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Diary – 2021 August
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All my diary pages going back to 2009
DRAWING & PAINTING:
2 August
Today we went to Gunnersbury Park in north west London. We sat by the flower garden. This ladder arch over the bed is for the climbing roses to go up.
We walked around the round pond which now has pedal boats on it. There are lots of these big rocks, but we could not guess whether they were real stone or made up out of concrete.
Down the hill is the huge conservatory and the Horseshoe Pond.
The gardener was working very hard, with his wheelbarrow full of new composted soil. These are red hot pokers, but being yellow they must be nearly white hot!
One of the mansions is having a complete refurbishment while they have no visitors this summer. Outside the park, over the road, is Baron's Pond. All this ironwork is rusty and peeling, it needs a bit of TLC!
4 August
The is Horse Guards in central London, and the big parade ground behind it.
We went into St James's Park. The flower beds are very colourful and neat, after all, it is almost the Queen's front garden!
The park has a large long lake. These pelicans were having a rest, and did not mind all the crowds. The swan was hoping for food.
We took some of our windfall apples for the ring-necked parakeets. Everyone feeds them, and some people give them peanuts in their shells or sunflower hearts. They are very tame and sit on hands for the seeds.
5 August
There is a huge amount of buddleia (butterfly bush) this year growing along the railway tracks, but very few butterflies. We went into Dartford Central Park, and this bedding display is thanking the National Health Service for all their hard work.
9 August
We went to Ruislip. I just loved this yarn bomb on top of the post box, of a seaside scene with beach hut and fishes in the sea. the yellow blob is an old sea mine casing that you sometimes see at the seaside, converted to a collection box for a local charity. This garden is at Eastcote Station. We always look out for well-kept station gardens, sometimes they have competitions.
Then we took the train to Uxbridge. After shopping, we went behind the shopping centre, over the road full of traffic, and over this quiet little stream and into the park to have our sandwiches.
This is a pond in the middle of a large station platform. We specially stopped here to admire the gardens, before continuing our journey on the next train.
10 August
We went to Tower Bridge on the river as it was due to open for a tall ship to pass through. We watched the boats for a while. The people on the pleasure boat all waved. The other photo is two barges full of containers.
It takes five minutes for the two bascules to rise. The tourists don't mind being held up, they like to watch the event and take even more photos.
11 August
Today we are in Chesham in the very west of outer London. They like to have interesting shop window displays here. More yarn bombing on the bollards.
After shopping, we went behind the High Street into the park for our snacks. The path in front of our seat has these lovely pebble designs along the edges, they look like swirling water.
Further along is this play area with a maze pattern on it, it looks just like the mown stripey grass.
There is a long lake and someone came along to feed grain to the ducks.
Here I am back on Chesham Station, and they have lots of big bright tubs of flowers.
This is the old signal box. In the waiting room they have lots of posters and information from the past. Metroland was the nickname for the areas of housing that were built along the railway line, so the owners could travel into London easily, but still live in the country.
Lots of pictures of the station in past times, and posters and postcards that encouraged people to travel by train.
This is the view back to London, lovely countryside but very grimy window glass!
13 August
Today we went to Pinner in north west London. It has lots of old timber framed houses which we always like to see. We wonder about all the people who have lived in them over the centuries.
We went into Pinner Memorial Park. This wooden carving is just like the people who were walking about, apart from the umbrella. We had our sandwiches sitting opposite the big house.
To the side of the house is a large shed with an open air bit with close wire screening at the windows. Lots of lovely budgies, and I am glad they have plenty of space to fly around, and some cosy indoor space as well.
18 August
Every morning I check my pots. This fuchsia is in its third year and gets bigger every season. This carnation is very strongly scented. It was on the cheap shelf in the garden centre, but it is now growing big and wide.
My lawn is a favourite with the big slugs on the damp mornings, when the grass is wet. The manage to get to cover before the sun gets on the grass.
Later on we went to St James's Park up in the city. We heard music and walked along to the end and found these guardsmen practising in one of their parade grounds.
20 August
Today we went to Teddington Lock which is as far as the Thames tide can reach. We were disappointed to see the lock island was shut to the public, I hope it opens again soon. This is the giant weir beyond the main lock.
We then took a bus to Twickenham and ate our sandwiches on The Green. I really like to see old cattle troughs full of flowers, and this one has water underneath as well for dogs.
27 August
Today we visited friends in the Midlands. It was a 2 hour drive and the countryside is very flat. I like to see scenery that is different from where we live in the south, and there is much less traffic than in London.
We got home just as it was getting dark. Here we are going over the Queen Elizabeth II bridge near Dartford.
26 August
We travelled to the north west of London to Watford to do some shopping. I like it when the train has these big windows, it looks like a moving painting going past. But not so good when we are going past the back yards of factories and offices!
We looked around the big shopping centre. Then we had our sandwiches in this green space next to the church. I like these balls, placed to stop people tripping off the ends of the curved steps.
The high street was full of towers of flowers, all brilliant and healthy. At the far end is this long pond with an island and fountain. There are lots of young fish in the pond but you have to look carefully, as they are small and dark coloured.
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