Love a Duck

Sunday we went to Sheffield Park Gardens its a National Trust Garden south of Tunbridge Wells it was lovely and warm 21c so warm for us and the rain stayed away, these are just some of the snaps that I took, the plants in the foreground of the lake view are Gunnera, they die back each year and grow quickly in the spring with leaves over 2 meters in width and 3meters high, the stalks and the underside of the leaves are spiky, and the plants have large flower spikes , we have some of these plants in our garden by the pond but ours do not grow as big.

Sheffield Park is lovely at most times of the year but Spring and Autumn are by far the best.

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.

Any fool can buy cheap petrol

Any fool can buy cheap petrol, (we laugh at people in the UAE who pay £9.00 for 11 gallons of petrol, it's so last year, we could do that once, but we've moved on).

It now takes a very special fool to pay these kind of prices; the pump you see here was my bill on Friday evening after I filled up my car from the orange light to full, although I have had it just over £55 for a really full tank in the past. Diesel is around £1.17p a litre and the super go fast stuff is a penny less; there's talk that they will be going up again soon, which is comforting to know, so as you can see the £5.00 a gallon is with us and probably here to stay; coupled with sky high train fares and every utility company and council hiking up their prices its not cheap leaving in the UK. My very first gallon of petrol cost the equevelent of £0.225p (4 shillings and six pence in old money), OK it was in 1966.

A recent survey (Daily Mail) mentions that if you want a decent pay rise then just emigrate: it went on to say that the biggest winners were those living in the UAE and stated that quality of life was better, coupled with a lower cost of living and less stressful living being the three main reasons; an astonishing 99 per cent said they had made a good decision to emigrate (not just to the UAE) – it went on to say that over 90 per cent said they were happier, 80 per cent had a greater sense of well being, and the same number said their decision to move as excellent with all surveyed, the majority, more than 60 per cent, said they had no reason to return to the UK; and who can blame them!

Todays headlines: Saturday 29th March 2008, Drink driving. One gass of wine or a single pint of beer to put you over the limit, the proposed new limit (down from 80mg) will be 50mg alcohol per 100ml of blood - this is confusing and unfair, and would, in some way just be revenue making and not a deterient as it should be; a total zero ban which would compleately take away any doubt and drive the point home is the only way forward, after all there is a total ban on smoking in public places so why not a zero tollerence on drink driving. Its a no brainer Gordon. (or Gormless Gordon as the press now call him)

Petts Wood News: The driver (a woman aged 71) of a car that killed a pedestrian on Thursday evening at the (Threshers) roundabout near Crofton school, evidently shot over the roundabout at speed narrowly missing one car but hitting a second then mounted the pavement killing a young guy in his early 50’s who was on his way back from work having left early because he did not feel too well died at the scene, he was married with children.

And you must have heard about the fiasco at the opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow; roll on the Olympics: The Underground is at bursting point, you cant afford to drive, save me a camel I'm coming out.

Arthur the Hamster arrives

He's new, just 9 weeks old, with soft brown and white fur and bright black eyes, he's got quite an appetite for finger tips as well, the score so far is 3 nil to Arthur, with Dad receiving all three bites. Here's a tip Arthur, don't bite the hand that feeds you!

A host of Golden Daffodil's and white Narcissus

A carpet of Daffodil's and white Narcissus in Greenwich Park. You have to hand it to some of our parks, and Greenwich is no exception, as it always has good flower and flowering trees displays; for weeks this area was fenced off and as if by magic up the popped all the flowers, surprisingly all flowering at the same time, how do they do that! It took a couple of weeks to plant them out; it really is a quite spectacular show, Wordsworth would have been, well, lost for words! (wonder what Greenwich Council Rates are)?

Petts Wood in Bloom

Saturday morning, Spring finally shows her face, there's frog spawn in the pond the sun's out, its nice and warm with all makings of a very nice spring like day. The flowers are by the Library and they really brighten up the place,

I came home to find a nice white envelope on the mat with green writing - What else can it be at this time of year, it can only be the Bromley Council Rates letter - just a shade short of £2000pa; expensive flowers! Still there always next year.

The wraps are off

The new Pizza Express is taking shape but I think its behind schedule and its taken nearly 9 moths it get this far and they usually throw these buildings up quicker than that .

Thursday nights drive home

This was my drive home on Thursday night, (I was stationary at the lights) horrible wet weather, strong winds, trees down, lots of surface water and took ages to reach home.

