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Diary – 2019 July
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All my diary pages going back to 2009
DRAWING & PAINTING:
4 July
We had to go to Beckenham Crematorium to say goodbye to a dear friend. In the grounds there is a fantastic waterfall feature, with stream and pond at the bottom.
Afterwards we went to Crystal Palace Park and had our lunch by the dinosaurs. I think I would just about come up to his toes in height! Fortunately they do not come over to us looking for crumbs, like the pigeons do!
Here is where the Crystal Palace used to be, just a big open space now. We walked along and down into the park. We were glad of the shade as the day had become quite hot.
Everywhere there were school children having sports days, in the park and in the big sports stadium further along.
5 July
Today we went to Ravensbury Park. We arrived on the tram. On the little footpath were loads of blackberries, but only one had turned red. Still not ripe, as it has to turn to black.
I just love these little hump back bridges. This is part of the River Wandle, which breaks up into lots of little streams in this area.
There are quite a few of these enormous plane trees, they must be 500-600 years old, or more. This is the old toilets building, covered in ivy, looking quite a picturesque ruin.
Here is a way marker, there are lots of these around the country, to mark trails and distances between places. Brown Teddy likes the bits of steam where there is a shallow approach, so you can go down and see it right from the edge. The water is very clear and clean, with a stony bottom.
I suppose this tree is safe, as it has been left like this. If it was not, they would have taken it down or propped it up.
In a clearing we came upon these old millstones. We are still trying to guess how they worked, I think it is the side edges that did the grinding. Brown Teddy will be wondering about this for ages, until we find out.
Here is the mill. The photo looks very quiet and peaceful, but in fact the water was roaring over the weir very loudly. I wonder how the flat dwellers can listen to their phones or TV? Where two bridge walkways cross, there is a big circle opening, so you can still see the river.
We went on to Morden Hall Park which is just next to Ravensbury Park. Another pair of millstones the same as the other ones. We spent quite a while watching the water run past the old mill. The waterwheel is not working nowadays.
The rose garden was in full bloom with lots of families and children sitting around having a picnic.This rose bed has been replanted with vegetables, as the notice says "to give the soil a rest." You can't plant new roses in an old bed until some time has passed. The ground is well watered as there are lots of streams running through here.
We found some shade along the river walk. This time we avoided the path that goes through the nettle patches, as the very tall nettles were closing in and we didn't want to push through that! We walked back to the tram stop over the grass area. The hay grass cuttings were very slippery, as they are all smooth stalks.
8 July
I was amazed to see this plant growing out of the bus stop roof, it has germinated inside, grown down, then bent upwards. I only noticed it because the roof was dripping from rainwater trapped inside, no wonder the plant is happy! This robin has decided my garden is a good place to live, with water and food and friendly owners, and nothing to disturb him.
9 July
Today we went to Uxbridge. This is Fray's River, part of the River Colne, full of long weed waving about in the current, very cool looking on a hot day.
We went into Fassnidge Park and had our lunch by the bandstand. I like to see the old tree trunks carved into plants and animals.
With so many rivers here, there had to be a millstone. This one has shapes cut into the rim rather than cutting grooves on the sides, so we think it must have been an upright one, like the ones are Ravensbury and Morden.
Fray's River is named after John Fray, but used to be called Colham Mill Stream, which explains the millstones. There were lots of little fish darting about, pale grey and almost transparent, so it was impossible to get photos of them.
10 July
Today we went to the British Museum. We went through nearby Russell Square where they have this very wonderful and luxurious bug hotel, with logs lying around for the insects. There is wire netting over the front to stop birds from making a meal of them.
The Museum Shop was full of replicas of the historical items, I like these Rosetta Stone bags and paperweights. There were even mobile phone cases covered in Egyptian hieroglyphics.
We went specially to see the collection of Rembrandt sketches on the top floor. They are all quite small but you can get close to see how they were done. This is a self portrait when he was quite young. We made the effort to go now because they will not be here much longer.
