Fairies, Mounted Policemen and Flower Power in London!

As l came out of my flat today..l was greated by this little Tinker Bell, sitting on my stone step. Good luck for the day l felt! Nice to think that fairies are coming to visit me!

Living in Putney, every so often we have to put up with Fulhan playing at home! Sorry, l am a Rugby fan not football...too many hooligans for my liking and puffed up footballs that worry about their appearance too much for my mind!!!!! I like macho men!!! Anyway, that means we have to have extra police, police transport, police dog-handlers and mounted police to keep the people safe and control the crowds. The only thing l enjoy about the whole charade, are the police horses going through the town. These two in front of our mini, were waving to the men in the pub. As soon as the pub customers saw the police, they let out a loud roar and laughted and so the police smiled and waved back. All very friendly, well it is before the match after all! time for more beer to flow before kick off!

Once a week, on a Friday, we have a fresh fish store in one of the open areas in Putney. Usually he is extremly busy but l think we caught him when it was quiet and he might have been bored! This image shows him standing with his hands in his apron pockets and staring at a brick wall!!!! Reminds me of when we lived in Port Moresby, in Papua New Guinea. We would often see locals eating, say their lunch, on one side of them would be an amazing view and the other a brick wall. You guessed it.More often or not, they would choice the brick wall. I remember once, asking a local friend of mine, why this happened? He looked at me, shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why not the brick wall?"

We caught up with more mounted police going across Putney brige, there were 6 of them. My goodness they are beautiful animals and the policeman are looking well kept too!

The next two images are of a doorway and a hanging bell l saw in East Sheen. The door is smaller in height,  than you would normally expect a door to be, but is beautifully decorated. It is set into a wall rather than a door to a house, which might explain while it is not as tall, as one would normally come to expect in an entrance to a house! The bell was hanging from the frame of window bars, in the house next door. It appears to be something you would may be hang from a Christmas tree and l think . looking at the decorations that are painted on it, it is German. I wonder why it has been tied to the outside of the bars, exposed to the elements and passing thieves? Maybe someone found it and just tied it there...so many mysteries in the world still to solve!Ha!

This next image made me giggle. The site/complex of flats, has been awarded a special award for design l think. Looking at this and the surrounding area, you ask yourself "Why?" and "You are kidding...right"? But actually around the back of these painted boardings, are the actual buildings but they are not very easily viewable from the road! You would have thought that they could have done a different paint job wouldn't you? great advertising!!!..NOT!

I wish the next image was better but we were driving passed it, in fast flowing London traffic and l had 2 secs to click! It is an American style car with enough auto "Bling" on it to make most men smile. It had a group of men hovering over it at the front and what appeared to be a very proud owner showing it off. Have to admit it does look beautiful!

In an area in Putney, there is a very popular Butchers and outside it stands a large size black and white plastic cow! But do you see what is between her two front legs?

...click.....a junior version of mum..how cute!

Back in the car again to take our daughter home, we got stuck behind his green truck. Had to giggle when l saw what was written on the back of this green waste dispoal truck...(waste disposal men in my area are known to be stroppy at the best of times). "Cheap and friendly service" who are they trying to kid! Maybe because they are Polish, they are more friendly!

While we were driving through Parson Green area of London, we stopped to let this young lady cross the road. The phase " Flower Power" comes to mind.."What goes around, comes around",  as my grandmother used to say. Nothings really new in fashion..is it?

This last image is in this blog because it cheered me up, with its bright colours and l thought it was a cheerful way to close today's blog. Night allx

Shadow Shot Sunday.Feb18th 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday.

Saw this wall ornament in the Garden Shop this afternoon..isn't it wonderful?!

An amazing find..A Marc Bolan memorial in a bush of trees and bushes!

Today, l found an amazing find. For the last 12 years or, l have noticed what l thought was just a few flowers to remember someone, who had died at this spot. Maybe from a traffic accident or pedestrian knocked over but anyway for some reason today, l decided to stop and see what it actually was. Boy did l get a surprise! If you go through the bushes, you will find a memorial to Marc Bolan from T-Rex!!

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Still can't believe l never knew this was here!

A visit to the village church.

Hi everyone. From today, l am going to be adding my art work and weekly comps as well as my daily travels. You will also find Ruby Tuesday and Shadow Box Sunday on here as well.. So l hope you will still enjoy what you read and see!



Visit to the village Church!

As promised in yesterday blog, l am going to try and show you what the inside the Church lookes like. It is, in my opinion, an really interesting and unusual church. As you go through the very plain looking church doors, suddenly you are faced with all these huge mabel statues, jams for sale, an easter child's scene and so much more!
The first image, is the main aisle of the chuch which leads to the Alter. There are many flags hanging from the roof, there are numberous tombs, a huge organ and many other items in differentnooks and crannies of this intrigining Church.

The window over the alter is amazing, so full of colours that just shout out at you, even when there is not much light coming through the glass. The cross on the Alter is beautiful, but you can't see it from this image, as the cross itself is covered in a plastic bag. More than likely to protect it from the strong light coming through the stainglass window.