THE GAZETTE AGM Edition

I’ve just spent a few moments flicking through this months edition of the gazette – it’s the AGM edition so packed full of loads of facts about the area and the good deeds done by the jolly folk of Petts Wood, - this edition is no different form the 11 that fall through the letterbox each month apart from the fact that tucked away on page 22 is the annual accounts looking for the world like a 9 year old has totted up the expenses, but very nicely done and good to see we're in profit.

There are the usual assorted objections to planning permission, the funniest of which is the objection to Fab Kabab's appeal to operate a hot food take away – that’s just what’s missing from Petts Wood, another a hot food take away.

Two whole pages are given over to Squirrels, several questions are posed from "Why are there so many Grey Squirrels" to "How can I encourage them in my garden" , not our garden as we already have them, "Do they cause problems" , "What can I feed them on" and "How can I get rid of them", each answer is priceless – Old Ed Grundy could learn a thing or two from the folks who live in Petts Wood - Borchester Echo eat your heart out..

We love our Dad

I'm enjoying this

You would never believe the mess this little princess got in to

I'm 3 today

Its my birthday and this is my new party frock

I do hope you like it

What Daylight

The Daylight Inn in foggy, cold and wet Petts Wood; it looks like a scene from a horror film but its just Station Square on February 20th at 8.35 in the morning, the fog hung around all day and it's very cold and wet

Dreaming of Africa

Free Giraffe

Most people pay good money to get this close to a Giraffe; not many things are free these days especially in London, but this little chap could be easily seen from the pavement out side London Zoo for free; his mate was next door scratching his neck, they both seemed to be enjoying the sunshine and quite oblivious of all the people looking at them.

Camera Canon G9 24x times digital zoom

Easy on Sunday morning

This Fox was in Mary's garden enjoying the sunshine, the shady parts of the Garden still has a coating of frost so it must be nice and warm for him in the sun, as careful as I could be when opening the window he still heard me, after I had taken this picture he curled his tail around him and fell asleep, he's still there some 25 minutes later. Ah bless...........

Picture details: Canon G9 - 24 x zoom hand held

One last Look

A little Oasis in Petts Wood - this may well be the last time that you see it, it looked good in the sunshine this morning, all the shadowy bits still had frost on them, the fish in the pond were deep down resting on the bottom, I gave them a few sticks of food, I might repatriate them to a bigger pond soon. glad I'm not a fish.

I'm first

Others are set to follow but this single little Daffodil is the first to flower in what was your garden, the rest will be out in a day or two, the garden looks good with lots of plants ready to burst into colour - whilst taking this shot I could hear some scratching on the other side of the fence - I kept quite thinking it might be a squirel or some other rodent and I was right, it was ...........Ron the nosy rat scratching around in the shade in the frost - it was cold not much above freezing ....poor old Ron perhaps I will give him some nice blue seeds to nibble on?

Flowers, Champagne and Candles

This is the tree in Southborough Lane that stopped the Mini on Sunday morning, as you can see its covered if flowers, at the base there are cards, photographs, loads of soft toys, candles, vases and surprisingly plenty of booze, there are cans of Stella, bottles of Champagne, Jack Daniels, bottles of Becks and more – one 21 year old man died, the other 6 occupants are in various stats of recovery with a 15 year old girl still on life support – it happened around 1.55 Sunday morning – 7 young people in a Mini !!

Morrisons the saviour

This one is for Ruth – if you turn the sound up you might just hear the purple rinses crashing into each other up and down the isles!!

Whats Happened this week

Well not much if this picture is anything to go by, we're told this is going to be a new Pizza Express with a dentist above (is this any reflection on the quality of the dough balls that they might be serving) no progress for about three weeks now perhaps they've run into problems? Watch this space!

A bonny bouncing baby

Nanny gets to grip with this bouncing lark

I've repacked

I’ve repacked this case a dozen times but it still weighs 37 kilos, I might have to leave out the tub of dead sea mud ?

Making Room

I'm sure I could get him in if I just make some room.

I promiss to be good dad! No crying honest! just dont put me in the case.

Butter wouldn’t melt

Three real cool kids

The three rascals'

Look he's off again, pointing a camera at us, I've had 5 years of this stuff, now its your turn!

"Yes I know, my mum and dad are just the same, it must run in the family; I even have my own blog site!!

"Oh look a camera, I do like a camera"

who said what?

My Auntie

This is your Auntie, she's holding you tight, we wonder how big you will be next time you see her

Princess

I myself would never be seen on a Camel, they are ugly and full of sand, and besides Brown clashes with my favourite colour, Pink!

Two Cousins

Two cousins discussing the merits of Camel riding: "Granddad says that if I tweak their ears they’ll run faster"!

Ah yes, but if you fall off they get the hump!