on.
11 August
These are my Cox apples. It is a very small tree with thin branches, and this
only cluster was pulling the branch straight down. It is now tied up, because if the
branch breaks I will lose the applies. I hope the other branches get a lot
thicker for future apple crops.
12 August
A lovely sunny warm day, just right for a visit to Hall
Place to see the summer flowers. These banana plants were very brilliant in the
sunlight. Here is one of the cut flower beds, with gladiolus and strawflowers (helichrysum)
which can be dried and kept all winter.
These are the new fruit tree cordons in the fruit growing
area. I hope they will be full of apples this time next year. The grapes were
growing very well over several pergolas but the ones in the shade underneath
were still all green.
Someone has picked the seeds out of this sunflower in one
of the cut flower gardens, to make a big smile. Brown Teddy found this old
millstone and said it needed to be yellow like the sunflower!
When we left, we went up the hill through the open parkland
towards the shops. There are plenty of blackberries for the birds, and Brown
Teddy also discovered these blueberries. I am sure the blackbirds will be here
helping themselves every day in winter.
13 August
More sunny weather. Blue Parrot just loves this colourful
garden at Well Hall, it has the same colours as him. My favourite was this wild
flower part and I think I would like a carpet just like that, so I could see it
all year long.
We couldn't resist getting some scones from the shops
nearby, and we sat by the long pond to eat them, and listen to the fountain.
The moat was covered in duckweed, and this is bad news for
the few fish in there, as it shuts out the oxygen. I hope they have somehow
survived until the duckweed dies off.
14 August
This is a park in Bromley near to the High Street. This
part is up high and you can sit and look down to the rest of the park.
This yew tree must be very old. Yew trees always have
reddish wood. Down the bottom near the lake the pigeons are all very well fed
and lazing around preening. They don't bother moving when people walk past.
15 August
Another day's outing, to visit the museum at Dartford. The
coat of arms says "May Dartford flourish". The Kent coat of arms Invicta means
"unconquered".
The museum is very small but full of interesting items.
These ancient polished stone necklaces were found locally. This is a very old
shop till with manual controls. It is part of a display showing what old
department store shops used to look like.
In the gardens is this huge poppy for Remembrance Year, 100
years since the Great War started. Right over the back of the park, where hardly
anyone goes, someone has thought to sow an area with wild flower seeds, with
mainly poppies and cosmos. They were a lot more brilliant than in the photo.
Last time we came this part was overflowing and shut off.
We went through the tunnel and it is much better than climbing up the path and
trying to cross the busy main road. On the other side is a huge lake, and this
path goes right across the lake, dividing it into two.
It is very quiet and there were people dotted around in
their fishing spots. Here I am pretending to fish with a stick I found.
this looks like a milestone but it can't be as the path is
in the middle of the lake. Brown Teddy thought this was a boot mud wiper, but it
looks more like a little piece of something bigger, maybe to moor a boat to,
with the cable going through the middle. We really don't know.
At the end of the long path is a bridge, so the two lakes
are really one lake, because they meet here under the bridge.
19 August
We went on a trip up to London. These are the steps of St
Paul's Cathedral and I think the brass dots are so people can see the edges of
the steps. White lines would look too awful. Round the back is a big monument
with a golden St Paul on top.
On our way to the Museum of London, we saw this restaurant
sign, it is supposed to be the Lord Raglan, but we think it looks more like
Elvis Presley! In the Museum, I really liked this little model of a piece of
Thames marshland from thousands of year ago, with people crossing it by laying
down tree trunks on the marshy bits to make a pathway.
There were lots of spear tips, and this wonderful hoard of
coins, although it is not much use to anyone now, as it does not count as money
nowadays, and the owners are long gone.
These are bits of coloured glass, some of which are
counting beads. More coins, this time gold ones, looking as good as the day they
were made. Again, no use for buying anything, as the museum is not letting them
out of their sight!
Brown Teddy found even more gold in this strange looking
ornament. My favourite part of the museum is this Roman room, with a real Roman
mosaic floor and reproduction furniture. How cosy it would have been, with its
under floor heating, keeping everyone warm through the cold and wet British
winter.
This very old knitted child's mitten is quite small, and
the knitted stitches are very tiny, it looks like it was long and hard work to
knit it. Last of all we saw the Lord Mayor's coach in a room all on its own.
It has pictures and emblems all over, and everything is red
and gold. Brown Teddy liked the model horses, which were made with a velvety
skin. I am sure lots of children seeing these want a horse like that.
