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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A walk through Putney Heath and a bacon sandwich..bliss!

Today, Tony and l went on a walk to Roehampton and back through the woods. It was a very warm (although Tony wouldn't agree!!), sunny afternoon and it was a nice change after yesterday's rainy, windy day! 
This first image, is of a mass of dying foxgloves. When the sun was shinning on them, there was a beautiful purple haze over them but unfortunetly, it doesn't seem to have come out, in this image.

When l first saw the image below, l thought l was looking at a paper plate, someone had thrown away. After seeing another two, l suddenly realised they were actually fungi! They are SO white on top and underneath but l have to go and look at my fungi book, to find out the names of all the fungi l found today. Will blog them later. 

We then decided, as lt was still so lovely, we would go and get a bacon sandwich and cup of tea, from the stand by the Green Man and sit on a bench and look at the woods...bliss. As we got near the bench. l reaslised that this tree was an apple tree but unfortunetly they were too high up for us to pick. Will have to take a walking stick with us, on future walks! 
The bench we chose to sit on, is new to us and l think the brass label on it is rather sad. These twins  appeare to have died together, at the age of 51. I wonder how they died?
In this particular part of Putney Heath, there are a lot of different grasses. These decorative grasses, seem out of place here, somehow!
The next grasses are ones you see all around but mixed in amongst the decorative grasses, they all look gorgeous.

There are so many blackberries around at the moment but until this afternoon, l had not realised how decorative the leaves on the bramble branch, could look.

The next image is one of the many fungi l found today. Again, l do not know what these are called but will be checking up later on. Tomorrow l will, hopefully put up all the names of the ones l found today, !!  Isn't this fungi the most gorgeous colour?'''..burnt orange l think l would call it
When got almost to our door, we were greeted by one of my neighbours cats! He looked at me as if to say, " This is my sun trap...go away"!

Just outside our block of flats, are some gorgeous plants...l will leave you will a few of them. 



Night folks. Off to deliver this laptop and a camera to my son tomorrow....a mother's job is never done..even if they are in their 30's and married! But then l wouldn't have it any other way..... really!x

Monday, August 30, 2010

A day in London and a visit to the Natural History Museum.



On Saturday, l went to meet some close friends, in the National History Museum. As l left home, l saw some fungi had come up over night..Autumn is coming my friends!!
My goodness, the leaves are turning and beginning to fall as well..Summer appears to be coming to an end! Such a shame!
Once in London, l had an hour or so to spare, so l had a wander to China Town, where l saw high up on the wall, this beautiful Lion Dragon.
At first, l was quite surprised to see this man walking very quickly across the main road...a convict on the run! Ha. Actually he works for a museum round the corner!
Along one of the streets there were many market stalls selling hats, clothes and other things. Anyone for a hat?

One of the stalls sold healthy drinks..you could actually cut your own grass!......
I caught sight of these two lovely, colourful ladies..made me smile!
London is full of colourful characters and here are 3 of them.......although l think that maybe they play on their...differences, if you look at the last of the next four images...and see the sign that is held up! A way to raise money, l suppose!






Then it was time to go meet my friends at the National History Museum. l love this place especially the Dinosaurs!

The Cocoon, is a new building that houses exhibitions and also you can see the researchers and curators at work, in their offices etc. The next image is taken from the lift as it reached the top of the Cocoon.
The next image, is taken from one of the floors in the Cocoon, across to the offices. As it was late in the evening the offices etc. were empty! Must come here during the day, the whole place fascinated me!
The next two images are of specimens that l would like to use in my Art at a later date. This place is full of amazing objects that inspire me.

I had a wonderful afternoon and would like to thank Lesley Ann, her children and friends for a wonderful visit.

Monday, August 23, 2010

The journey home from the Christening in Essex.....

The first image is of one of the buildings being built for the Olympics! Nice shape l think.

I thought this graffiti was very pretty..
These flowers are all along the middle of the road, where my daughter lives in Islington. They are very beautiful and l think really change the atmosphere of the place.
I really like the bracelet on this guy"s wrist. Actually l wonder if boys/men call it a bracelet or something more "Manly" Ha!
l saw this poster on a wall ...l think it is amazing! It haunted my dreams last night.
Yet another amazing, colourful graffit that you can find in and  around London. love this city!
A really pretty image on this shutter, really cheers the area up.
 The grey sky really made the gold stand out on this London bridge. See, some times a grey sky is useful to an Artist.
What a cheerful way to brighten up the street outside your pub.
"Huston..we have a problem"!!! maybe this spaceman should have used a Sat-Nav!Ha! I hadn't noticed this model before..thought it was very funny!

The above image is one l really like. It shows one of the many reasons l love living in London.....Multicultural living!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

A christening and a jar of jam!



Today, Tony and l went to the Christening, of my children's Godfather's baby son Maksim. The weather was not sunny and rainned quite a lot!! As you can see from the next image the sky was definity grey!!
Going across London Bridge was a treat..hardly any traffic but lots of tourists!
I think this next image is quite dramatic....grey sky, pylons and a wind turbine!...so much steel and dramatic grey!
This next image is not a good one, because it was taken from a fast moving mini. But l wanted to show the birds sitting on the lamp posts all along the road. They looked very threatening, memories of Hitchcock's film, "Birds" .
The next image is of Maksim and his father Richard, in the church....looking a little confused about the whole think. Maksim actually went to sleep and had to be woken to have water poured on his head, he was not amused!
He was at one point, given a Bible to distract him, l was amused to see him start to turn the pages!
A very happy mum, Irina, having been given the Christening candle to celebrate the Maksim's Baptism.
The Stockdale family!
My daughter's amazing killer heals! Love them!
A smile from the boy himself.
The Stockdale family plus my two children, who are Richard's Godchildren.

Just a lovely family image.
The last image is a special one.....home-made jam by Gemma! If you have been following my blog, you will have seen all the fruit trees, in Gemma and Andrew's garden......this is one of the results of all that fruit!