Next we went on to the "Garden At 120" in Fenchurch Street. It is a rooftop garden on top of the 15th floor which we saw at the beginning of the year, when the plants were new and sparse. Now everything has grown wonderfully. There are shrubs, flowers, fruit trees trained against walls, and the wisteria is making its way up the framework. I can't wait to see it all covered in wisteria with the purple flowers hanging down, but it will be a few years before it is all covered. On some of the walls are white jasmine plants, giving a wonderful scent as you pass by.
I just love box hedging, with its crisp shapes, and it is sheltering hydrangea and roses between the rows. Down in the entrance hall, the entire ceiling is an LED screen and this time there were representations of flowers moving about.
11 July
We went to Erith today. This riverside garden is managing to stay quite flowery despite the very dry weather. Nearby is a plaque explaining that the Pilgrim Ferry has been here since 1199 AD, just over 800 years ago. Erith would have been entirely marsh land then, and still is in some places. It is pronounced like "ear" and it comes from the Old Saxon Aerre Hythe which means "old haven". Further down the river is Greenhithe, which is now easy to guess at its meaning.
The signs say dangerous, slippery, deep mud, risk of drowning etc. The mud is very thick indeed, with deep channels. Not much chance of staying on the surface very long, or climbing out, if someone fell in. We did see some little doggy paw prints so only survivable for small creatures and seagulls!
At the pier someone has thrown down a big pile of pieces of buns. The pigeons were working hard at getting throat sized pieces out of the dry bread. Here is the L shaped pier, surrounded by the deep mud at low tide.
We sat and had our snack facing out to the other side. This hill is a landscaped mound where rubbish has been buried. Dumping is still going on beside it, with lots of seagulls wheeling overhead. Here they are sitting in the shallows for a rest.
Behind us on our side is a recycling yard, with clanking grabs rearranging the stuff. Erith is a very industrial area, due to it being marshland. Not much river traffic, other than this tug pushing a barge, as it was low tide.
13 July
The garden chairs needed revarnishing. Here is the coloured varnish and here I am posing with the brush. Someone else did the painting - too messy for me!
A tiger moth landed on the greenhouse.
15 July
We went to Holland Park in Kensington and here is Lord Holland's statue, complete with pigeon on his head, I think he needs a protective hat! We found a seat in the Japanese garden and watched the parent moorhen feeding the youngsters tiny bits of food. The young ones have very tiny wings.
I just love this waterfall, it is quite noisy. There are lots of koi in the pond, and many young ones in dark colours, more difficult to see.
This is a very polite little fence, and everyone keeps to the paths. In the nearby Italianate garden, the sundial said it was lunch time, and our tummies said the same thing as well!
After Holland Park, we went to the Natural History Museum. There were dinosaur footprints stuck to the pavement as we got nearer the Museum.
This is a giant 20 foot model of the moon with all the detail. The floor was bare so people could walk round and under it. Everyone was taking photos of themselves holding the moon or balanced on their heads!
In the dinosaur hall the walls are covered in relief tiles, mostly of fish and sea creatures.
We had a look at the animal illustrations gallery, with prints of old drawings and reproductions of notebooks. Here is the section where visitors can do their own drawing of something in the museum and put it on the wall. They were all very well done and interesting, and people had made a big effort to do good drawings.
16 July
Here is the blood moon from my bedroom window. I had to take quite a few photos, as with the camera zoomed in, any little wobble is magnified.
17 July
Today we went to Hill Garden Pergola, which is near Hampstead Heath, a favourite place that is quiet and peaceful.
We were still having the heatwave and down here was the coolest and shadiest place.
I like this little secret path with the colourful tiles, but it did not seem to lead anywhere.
We down to the park part nearby and went up all the little winding paths. Then it was time to go back up the steps to the pergola part. We took it slowly.
Nearby is Hampstead Heath, with a good view over London.
It was cooler walking through the woods. We eventually got to the grounds of Kenwood House which were by now all long dry grass and fireweed in patches. We were glad to find a seat and have our snack and a drink, after our long hot walk.
19 July
Today we went to see an exhibition of moon maps at The Map House, which is a place that sells antique maps and prints. It is real treasure place to find prints, but a bit expensive for teddy-sized pocket money!
