Poor horse chestnut tree

We have a humungous horse chestnut tree in the front garden.

Three years ago it got a disease and started to turn brown in mid summer.
We noticed lots of other trees over the whole of the country were doing the same :(

It is a combination of a leaf miner and a canker.  However, after 2 years of having it, it was fine last year.

Back again this year though.  It produces a vast number of conkers still, so perhaps it will be fine again next year.

  All photos can be clicked to enlarge.

 Still makes a mess of the garden though!  This is about a 5th of the ground beneath it, much to the local children's delight!  I allow everyone to come and collect conkers, seeing as they are no longer allowed to play conkers at school...booo...hissss!!!

Incey Wincey

Virginia Creeper by the front door.

Sheffield and back

Early start yesterday morning, off to deliver in Hillsborough, Sheffield. It is the far end of Sheffield and almost into the Peak District.  I always take Lewis, he is good company!
On the way back I stopped in Sheffield for 5 mins to take a couple of shots of the buildings, and then on to Anston Stone Woods, a lovely area with a really high rail embankment one side and  an even higher embankment (about 100 ft) up to the road the other side.
Down in the valley between it is magical.  Woodland, a brook running along beside you all the way, lots of stone arches and rocky outcrops.   We both love it there.
Now the pics!

First the architectural ones:

   

  Capita Hart Building            

Capita Hart Building 2

The new

Old and new together:

In the woods:   tunnel 

Sitting on top of the bridge over the stream

And the stream that runs along the bottom of this lovely place, its is next to your all along your walk with lovely sounds and birds singing.

Hedgerows

Lewis and I went along the hedgerows for some blackberries today, but the summer has gone so fast this year that I had missed them all!!
So it was our lovely cooking apples from the tree in the garden, along with a bit of cinnamon, made into an apple crumble with some Cornish Ice Cream for dessert tonight.

Went down well after sausages, jacket potatoes done in the oven, and home grown tomatoes cooked in the pan with the sausages.

Simple but lovely  (a bit like me!!) :)

And to round the evening off... Arsenal beat Spurs in a Carling Cup match 4-1.. yessssss!!!

Birthday

Well folks, today I was 51.  I think the person most bothered about it was my Mum who couldnt quite believe her youngest child was 51! :)

A few snaps to honour the day:

Thomas left me this as he went work for the day!  He also left me a PowerPoint slideshow as his "card", it was very nice.

In case you can't see, it is a page of A4 paper on each window pane, spelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

....some lovely cards and a great DVD and Carva from Adam... 

....a tad to drink!!...

..and a lovely cake baked by my Mum.

A Victoria Sandwich with apricot jam and cream.. mmm.  Thanks Mum x

Today's theme - Communication

Snoozes and splashes

After a completely sleepless night, I finally had to go to bed at 9:30am to try to get a few hours kip!
Luckily I eventually managed to sleep till 12:30 so felt quite a bit better then.


I havent let Lewis into the big part of the garden for a while now,  what with all the rain etc.  But today it was sunny, so I did.    Half an hour later he came rushing in all excited, and when I bent down to talk to him it hit me!!!  YUK!     His first encounter with fox poo!  :(

I thought we were going to get away with it as he has  not shown and interest in rolling in it while we have been walking across the fields, but now I guess it has started and will carry on.

So, it was bath time in the garden (him, not me!)  water then shampoo then water, then conditioner then hose!

Then,,, run round the garden like a lunatic! :)  He loves that bit!

I tried to dry him indoors with a fan heater which suddenly stopped. Grrr.
So he had to dry in the wind while playing with me!
He looks gorgeous now, all his white bits are SNOW white.

Dont know how a fox got into the garden, jumped the 4 foot fence I guess, but it can bugger off as soon as it likes!!!

One of Lewis from earlier in the summer, looking rather scruffy!

Didn't cook tonight as I had been at work, and Roger wasnt coming home till later and the boys were out.
So a nice surprise when Thomas arrived home from working at Tesco at 8:30pm with a hot whole roast chicken in a bag.........64p!!  
RESULT!!  :)

Toms & Tim

Finally my tomatoes are ready in numbers.  I have had a few dribs and drabs but there are now lots ready.  They are an easy type to grow with no nipping in the bud needed, and they are just a little bigger than a cherry tomato.   Lovely to put a few on the plate when having a sandwich.

I was tumble drying Lewis's bedding that he uses at work the other day, and when I went out to check if it was ready, I found Tim lazing on the top of the dryer which is itself on top of the washer!  I suppose it was warm and had a lovely comforting movement and noise, like his mother purring! 

6/116 The Puppies! ;)

I had no work today, so I went to see my friend, Juliet, on the farm.

I had been looking forward to it for a while as Lewis, my 10 month Cavalier King Charles pup, was able to meet Juliet's puppy, Doug, Jack Russell x Border Terrier for the first time!

They adored each other and I made a video to remember the moment!

Im sure you will love it, and ........


PUT YOUR SOUND ON!


.

5/116

Another exciting day at work, but left Lewis at home today as I was only there a few hours and Adam was at home till 1pm.
Finally managed to get my laptop to connect to the wireless there, so I can now do Facebook and forums in my "spare" time, while things are engraving and I just have to wait!
Pouring at the moment, good for my tomato plants but the grass has shot up since last week.
So as it is currently raining.. my theme will be WATER!


As always, all photos can be seen bigger by clicking on them.


Janice

View from Snake Pass

Early morning on the River Stort

Aren't I beautiful

PSSST.... d'you want to hear secret?

God, I'm just SO funny!!!

3/116

Well, here we are on day three.   I can see I'm not going to manage a daily blog, mostly due to time and access issues :(

I have been out at work from 8:30am and got home at 5pm, then did washing, food etc etc.

Have had no time to take photos, and worst of all, I have done nothing interesting enough to fill a blog!

You were right, Rog, I think a theme a day for the photos was a bit ambitious!!

I will try to post each day but the themes will come as often as I can manage.

Some days it will just be photos in general, I  might even add some I took years ago!

I will leave you with some black and whites.

Frosty Oakham

Chepstow Castle

Chepstow Castle

Forth Rail Bridge

Day 2/116

Well, it's Monday morning and I've done nothing!

This blog is going to make me spend even MORE time on the computer!

My theme today is METAL.  All photos can be clicked on for larger versions.

Best of British

Not had much use for these this "summer"!

My purse on a Monday.  (In fact, my purse every day!!)

Day 1/116   Burnham on Crouch, Essex

Roger and I went to Burnham on Crouch for a walk along the sea wall with Lewis this morning.
Last time we went, Roger told me I wasn't to take my camera (all the heavy Canon gear and long lenses etc!)  but I did smuggle a compact point and shoot along :)
This time I took my GF1 with a lens on, and 2 other lenses in my fleece pockets.. so no weight or  bulk and we had a lovely walk, although his knees got rather bad so he sat and waited for Lewis and I to go a bit further.

We then popped Lewis in the car and had a "Full Monty"  breakfast in a tea rooms that has loads of motorcyclists on a Sunday morning, eating their breakfasts in a big square outside.  The bikes lined up looked smashing!  Lovely morning for me :)

A few shillings-worth there!

Anchors away..... or is it a-weigh?

Boys will be boys!!!

Well, I was going to wait to start this blog next year on January 1st, 2011.  
But why wait?  Who knows what is just around the corner? So I am starting now and I will get  3 months more blogging in!