Since we returned to the UK from Fuerteventura the weather here has been very good for April - sunny days and blue skies (if a tad cool).
Our car was scheduled for its first MOT and then a Service on Thursday. Normally I leave David to sort out these boring things but as the weather was good we decided to make a day of it. Whilst the car was having its MOT in our local large town (Canterbury) we had a long walk to the nearest shops (about 90 mins round trip) and then when the car was being serviced we used a courtesy car and drove to a little village called Fordwich which is on the River Stour and we had a leisurely snack lunch at the George & Dragon pub. We sat outside in the walled garden and enjoyed the sunshine (protected from the chilly breeze). Bliss!
It was so tranquil
I loved this house in the background (you can't see too much of it now the trees are beginning to sprout leaves and hide the house) but sadly this area is one of the parts of Kent that suffered horribly in the floods a couple of months back.
One of the local residents .... a moorhen who wasn't too pleased to have company it seems
We have quite a lot of sheep in our part of Kent, I think they like the marshy terrain. After our lunch we went for a drive round the local lanes and I asked David to stop at a field where there were lots of Ewes with lambs (I think every ewe had twins).
I just wanted to take a couple of photos but as soon as they saw me the sheep came racing over to the fence BAAAAAAAAing loudly and seemed convinced I was bringing food or other goodies ... they bundled up so closely I couldn't take photos! These were a few I took before things got out of hand
Quite an assortment of colours .... but they were all beautiful.
and on the subject of lamb ..... does anybody remember the ventriloquist Shari Lewis and her sock puppets 'Lamb Chop' 'Hush Puppy' and 'Charlie Horse' ? I have vague recollections of the show from the 60s (when I was a toddler of course) but I recently stumbled across Lamb Chop sock puppets being sold on eBay so there must have been a revival (or a lot of people of my age who want to re-live their childhood) LOL
Today, I was indulging David's passion for buses so we spent several hours at the South East Bus Festival at the Kent County showground looking at buses through the ages - plus vintage cars, steam tractors and army vehicles and I now have around 200 photos if anybody is interested (Yawn). Must confess I do love the vintage cars - but they all seem so small compared to modern day vehicles.
Back at home, the squirrels have now decided that if they can't loosen the tops of the 'squirrel-proof' seed feeders, they can throw them on the ground and roll them so that the seeds spill out of the feeding holes:
I'm so torn between hating these critturs and loving them for their audacity and cunning!!
Tomorrow we are going to the Port of Dover to visit the 'Holiday & Leisure Show' with trade stands from around Kent and neighbouring Counties. We'll get the chance to explore a Naval Frigate - HMS Lancaster- and to check out all the attractions on offer in South East England. We're always keen to find out about local attractions and hidden treasures in our part of the World. Too often we fancy a day out then realise we don't know where to go or what to do so end up staying at home!
So ..... 10 days back home and no new artwork. I'm not accepting new commissions at the moment but do still have some in the pipeline for 2014 when ref photos are available. I'm finding this new freedom to do 'what I fancy' a bit daunting - I've got thousands of ref photos taken over the last decade and just need to sort out a few favourites and 'get stuck in'. I think I'm a bit demob happy just now as this is the year we set aside to get our downstairs bathroom, kitchen, and patio/garden remodelled so a lot of time and energy has been expended in sourcing appliances/paint etc.,
Perhaps my very late New Years Resolution should be to complete 2 works per month for the rest of the year starting this month ... not too demanding !
Our car was scheduled for its first MOT and then a Service on Thursday. Normally I leave David to sort out these boring things but as the weather was good we decided to make a day of it. Whilst the car was having its MOT in our local large town (Canterbury) we had a long walk to the nearest shops (about 90 mins round trip) and then when the car was being serviced we used a courtesy car and drove to a little village called Fordwich which is on the River Stour and we had a leisurely snack lunch at the George & Dragon pub. We sat outside in the walled garden and enjoyed the sunshine (protected from the chilly breeze). Bliss!
It was so tranquil
I loved this house in the background (you can't see too much of it now the trees are beginning to sprout leaves and hide the house) but sadly this area is one of the parts of Kent that suffered horribly in the floods a couple of months back.
One of the local residents .... a moorhen who wasn't too pleased to have company it seems
We have quite a lot of sheep in our part of Kent, I think they like the marshy terrain. After our lunch we went for a drive round the local lanes and I asked David to stop at a field where there were lots of Ewes with lambs (I think every ewe had twins).