Then we went on to the Science Museum, to see the moon displays. This month is the 50th anniversary of men landing and walking on the moon.
Here is a piece of real moon rock and it looks just like one of the bits of coke I sometimes find in the garden!
This cabinet is full of different weights and measures for different countries around the world. The second item is a German Enigma Machine that was captured, for making different codes for sending secret messages during wartime.
Here is the Difference Engine No.2 by Charles Babbage, a primitive type of calculator. It was designed in 1847, but only built in modern times in 1985. The second picture is a tide predicting machine of 1872.
This is one of the first telephones, and one of the first telephone switchboards from Norway.
22 July
We went to East Greenwich Pleasaunce. Part of it is old naval graves and part is green space and children's playground.
After that we went to Enderby Wharf by the riverside in Greenwich. On the way we saw this water feature with a big stone ball, maybe next time the water will be on. The markings look like China and Japan with the south at the top.
Enderby Wharf is where they made and shipped out telegraph cables around the world, which would explain these cable-end shapes, which make very good seats. This is an old marine repeater and the Atlantic cable would have lots of these at intervals, to boost the telegraphy signals.
Next we went to Greenwich Park and had our lunch on a seat looking at all these flowerbeds. You have to have big flower beds in such a large park. My favourite part today was these rudbeckia flowers in all variations of red, orange and yellow.
Greenwich Park is full of very old chestnut trees, this one must be 500 years old or more. Here is our train coming in at Maze Hill Station. We had to go to London Bridge and then get a train back to our home on a different line.
23 July
Today we are back at the lovely walled garden in Brockwell Park in south London. It was very hot but we found a seat in the shade. I like to go back to favourite gardens because there are different flowers out each time we go.
Here is the sunken round pond in the middle. I think the water must have been quite warm, in fact everything was warm and hot that day!
26 July
At last it is raining and cooler. It was very heavy thundery rain and gave the garden a good soaking. The fishes just love it, they come up and see if any flies have been washed in.
Later on the sun came out and we sat in the greenhouse. This wood pigeon didn't know we were underneath.
27 July
We went to the Museum of London Docklands, which shows the history of the docks over the centuries. All the original equipment is here, mostly things to move the goods around the docks, loading and unloading. It was all very hard work indeed for those people.
This is a model of Canary Wharf.
This is the roof garden on the Crossrail building. Some of the triangles are open to the sky, so it is quite fresh and airy.
29 July
Today we went to Abney Cemetery Wildlife Reserve in Stoke Newington in north London. It is full of old gravestones, trees and woodland with lots of criss-crossing paths everywhere. The graves are mostly quite old from the late 1800's.
They were all sizes, from little stones, middle size stones and big obelisks. Lots of them had urns on top, ideal for the pigeon to sit on and survey the scene.
We saw wildlife everywhere, lots of birds, as there so much greenery full of worms, insects and berries for them to eat.
Brown Teddy was a bit concerned at how many stones were leaning at all angles. We thought that probably any really loose ones would be sorted out by the gardeners, so there would be no danger to walkers. Some were laid on their sides for safety. No problem with this one, the angel is holding it up!
It was interesting to see the different shapes of monument, here is a book and heart shape.
This is quite fun, with the music above the words of the hymn. I hope the stone mason has got the notes in the right places!
This tree had a big bracket fungus, it looks quite dramatic. Here is the famous marble lion, and I suspect it gets a special regular cleaning, as it is bright white, while every other monument stone is grey and green! We carried on walking and somehow we became separated. It is quite scary all of a sudden when someone gets lost miles from home, in a woodland where all the paths look the same. We went the Visitor Centre where the kind lady was very concerned that one of us had got lost, and gave us a brochure with a map inside, and eventually, after a lot of anxious walking and searching, we found each other again.
Later on, Brown Teddy found the same map on the side entrance notice board. You can see how winding all the paths are. We took a picture of the map on our phone, so next time we come we won't get lost and separated, in case we don't have the paper one with us. Brown Teddy said he would like to come back and read more of the interesting poems on the stones.
We all agreed this is our favourite one "Good To All, Unkind To None, Life Not Ended, Just Begun."
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 https://whiteboomerang.com
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