Green Island Gardens. Part 1

We are back in August now and having spent the morning at Beth Chatto's garden we ate lunch there before coming straight over to this garden which is only about 15 minutes away.

Two very different gardens and each with their own flavour. 

For me this garden was maybe not as colourful and pretty but it certainly was interesting and enjoyable with it's very varied shapes, textures, styles, shadows. A mixture of island beds and woodland and more which I will show you over 3 posts 

The kind of place where one wanders without knowing what is round the corner

Continuing to explore

Hope you enjoyed

News from the Home Front this Week

Some bits and pieces for the weekend

Glad to say that Spring seems to have finally arrived this week

A couple of weeks ago this was the scene on a route I use regularly.

The hedge was like fairyland where drivers had been driving fast along a flooded road and the resulting splashing was freezing

The day previous to this photograph the ice was about 10ft tall and reminded me of Narnia

My favourite new toy 

I am  just loving all the things I can do with it though my main reason for buying it was to be able to have documents to hand for meetings and E-mails

I have to confess that because of the easy access, Facebook has become more addictive

Then there is my new electric recliner chair

Bought this as I have struggled with Sciatica for 6 months and it was becoming increasingly difficult to relax in the evenings on the sofas. This gives great support just where it is needed.

My Grandchildren think it's great for a 'ride'.

Last week we had Oliver and Rebekah stay for the last week of the Easter holiday and managed to take them out every day

Here they are feeding the deer with carrots at a local park on the only dry day we had

Other days we were wandering around farms, adventure playgrounds and parks in damp, cold and drizzle

at least it was dry in the play barn

The photo above brings back memories of photographing my own children in the same place doing the same thing

Close the lid they said when climbing into the boot in the car park

At the end of the week Rebekah celebrated her fourth birthday

 The actual day (Monday) she spent at Peppa Pig World, deciding she preferred this to a party. Staying the night in a hotel she got to go twice

 Sunday we were privileged to have 11 hours of Sunday church at Pilgrims Hall. A great time of encouraging each other, serving each other, praying for each other, praise and worship, breaking of bread, eating together and enjoying the presence of God

Here are just a few of us enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

We rounded off the day by going to a restaurant for a nice meal together

Must show you this picture of daughter Jane with Oliver and Rebekah at her sister-in-law's wedding

Bekah just loved being a flower girl

A few birthday cards I managed to fit in by doing the simple thing of using my photographs, including Peppa Pig of course.

Life has been pretty busy and hectic and I am aware that I have not visited and commented as much as I would like to but hopefully will rectify that soon

Hope everyone has a good weekend

Rainham Marshes

Going back to the week before last, we had our first sunny day for weeks. Although it was bitterly cold with a strong wind we headed out to walk on the marshes next to the River Thames

Who cares how cold it is when the sun is shining

One can take a respite from the wind in the Hides and watch the birds 

and on this 3 mile walk pass the old practice firing range from world war II

The road crossing the marshes with the Eurostar rail line to Paris running along side it and the cows grazing nearby

The reeds had been popping and as they do so it sounds like an explosion

This tree trunk was unearthed when clearing the marshes for use. Buried deep in the ground it is estimated to be

 6,000 years old

Of course now that it has been exposed it will not last so long

A very quick sandwich in the Visitor's centre 

before another walk along the Thames Path

towards London that you can see in the haze in the distance