This obelisk is underneath the Millennium Bridge, and is
the Scientific Instrument Makers Millennium Measure. On the opposite side of the
river, further downstream, is the Shard, looking like another obelisk. The angle
of the sides means it reflects all the colours of the sky.
20 August
Another outing and Blue Parrot likes to guess when it is
time to get off the train. He likes seeing the scenery but prefers to be out and
about, and not sitting by the train window.
We went to Horniman's Museum. The ornamental gardens are
also educational and this one is all about plant dyes. Behind the main museum is
a large conservatory, completely empty but I think it is probably hired out for
events.
The Museum is mainly about natural history and there is a
large collection of taxidermy from the Victorian age, all in glass cases.
Downstairs is a large collection of musical instruments in long rows of glass
cases. There was someone playing one of the spinets, which is like a small
piano.
In the African room, there is some Egyptian stuff, and on
this tablet the people are sitting and smelling lotus flowers. Blue Parrot liked
this bright piece of African sewing and embroidery.
We left the museum and as we went past the South Eastern
Railway Offices, we had to get some photos of the buildings, as they are going
to pull it all down. I hope they save some of the good stuff, like this
decorative frontage. Further on we found this lovely rill between the tall glass
buildings.
Back by the River Thames, we saw some interesting
river-themed posters done by school children. This is my favourite, as the fish
and whales are all done with folded paper. There are a lot of new glass
buildings, and I really like this blue one with the sun shining on it, and with
the brilliant flag waving in the breeze.
Often Dino stays at home and we get pictures for him of
various creatures. He was pleased with this dragon gargoyle. He also insisted we
put in this picture of a section of Tower Bridge, which he says is just like a
big pterodactyl with a red eye and long beak.
We had a look at the Tower of London and all the ceramic
poppies. They are on thin metal sticks and are stuck into the turf. There is one
for every person who died in the Great War, which began a hundred years ago.
Next we went to St Katharine's Dock. Here is the Queen's
row barge Gloriana. I think when all the river events are over the Queen will
have this put away safely in a boat shed somewhere, out of the rain and weather.
On the way out of the docks, there were lots of tiles printed in various
patterns. This is my favourite, with all the blue fishes swimming around.
24 August
We took a trip to Greenwich. This coat of arms is on the
war memorial on the corner of the park facing the heath. In the middle is a
little hourglass and "Tempore utimur" means "We use time" and I think this means
we use the time that we have, instead of wasting it. We went on to the Cutty
Sark area. The glass sea around the ship is reflecting the sky, which itself
looks like waves and foam on the sea.
Before going home, we spent some time watching the muddy
waves crashing up and down the steps. It was getting breezy and we soon decided
we would prefer to be at home, making a snack in the kitchen!
25 August
I enjoyed watching the Edinburgh Tattoo programme on television, with lots of
bands and marching, and displays, plus the fireworks at the end. Just right for
a lazy evening lounging in the big armchair.
28 August
An outing to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Here is the Shard again, at London
Bridge, and you have to crane your neck to see it all from the train window.
Blue Parrot was more interested in checking the snacks in the bag, to make sure
nothing had been forgotten.
The V&A doorway is very big, you can't miss it!
Inside it is all columns, arches and marble everywhere. We
went to the antiquities part first. This is a mosaic of a young Jesus from about
1,500 years ago. It is quite unusual, as he is usually shown with a beard.
This is my favourite exhibit, lots of stained glass panels
on a huge lightbox. I was surprised that the photo came out so well. Here is a
song book, with everything handwritten, painted and gilded on vellum.
Then we went to the more modern displays. This
bookcase is just right if you have books of different sizes, but it might be
difficult getting them out once the bookcase is full. I liked this green glass
chair, although it would be cold and slippery to sit on. It definitely needs a
green velvet cushion tied onto it.
There was a huge collection of crockery and teapots, and
Brown Teddy couldn't decide which was his favourite. I liked this chequered
pattern hen, I think it must be a butter dish.
Afterwards we walked through Hyde Park and this is the
Serpentine Lake. It looks very peaceful and quiet, but it is not, as there are
roads and cars running through it, and lots of people and bikes everywhere. At
the other end is a cafe and it looks like there are more pigeons than people
here. I think this park would be more peaceful on a cold day, but not so
interesting.
You can use the space on your 404 page to help find missing people by embedding info from notfound.org See Yellow Teddy's 404 page
Where to report a lost or found teddy or
toy in
the UK:
https://www.facebook.com/LostboxTeddyBears
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