There are some amazing tombs and statues scattered round the church. There are a few images of them below. Each of the big tombs can actually light up, which makes them look even more amazing and striking, if that is possible!

The image below is of the whole tomb...huge isn't it?The metal tubes in the second image, is of the rather large organ in the Church.

The next image is of a smaller tomb but still impressive l think. The image below is quite dark and l didn't want to use flash, it seemed wrong some how! I have also included a detail of the marble tomb, beautiful details. Love the the shadows made by the light coming through the triangle shaped window panes. Will have to use this image for Shadow Box Sunday!

The next image is a " set-up" as my son would have called it, when he was young. It is the story of Easter and was in the area of the children's section of the church. Very sweet and simple but says it all.

The funeral cart below was given to the church by a family who had lost their son in the 1st world war (I think!). It has their family name, dates and other family info on it. It is a beautiful piece of workmanship, made of wood and brass and would be pulled by a horse. You can see how loving it has been cared for and looks as if it is still being used today.

The next image is to me, so typically British. Home-made jams and chutneys are for sale and you are asked to place the money opposite the font....the church believes in your honesty! How refreshing is that?

The next thing l found, was something l have never seen before in any other Church...The Holding Cross. The cross really does fit beautifully between your fingers, as you pray. The leaflet explains to the reader, how to hold the cross and also give the reader a pray to say. The Church trusts you to hold the cross and then put it back into the basket. In other words..don't pinch it..steal it...pocket it...or what ever you call, walking away with it still in your hand! It is very tactile, soft and smooth and l must admit, would be so easy to walk away with it..but l didn't...l promise!

The last image, is one that every Church couldn't possibly do without these days....The Accident Report Book! How sad.....need l say more?

There were so many more things l could have put into this image blog of the Church but it would go on for ever!Ha. I think l have given you a taste of the Church and if you are ever in the area..it is worth a visit..l promise.

The Earl of Gainsborough and the walk across his private gardens!

 As yesterday's blog will tell you, we have spent the last 5 days up in Rutland, trying to sort out some of Andrew's garden and check the house was ok. One of the jobs we decided to do, was to sort out final demand stuff, that had come through the letterbox for the last tenant. So we set off up to Estate Office. The Earl of Gainsbourgh is the landlord of my son and daughter-in-law's house up in Rutland! We found out where to go, after speaking to the office and off we went. Very slowly and luckily not up hill, so Tony was ok and as it was a beautiful day, it was an enjoyable work.

The first thing we saw on our walk, was this sign on a gate, with a cattle grid beside it. We looked for the bull...no where to be seen, unless it is disguised as a Jacob's sheep! I love this breed of sheep because of the soft colours of brown, dark blacks,whites and cream. I also thing their  curved horns are cool! I also have to admit l love the lambs!!!so cute.

Walking regretfully away from these gorgeous creatures, we turned off the dirt track into a wooded area. The trees in the image below, made the walk magical and so beautifully serene!. It was so quiet, the occasional bird song, a warm breeze and a blue sky..gorgeous! 

As we came into an opening, we were faced with a choice, left or right turning? As we werr still wondering which way to go, this man stopped his green Landrover and asked if we needed help? The man was The Earl of Gainsbourgh, who owns the Estate! He was very sweet and when he realised who we were, told us to tell his secretary to allow us access to the gardens, on our way out of the Estate! 

He waved us goodbye and drove off, l was not sure if l should have bowed or not!Ha!

As we made our way to the house, we came across this amazing tree with its own huge fungi, growing on it. Fantastic!

We arrived at the back of the house and that was attrative enough, wonder what the rest of it looks like? we could also see that the house also had it's own chapel!

The next image is where we saw a horse being exercised. Not sure if this building has a name but l think this is where horses are exercised even when it is raining. I think it is a gorgeous shaped building! On the left-hand side of the building, you can see some steps, which are there to help you to get up and down from your horse!

After we had sorted out our buisness at the house, we were given directions to go across the gardens and come out at the Village Church. As we came round from the back of the house and came to the front of the house. WOW! So beautiful and took our breath away. 

We walked across the beautifully manicured grass, many fantastic trees and a beautiful pond full of ducks and a few swans. two of the trees are in the images below.

Then surprisingly we came across an enclosed area full of amazing hens and two cockerals. The image below is of one of the fantastic black cockeral. what an amazing creature!

As we came round a large tree, the image below came into sight. I have not yet found out if it is a real buliding that has burnt down or is a folly. When l find out, l will let you know!

then we were out of the estate and into the graveyard of the village church. And what a church. from the outside it looks nothing special but inside...a totally different story. I will put those images on tomorrow's blog. the church had a beautifully manicured garden and the grave stones were really interesting.

The image below was on the first sone, l saw when l entered the church. it is a gravestone, carved in 1831 and was in beautiful condition...amazing. so beautifully carved.

As we started to the exit gate, we came across this Yew tree, shaped into a triangle shape, next to the church gate. It was planted to celebrate the Millenium! It was donated to the church by the parishioners of the village of Exton...the village my son and daughter-in-law live!

If you are interested in what the main gates of the Estate looks like...here they are in the image below. The grounds are amazing and we felt very privalged to see them, as the Estate is private and not normally open to the public.