Friday 31 August 2018

Holiday Postcards

I was a little premature with my link up for the Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt having posted it last week and can be seen here. So this week I thought I would send you a few postcards from our mini break which could be used for No. 19 Picture Postcard Perfect.

1. Petworth House from the deer park.


2. Sunset on the South Down Way.


3. Have we been transported to India?


No just to Brighton Pavilion.

4. Then a quick walk up the pier.


After all no postcard collection is complete without a funny one! Which one would you like me to send you?

Thursday 30 August 2018

Take Three Thursday: A Significant Acquisition

We are now back from our mini break just in time to join in with Mary Lou's Thursday meme. I have three photos to show you but need to include three rmore to complete the story.
One of the places we visited while away is the picture postcard village of Alfriston in East Sussex. The weather was far from picture perfect with rain the whole time we were wandering around. One of the places we visited was The Old Clergy House. This is a medieval house that is 650 years old. 

It's particular significance is that it was the first house acquired by The National Trust in 1896 for the price of £10. I have more pictures but for today I am showing you three signs made for the house and now displayed inside as National Trust styles have changed.
1.

2.

3.

 I didn't think at the time to snap a picture of the modern day sign.
What is of special interest in this first house is a carving in the corner of this roof.


An oak leaf carving is suggested as the inspiration for using the oak leaf as the National Trust emblem.


 Seems quite likely doesn't it?

Tuesday 28 August 2018

25 Years

Today the Farmer and I celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary. It's hard to believe it's been so long!


We had a celebratory lunch on Sunday with all the close family. A time of eating, drinking and enjoying each other's company. A time to celebrate our two beautiful daughters who worked happily and tirelessly with me in the kitchen cooking, baking and preparing for all of Saturday and Suanday morning. It was also a time to bore everyone silly with wedding photos, my box of wedding memorabilia including my wedding diary! Then of course the wedding videos!
Our lovely bridesmaids are all blossomed into beautiful women and are indeed all now married themselves.


Lots to recall, laugh about and generally enjoy. Lots of lovely memories.


We are now off for a mini break so see you all soon.

Friday 24 August 2018

The August SPSH Link Up

Today is the penultimate link up for The Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt hosted by Mary Lou. I have been showing some finds throughout the month but here are some more possibilities for my final choices.  
3. A Framed View  
Most people will know that I love a framed view. These first two are slightly different to my usual choice. The first is taken in the house at Dyrham Park. It is of a deliberate trompe l'oeil painted by a Dutch painter Samuel Van Hoogstraten. It is hung at the end of the corridor to give the illusion of the space being of a greater length than reality.


This second is taken at Dunster Castle peeping from one room through the orangery into another room  where the room guide is talking to visitors.


These next two show the same gate looking both ways at the Yeo Valley Organic Garden.



4. Wings
Pretty self explanatory this dragonfly is on an arch in the same garden.



5. Pedal Power
One of the many scarecrows at the Shaftsbury and Gillingham Show.


6. Glorious Green
It was tricky to find anything green a week or so ago but thankfully since we have had some rain it has now changed back to our 'green and pleasant land'. Here are two gloriously green views of the same Yeo Valley Organic Garden.



7. An Unexpected Reflection
Mirrors can be used to give the illusion of space. This first caught my eye in the restaurant at Dyrham Park. Would I have noted the fancy lampshades otherwise?


These mirrors also cleverly give a feeling of space and unexpected reflection.


11. Pretty in Pink 
Perhaps not pretty but definitely pink and raising money for Cancer Research at the Shaftsbury and Gillingham Show.


14. A Trilogy of Three
These basins in the loos at Avebury made me smile. Three of everything! I had to take the picture a bit quick before anyone else came in.



The rest of these trios were decorating the cafe at the Yeo Valley Garden.





15. Out of the Blue
Eileen's picture of the statue in the sea gave me the inspiration for this picture of this kite against the blue sky.


17. Repurposed
Several novel planters at Yeo Valley Garden.





A  couple of novel interesting clocks.



Alternative A. Shopping Bag.
A few bags for sale at the show.



I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else has found. I shall be popping round soon!





Thursday 23 August 2018

Take Three Thursday: Busy Bee

Thursday is Three Photo Day. It's when I join Mary Lou with her meme where we post three pictures of something we have observed during the last week.
On Friday my sister and I made a visit to the Yeo Valley Garden. The Yeo Valley products originate from a farm near Blagdon in North Somerset. The organic garden is situated at the Mead family's home next to the farm and is open just twice a week.
I have visited before but on this occasion they were not charging an entrance fee because of the detrimental effect the hot weather has had on the plants. They were instead asking for donations to a bee research charity. Bees are essential pollinators as well as producers of honey. There are a number of hives in the garden but also an interesting bee display with a multitude of knitted bees.


Each bee had a different name and character.


Then the suitably dressed beekeeper managing his hives.


He isn't real by the way!

Wednesday 22 August 2018

A Cool Off

Yesterday I was talking about the weather and how good it is to see a little rain. Back a few weeks ago when it was so hot we were looking at all sorts of ways of keeping cool. Student Daughter and Poppy found the ideal answer. A trip to the waterfall.


They both had no hesitation in getting well and truly wet.




Poppy loves a stick wherever she is.


There was also time for a quick swing too.


Tuesday 21 August 2018

A Celebration of Raindrops

The long, hot, dry spell that we had through June and July made us all wish for rain. The grass became brown and some crops suffered. The last few weeks have been cooler with some rain. The grass has become it's usual green colour and some plants are recovering. Many flowers are still not doing very well. This morning after a light rain shower I wandered out with my camera to catch a few raindrops. 
This poppy has soldiered on flowering all summer. I have cut back some of the seed pods to give these latest flowers a chance.


I was quite worried that I had lost my agapanthus during the cold weather but it seems to be growing well. It has in fact had some very large blooms this year. It is now nearly over but there are a few individual flowers still going.


I don't usually go for a lot of petunias but I was taken by the bright pink trumpets on this one.


The David Austen rose Tess of the D'Urbervilles has flowered as well as always.


A few last blooms on the Cécile Brunner.


So many different pinks. This is another prolific small flower rose..


My cosmos have really struggled. They were late being planted, the ground was solid and even watering them didn't help. They are now reviving a little.