I just wanted to take a couple of photos but as soon as they saw me the sheep came racing over to the fence BAAAAAAAAing loudly and seemed convinced I was bringing food or other goodies ... they bundled up so closely I couldn't take photos! These were a few I took before things got out of hand
Quite an assortment of colours .... but they were all beautiful.
and on the subject of lamb ..... does anybody remember the ventriloquist Shari Lewis and her sock puppets 'Lamb Chop' 'Hush Puppy' and 'Charlie Horse' ? I have vague recollections of the show from the 60s (when I was a toddler of course) but I recently stumbled across Lamb Chop sock puppets being sold on eBay so there must have been a revival (or a lot of people of my age who want to re-live their childhood) LOL
Today, I was indulging David's passion for buses so we spent several hours at the South East Bus Festival at the Kent County showground looking at buses through the ages - plus vintage cars, steam tractors and army vehicles and I now have around 200 photos if anybody is interested (Yawn). Must confess I do love the vintage cars - but they all seem so small compared to modern day vehicles.
Back at home, the squirrels have now decided that if they can't loosen the tops of the 'squirrel-proof' seed feeders, they can throw them on the ground and roll them so that the seeds spill out of the feeding holes:
I'm so torn between hating these critturs and loving them for their audacity and cunning!!
Tomorrow we are going to the Port of Dover to visit the 'Holiday & Leisure Show' with trade stands from around Kent and neighbouring Counties. We'll get the chance to explore a Naval Frigate - HMS Lancaster- and to check out all the attractions on offer in South East England. We're always keen to find out about local attractions and hidden treasures in our part of the World. Too often we fancy a day out then realise we don't know where to go or what to do so end up staying at home!
So ..... 10 days back home and no new artwork. I'm not accepting new commissions at the moment but do still have some in the pipeline for 2014 when ref photos are available. I'm finding this new freedom to do 'what I fancy' a bit daunting - I've got thousands of ref photos taken over the last decade and just need to sort out a few favourites and 'get stuck in'. I think I'm a bit demob happy just now as this is the year we set aside to get our downstairs bathroom, kitchen, and patio/garden remodelled so a lot of time and energy has been expended in sourcing appliances/paint etc.,
Perhaps my very late New Years Resolution should be to complete 2 works per month for the rest of the year starting this month ... not too demanding !
I am astounded that you have to go all the way to Canterbury to get your MOT done. Things have changed a lot since my day. I can't believe you can't get it done in Whitstable.
ReplyDeleteLove the pix of the Stour I don't remember that area at all.
Your squirrels are very ingenious.
Hi Jo. We could the car MOTd in Whitstable but it was due for its service (free of charge as part of the purchase deal) which had to be done at the Canterbury dealership. Made sense to use an MOT station close to the dealer.
ReplyDeleteThe Stour countryside is lovely but in view of recent rain problems I'm happy that we're living where we do on higher ground :-)
You know, I didn't even know where the Stour was, had to look it up. As Matt says, it's 40 years since we lived in Kent.
ReplyDeleteSue, than k you so much for your lovely comment on the goosey beginnings. I am keen to see how they develop, too.
ReplyDeleteI love your photos from the Kent area - you really live in a most beautiful part of the world [without the flooding]. The sheep are absolutely adorable!!!
Kathryn XX
I think baby lambs are so adorable but we don't see many as most people around here aren't mutton eaters (can't even find it in the supermarkets).
ReplyDeleteDidn't know you'd finally gotten your new car but I don't know what a MOT is! Sometimes I feel stupid about our so-called "English" language! lol
Glad you had a good day out - beautiful photos! Except for the squirrels! Squirrels! Bah! They're getting so bad around here & so destructive!
Hi Kathryn.
ReplyDeleteKent (the county in S.E. England where I live) is known as 'the garden of england' because traditionally it is where the fruit orchards and hop farms (beer) are located. I know there are other equally beautiful parts of our country but this is where I was born and have always lived so I'm a little biased I guess.
However, compared to you lucky people 'across the pond' we have very little land and live in much closer proximity to our neighbours so I envy you your space
Hello Jan
ReplyDeleteIts all sheep or agriculture here in our part of Kent (and horses of course) - quite unusual to see cattle, although we have plenty of cows in other parts of the country - dairy and beefstock. The sheep do well in the marshland and clay soils in this part of the world.
Sadly 'Spring Lamb' is going to be available soon ..... and lots of these little cuties will disappear from the fields (say no more)!!!
Sorry Jan
ReplyDeleteMeant to say also that an MOT is a test that all cars in the UK have to undergo annually once they get to 3 years old. Its a way of ensuring that 'rust buckets' are scrapped and, hopefully, any defects are identified and rectified.
David's one extravagance is that he likes to change his car before it gets to 3 years old and he is disgusted that I've made him hang on to this one for three whole years!!! I love our car but he is itching to get a new one and I think I'll have to give in soon as I can't stand the constant complaints about it now ...
I use to watch Lamb Chop all the time when I was a kid. :) shows like that are having a come back as reruns :)
ReplyDeleteawww cute little lambs :D
our car needs an MOT this week, shouldn't fail *crosses fingers*