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Diary – 2016 February
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All my diary pages going back to 2009
DRAWING & PAINTING:
1 February
A chilly start to the month. In the park pond these seagulls were all on
one side and the ducks all together on the other side. If their legs
don't feel the cold, it must be like a warm bath to them.
Nearby the daffodils were nearly all open. They think it's the end of
March and they don't know it could get snowy for months yet.
In the park the crows were having a good time getting worms from the mud
and puddles.
4 February
We went to Dartford. This is the town coat of arms, Floreat Dartford
means May Dartford Flourish. Thursday is market day which is a good day
to go and see everything flourishing! We got a big bag of mangos, but
they were very soft so we had to cut some up and freeze them. My
favourite part is the lightning zigzags on the top, looking like a
Christmas tree, which signifies the Littlebrook Power Station. Very
modern! You can read about all the meanings here:
http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Dartford
This is a pub at the end of the High Street called the Paper Moon. It
has now closed but I hope the next business is the Paper Moon Cafe
or the Paper Moon Restaurant - just so that we can keep the unusual name
and the lovely painting, especially as Dartford has had a paper making
industry for centuries. In the side alleyway there are two very old
marker stones, and I am really glad that they have been left there, as
part of the history.
7 February
A chilly day but very sunny, which means all the crocuses open right up.
These pink flowers are Christmas Rose, also called Hellebore. They seed
round about and grow down the end where not much else grows because it
is so dry under the trees.
The goldfish enjoy the sun which passes over their pond for a few hours.
At night we had heavy gale force winds and pelting freezing rain. This
is the rain falling past the lamppost, and I had to shut the window
really quickly after taking the picture.
10 February
Today we went shopping in Welling and afterwards took a quick walk
through Danson Park. The logs lying alongside the park roadway now have
bracket fungus. It reminds me of an owl's feathers. It looks soft but it
is quite hard. At last I can get a photo of the playground, and in the
summer there are fountains of water on this feature and it gets very
crowded.
The woodland part has the daffs coming out as well. I like to check up
so I know how soon to come back for the full show. This is Danson House
and the ha-ha fence in front of it, with a wall along one side of the
trench. The idea is that it can't be seen from the house so the grass
looks continuous down to the big lake, but no-one can actually get over
it.
We went on to Bexleyheath and then on the way home decided to get off at
Hall Place Gardens to check out the flower progress. It is interesting
to see the train tree branches on their frames in winter. The next
picture shows the whole very long row from the side - completely flat!
This enclosed hedged area is full of wallflowers, it will be a real
treat when they are all out, because the hedges will mean the perfume
doesn't get blown away.
This is the turf maze, and the ring walls are full of crocuses. Down the
far end of the gardens the patches of crocus were all out as well.
The ducks and geese like to stay around the cafe area near the weir. The
barrow is outside the plant sale area and it looks like summer has also
arrived early. It makes you want to buy them all, but we resisted and
just took home a photo instead.
11 February
Another day out on the trains and I just love to see all the scenery and
buildings. We had the carriage all to ourselves so there was lots of
room. Here we are at Waterloo waiting to go.
Surbiton Station is quite smart, in the Art Deco style. In the high
street is an interesting pub sign of the Surbiton Flyer steam
locomotive.
This is a big mosaic on the side of a building, showing all the history
of the area. I like this pub and road sign, it just says "The" and
leaves you to know what the second word is by the picture.
12 February
Dino and I had the job of spreading out all these coins, as someone
needed a photo of it for something else. Dino likes to see gold and
silver treasure glinting in the light!
15 February
This is our regular friendly collared dove sitting on our
greenhouse waiting for a few bits for breakfast. He is wondering whether
to brave flying down onto the lawn.
16 February
The collared doves like to sit in a nearby tree at dawn, before coming
down to see if there is any food available. It was a frosty morning and
the blackbird has found it a good place to look as well.
Today we went to Well Hall Pleasaunce to get out in the sunshine. The
moat was all clear, but sometimes it is completely covered in duckweed.
The crocuses were all out, and the sun was shining through these lovely
Pampas grass heads.
The crow was finding something in the mud. The wood pigeon was eating
some bits of bread some people were throwing to him. The pigeon was
walking along very purposefully without stopping, but I couldn't see
what he was aiming at. Maybe it was his morning exercise walk!
18 February
On our way to London Bridge, I have been watching the progress of
building work. They have removed the old railway arches and track, and
are building it all completely new. There are lots of huge piles of
rubble and soil, and diggers everywhere. It is next to the waste
recovery plant in South Bermondsey.
This is Purley Station and Caterham Station. I think Caterham wins the
prize here, as it has more ornate brackets and a hanging basket,
although Purley has a more interesting old building. They are both good!
Plenty of time to watch all the countryside. Brown Teddy likes it when
the carriage is empty and quiet.
Two different views from the same train window. One is the side of a
goods train, with the misshapen metal side of a wagon, as if the rocks
inside are bulging out, and the other is much more what I like to see!
Back at London Bridge. We always get on the train at the farther end of
the platform, as it is less crowded there.
24 February
Today is another day out. These train station steps with their non-slip
pattern always remind me of a piano keyboard. We sat in the quiet zone.
This is the Regents Canal at Jamuna Close. I would like one day to visit
this sandy looking labyrinth which on the south side of Tower Hamlets
Cemetery Park.
This is an early Easter display in a shop in Upminster, with cute chicks
in bonnets and carrots for the Easter Bunny. Outside a real bird was
walking around on the pavement, a pied wagtail. They soon fly away if
anyone gets near.
27 February
This is Waterloo Station and we are on our way to Hampton Court. When we
arrived at Hampton Court, I saw this tree covered in mistletoe.
I like the town of Hampton with its old buildings. This wonderful
building is an antiques emporium with all the windows full of
interesting things. Here is the war memorial with flowers in the front
trough.
We walked up to Molesey Lock, although being a chilly winter day,
nothing was happening. This canal boat is very smart looking. It went
off somewhere after we had got some pictures.
This is the bridge over the Thames, and I got some good zoomed in
pictures of the weir next to the lock, from standing in the centre of
the bridge. The weirs look very dangerous.
29 February
A chance to admire my crocuses in the bright sun before we go off to the
station. These historic pictures are in Charing Cross underground
station.
This is Alexandra Palace in north east London. Everyone calls it Ally
Pally. We went into the Palm Court entrance. It was cosy warm inside and
very big with huge palms on both sides. There is a small cafe on the
right hand side.
The palms just love it in here. I don't think it ever gets cold. It is
very Egyptian, as people liked exotic designs when it was built in about
1873. Brown Teddy thought the sphinx looked a strange mixture of person
and lion. He said it reminded him of milk chocolate figures!
We got a peek through a door of what used to be the Open Court Area.
Through another door window we saw the Great Hall, and the old organ and
orchestra area at the far end.
Behind the Palace is a park and a small lake and boats. This pigeon was
soaking himself while standing on the ledge. No-one was on the pedal
boats.
There are wonderful views from this high hill, although it never really
looks much in a photograph. While waiting for the bus, we admired the
big window on the centre front of the building.
Here is the magpie that sat behind us while we had our snack on Ally
Pally terrace. Back at Victoria tube station, I was pleased to find
these tiles showing Queen Victoria as a young lady.
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
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https://www.facebook.com/LostboxTeddyBears
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