Leeds Castle in the Spring

Hi folks,

Thanks for all your kind comments yesterday. Today we go back to a place just a few miles away from here in Leeds, Kent. This famous Castle in its' own grounds with a moat and oodles of land around and is a sight to behold.

I thought of this to wet Vickie's appetite for the lovely area where we live.



Short one tonight as I have been wake for a long time, will try to find some more of the castle and its' grounds

Best regards, Mike

Chatsworth Revisited

Hi folks,

yesterday I was told off very wisely by Margaret for taking pictures without my stick which I agree was foolish on my part so you will have to make do with archive images until I can support myself properly.

May last year we visited Chatsworth a Stately Home in Derbyshire 

In the grounds, this waterfall which runs from the River Derwent and ends in the fountain above

Great stairs.

Painted Hall with wonderful ceilings creating 3D illusion's in the wall paintwork.

Dining Room, laid out for a State Banquet.

Close up of table layout, Cranberry Glassware.

Lastly the Sculpture gallery with it's wonderful collection.

Hope you enjoyed the visit, able to take shots throughout the house which I did. As a photographer I was able to freely take shots of the interior with ease. Tripods and flash where not allowed  which I completely agree with.

Can't wait to be well again and a return visit is on the cards.

Now on the mend, hiccups subsided so feel normal again, two weeks till I am able to bend my knee and possibly get in a car as a passenger.

Best regards, Mike

Around the Block!

Hi folks,

Slowly on the mend, just a few of my local walk around the block to keep me sane and fit.
This is my daily route around the green with a stick and one leg strapped up, it normally takes 30 minutes to go around so today I took the camera.

Fence on the green in the shadows, will the neighbor recognize there fence?

Last of the Roses.

Pansies in the garden.

New growth.

To finish, Charlie Bear from next door.

Thanks for looking.

Best regards, Mike

On the Mend.

Hi folks,

well the hiccups are now getting better and it's nearly half way till I will be able to move my knee so slowly getting their. A long time till I get fully better so hang on for some more adventures soon.

In the meantime a couple taken in April this year as we head into Autumn.

As the trees shed there leaves it wont be long before the buds start to form again.

Will try to post some images from near home soon.

Thanks for staying with me.

Best regards, Mike.

Earnley Garden #2

Hi folks,

a few more from around the gardens.....

From the Reptile house.

Children's corner

This one escaped from the Butterfly enclosure

There was also an internal exhibition on bi gone days, this one bought back memories.

Thanks for looking.

Update on Self, still have hic-ups but on new medication will hopefully stop them although I am sleeping better. Nearly one of four weeks gone till I can bend my knee so it's now a waiting game and as I cant get out I am running out of images to show.

Still looking forward to walking properly again.

Best regards, Mike

Earnley Garden

Hi folks,

well here we are back again with my dodgy knee.  Bit of a struggle at the computer so you will have to fill in the names yourself.

The following were taken just down the road from the campsite in Earnley near Chichester at a place that was billed as "Earnley Butterflies Birds & Beasts", that will give you some idea of what we found.

The temperature in the butterfly enclosure was 37 deg C which is nearly 100 deg F and the camera lens took some minutes to acclimatise to the humidity.  There were plenty to see if only they would stay still for more than a second I could have stood a better chance but then that is part of the  "fun" of it!  

Finally a Golden Pheasant, we last saw one of these in Exbury Gardens, Hampshire a few years ago.

I took some more,  look in tomorrow.

Best regards, Mike

Itchenor part 2

Hi folks,

Well a few more from our boat trip off Itchenor, it was a lovely day and lots of activity going on.

I liked this shot of the surf and hope you agree. 

These next ones don't really need any captions so just enjoy their journey.

Our boat commentator told us these these were called "The Mirror", named after the newspaper "The Daily Mirror" and was designed by Barry Bucknell and Jack Holt in 1962, people of a certain age may remember Barry Bucknell who was a Television Do-It-Yourself expert.  They were originally designed to be easy to sail and strong and robust in construction.

Conditions on the water were just right...........

Two more Mirror and a good example of how to sail, we were glad to be on our bigger boat! 

Perfect weather for a sail.

I don't think this Ferry Boat was designed to go far.

Not everyone was out in their boat.

Thanks for looking.

Update on knee operation, I am home from hospital with leg in a brace, oh well another day over, and one day nearer getting out with the camera.

Best regards, Mike

Itchenor nr. Chichester, messing about on the River

Hi folks.

Well it's back to the holiday, we took the van to this wonderful place and walked to the shoreline which as is was a lovely sunny day was spectacular.

This was the Harbour Masters Office

One for Heather, rusty rope and chain on the beach.

It was early and people were arriving with all sorts of craft to play with.

As we were there all day we chartered a boat, not really, we paid £6.50 each to go out on the estuary for an hour and a half.  We soon ran into, not literally the local sailing club on manoeuvres. It meant that I was fairly close to the action.

Then this one took a tumble, so I stayed with him to see how he got it upright.

He stood on the keel and threw himself over the side of the boat to get it upright again.

It you notice there is a bag in the water tied to the top of the mast to stop the boat going completely upside down, clever ain't it?

One quick heave and he was up and away.....

and joined the rest of his gang.

Thanks for looking.


Best regards, Mike

For those who know me I had the operation on my knee yesterday and am doing well, thanks again for looking.