A Jewel in Maidstones Crown.

Hi folks,

Had to go out today and get a photo fix, it's a bit like a drug This picture shooting game. So where do I go. the weather is changeable so I thought the Malta Inn but the car park was full. I then headed for Cobham Manor Park on the outskirts of Maidstone.

I used to call in for a sneaky cup of tea whilst I was working for an alarm company many years ago. I parked up and got the gear out and went to look at the map by the entrance. The place is enormous and you can walk for miles this will be great for when I retire.

After a long walk I found this area on the side of the hill.

Loads of Camilla were starting to bloom but old Jack Frost has got to this one a bit.

There were loads of clearings like this one all well kept.

This was nice and bright pink in the sunshine.

Some sort of Pine cone, answers on a postcard please before the stamps go up.

Honest this was the horizon. This place was once a site for a  Zoo I kid you not.

An avenue of young Trees

The sun just caught this.

And to finish off a lowly Bluebell.

It was lovely to be out in the sunshine.

Thanks for looking, nite nite, luv Mike XX

2012 Calender Part !

Hi folks,

Well sorry I did not post yesterday as I have tried to do some work which all in all has been a bit of a struggle. Due to this I have had no time to get out or even go to the clubs that I belong to, I am hoping for some news next week on my op which with all the waiting is getting to me.

Anyway I thought I would show some of a calender that Sue and I have put together from last years outings, which we have hanging in the kitchen.  I hope you like them..

Daisy at Capstone Park, one of our favourite venues, January 2011, she looks very small in this shot.

HMS Gannet with her front mast removed during restoration February 2011

Monkey Bizz in Strood, March 2011

Leeds Castle April 2011

Daisy on the slide, Luton Recreational ground May 2011

Finally Upnor Castle and the start of the Riverside Walk, June 2011

That's half, hope you like them, thanks for looking.

nite nite, luv Mike XX

Bluebells!

Hi folks,

Well a wee blog tonight as today started out ok until we dropped off Daisy and the rain came down. This scuppered the afternoon, we did turn off the A20 on the outskirts of Lenham but the weather was against us so home we came.

This is for OTL in his blog, my one and only attempt at Bluebells. This was taken in the garden of Commissioners House in the Dockyard.

They, that is the royal they, say that they are going to be very short in the time they flower this year due to the dry conditions.

Thanks for looking.

nite nite, luv Mike XX

Chatham Dockyard with Daisy

Hi folks,

Due to the wash out yesterday we were even more determined to get out today and with the sun shining off we went. Loads of people had the same idea and went to Chatham Dockyard as it is still the Easter break and there were extra things for children.  We did a picnic to eat whilst there and had a lovely time.

This is her getting stuck into drawing and Collage in a room set aside for the youngsters which I thought was a nice touch in the holidays. We did give her a bit of help but they were her apples on the tree and her windows and flowers.

Daisy likes to think she's in charge and here she is in the Captains chair on the Cavalier

I see the masts are now in place on the Gannet and she looks great after the work.

Daisy in posing mode again, I have found that she has to be in the right mood for this and sometimes she just goes over the top, this is one of a dozen or so that she posed for today and asked for her picture to be taken!  Amazing!

We have been upstairs in No 3 Slip several times but not recently, when we walked up Daisy said "Wow" and kept her mouth wide open.  There is Daisy and Nanny in the distance!

Little legs was getting a bit tired at this stage after her mammoth visit around the place and laid on the seat pretending to be asleep.

The clouds were starting to roll in about 3pm so we thought we would push off for home, we did have a little sprinkling of rain on the way so we timed it just right.

Thanks for looking.

nite nite, love Mike XX

Daisy brightens the day up and she's not even here!

Hi folks,

well here in the South-east of England we are in the midst of a hose pipe ban and guess what happened today?  It rained....... and rained and rained, so much so that we stayed in and did some jobs around the house.
We were going to the Medway Festival of Steam and Transport at Chatham Dockyard and were looking forward to some photography.  A hand full of steam engines reside there plus all the visiting traction engines and classic vehicles, it usually attracts a good number of visitors but we decided that it would be no fun.  Come to think of it, it wasn't much fun not going either!

Looking through yesterdays images I found these two that got through the net.

I think this is the best of the bunch.

Thanks for looking, nite nite luv Mike XX

Mad Scramble around the Park

Hi folks,

Today was an extra day as Daisy and her Mum and Dad came for a visit, we were going to have a picnic at Leeds Castle but the rain put pay to that.

We had our picnic indoors and then ventured out to the Park so that Daisy could wear herself out.

Daisy in the spiders web climbing frame.

Daisy at the top of the frame all by herself, clever girl.

Quick slide

Followed by a swing.

and yet another slide.

Round and round on the roundabout.

Back up the slide again.

Then she came home, made some Rock Cakes with Nanny's help and went to sleep on the way home, well I'm not surprised.

Well what a whirlwind visit, it made us tired just looking at the pictures.

Oh yes we also made friends with a couple of Geese.

Well off to bed I go.

Thanks for looking, nite nite,luv Mike XX

Another glimpse of London

Hi folks,

to continue on my London theme as you may well now I am having treatment it Guys Hospital and I have to go to London Bridge quite a lot. On my last trip I didn't stay long but I got a few shots before my return to Kent.

This poster to give it a better name is at the front entrance of London bridge Station depicting a Pagent on the Thames and advertising an exhibition. I thought this was quite funny with the CCTV cameras poking through the canvas together with the Train timetable.

My latest shot of the Shard, you can see it's not going any higher as they are putting the final pieces to the top which is to depict broken glass. Whatever you think of this building I feel that it is as a great feat of building construction to be proud of.

Here is a close-up of the top showing the broken glass effect. I wonder how they are going to stop the rain getting in?

Here's another view of the external lift taking materials to the top.

Can't wait to go up it and look out from the spectacular viewing area at the top when it opens.

Thanks for looking.

nite nite, luv Mike XX