Pink & Blue

We’re in the Pink, these have just burst into bloom, probably due to all the recent rain that we have had, out of all of our Rhododendrons’ this plant usually flowers first but its still a bit late and at one point I thought the snow had ruined any chance of it flowering this year.

As for the Bluebells, I’ve no idea where they have come from; last year we dug them all up and sifted the soil to make sure that we had all the bulbs as the tend to over run the place, but as you can see I don’t know why we bothered as we have just as many plants this year as we ever had and the garden is full of Bluebells.

Dawn Breaks over Petts Wood

This is dawn breaking over the garden at 5.30 this morning, it was such a beautiful morning that I just had to take a picture, the birds were singing, it was quite mild with not a breath of wind and has all the makings for a perfect day.

Parrots in the Apple Tree

Its St Georges Day, and as a nice start to the day we were visited by 4 bright green parrots on the Apple tree.
Its 8.15 in the morning, they stayed for about 5 minutes squarking all the time; we often see and hear them as they fly over the garden and every now and again like today they stop to feed; they were finally disturbed by a squirrel on his way to have his breakfast, after all they are his nuts!

That will teach him not to take the last Fishermans Friend

Now I really was hanging off the legs of a seagull for this shot – This is the Brighton RNLI practicing. OK they have to practice, but the question is how do they get the volunteer? I think they pushed him in; answers on a postcard to Brighton RNLI.

The poor guy was in the water for all of 20 minutes, perhaps more, and must have been frozen; when they finally pulled him on board they held his legs in the air to pour out all the water from his boots; he stayed in his outfit as they set off back to shore.

It's 1960 all over again

This is what Sue looked like at the party on Saturday, "Mary Quant eat your heart out", the only thing missing was the false eyelashes, but not for the want of trying, although the more we tried to apply them the more they looked like a spider had landed on her eyes. We danced to the sound of the Upbeat Beatles and very good they were too.

Of course if Sue had worn what she was wearing in 1960 she would have been in a nappy.

Turned out nice again

Funny thing the weather, as exactly 7 days earlier this very beach was covered in 3 inches of snow, whilst the same day last year it was crammed full of holiday makers enjoying the sun.

Shortly after this picture was taken it turned black and poured down – then the sun came back out, then it went back in and rained, one can never get bored with the weather

Skylarks last trip

This was a tricky shot to get as I was hanging from the leg's of a passing seagull, only joking - just think at one point this would of been full of day trippers chugging around the pier along with its sister boat the Mudlark

Don't think this Skylark will be skylarking around much more?

Wrap up warm

Lapland or Brighton, wherever you are nothing nicer than to wrap up warm with a good book sitting in the sun enjoying a nice cup of tea - Ah bliss

The old West Pier

The final remains of the old west Pier juts out of the sea like the bones of a monster.

Do you think it's going to rain?
this was taken about 3pm on Saturday afternoon

Oh how we laughed

Well you have to don't you!

I mean when faced with this opportunity you just have to make the most of it, it'd be rude not to!

The bloke who took the picture must have thought we'd lost it; I can't tell you where I put my candyfloss!!

There's Always One

There's always one poor soul who wants to show you how brave he is;
the waves were full of gravel and crashed right over him, it must have been freezing, still he enjoyed himeself ; wonder how he dried off?

Brighton's Flags

As you would expect for a spring day on Brighton's beach, the wind was blowing, the waves were crashing on the beach, you swam at you peril, but at least you could get a deckchair - these particular chairs are the same design as used on the great Ocean liners of the Pacific and Orient steam line (now P&O) that sailed across the seas. If you sit on one on the pier then they are free; not too sure if the ones on the beach are as you always had to pay; you would just get comfy when along came a little man with his ticket machine wanting you to pay a penny or so for the pleasure of taking in the bracing sea air. Oh so very English. More tea dear!!

Yellow Cars & the Burj Dubai

You know what its like, you finally decide to buy a car, and you choose say a Yellow one, up to that point you havent seen many Yellow ones, but as soon as you place your order every other car you see is a Yellow one!

Well ever since you moved to Abu Dhabi we never really saw much in the newspapers about the UAE, a bit now and then but nothing very much.

Now however you cant pick up a paper or magazine without reading about whats happening out there. In todays Paper there's a full double page spread about the 160 floor building, the Burj Dubai, and featured an ariel view of the building and surrounding countryside stretching far out towards the Persian Gulf.

It gave a few facts as well, apart from its height 2,200 meters, it went on to say that it has a system of pipes to collect condensation from the windows and is estimated to collect around 15 million gallons of water a year equivalent to 20 Olympic size swimming pools, the water will be pumped into the towers irrigation system to water the landscape areas;

It has cost around £2 billion so far, and used 22 million man hours to build; it has double decker lifts that travel at 40 miles per hour carring 48 people, the first 37 floors will house the worlds first Armani Hotel, there will be 700 apartments with a swimming pool for residents situated on the roof of the 78th floor tower (no doubt filled with the collected condensation) But unlike Yellow cars there will only be one Burj Dubai.

The Tickled Trout

The Tickled Trout at West Farleigh serves great food, Its situated in the heart of the hop gardens and orchards of the Garden of England, this very old Inn dates back to 1541.

We were here last year on the same date; then it was a warm spring like day, we even rode down on our motorbike, but as you can see this year was somewhat colder but at the same time making for a very picturesque trip. Lunch was great and good value.

Kent in Snow

Looking over the valley towards Bough Beech

April Snow

Winter finally arrives: It started snowing around 6.30 this morning and carried on most of the day – it did settle on the patio after this shot was taken but did not stay too long.