The Plum………..
…………….It’s GONE!!!!!
The Missing Plum!
It wasn’t me Officer!
Filed under Photography | Comment (1)Thou shalt not Covet……..
…..Thy neighbours plums (Nor his apples) !!
I was a good little ’scrumper’ in my young days and could scramble over any fence and climb any tree to get the best fruit the garden or tree had to offer. Needless to say, they were not in our garden – that’s what ’scrumping’ is all about.
My neighbour has this plum tree with one particularly gorgeous plum ripe for the picking:
Tempting Plum on Neighbours Tree
It is just out of reach!!
He also has an Apple Tree:
Apple on next door neighbours tree.
I covet them both. But several things stop me from making them mine;
One – my joints are no good for climbing anymore.
Two – he might see me.
Three – I have reached the age where one has to wash the fruit before it is eaten!
Oh, and it’s against the law!!
Never mind, I will look fondly at this plum and apple and remember what the fruit tasted like in ‘those days’.
I remember when a Policeman stopped me when I had a shirt stuffed with apples………!
Better not say any more or I may incriminate myself – not being too sure of what the statute of limitations are for scrumping!
Passing-By Parakeets
Regular passers-by (in the bird sense that is) are the parakeets.
They roost for the night some-where near Cliffsend/Minster. I don’t know exactly where but you can almost set your watch by their comings and goings.
First thing in the morning as they make their way to King George VI Park they pass over Nethercourt stopping off if they see something worth eating. This time of year they linger a bit longer as there are plenty of berries on the trees.
This pair, from a larger group, descended into the back gardens near us and had a good feast on a Hawthorn Tree.
Green Parakeets in Hawthorn Tree. Sun 24/08/08
This shot was taken on my Canon 350D with 600m Telephoto Mirror from a long way away. I have cropped the image a bit to get them ‘closer’.
Filed under Photography | Comment (0)A Week in Arrears – Sunday
Sunday was a visit to Clandon Park House
A lovely house to visit.
Clandon Park House from the Front.
Joseph decided to look through his binocular at the House.
Joseph Looking at Clandon Park House through his Binocular
Henry decided to look at a hole in the ground!
Henry looking through his Binocular at a hole in the ground.
Joseph stood by the tallest tree in the Grounds of the House.
Joseph standing beside the tallest tree in the Grounds
Henry found the (probably) smallest thing in the Grounds.
Henry found the (probably) smallest thing in the Grounds of the House!
Joseph looked over the balustrade.
Joseph looking over the balustrade of Clandon Park House
Henry got his foot stuck.
Henry gets his foot stuck - we don't know how he did, neither does he!
We then had lunch and a tour of the house. There were stuffed animals. Henry asked whether they were dead when they were stuffed, and then, who killed them?
A game of football rounded off the day.
A game of football rounded off the day. Too energetic for my bones so I sat and watched.
Then it was time to go home.
We drove back to Ramsgate late at night both of us having had a great week.
I have enjoyed sharing this week with you.
I trust you have enjoyed it also.
A Week in Arrears – Saturday
Saturday was Tony’s birthday.
A walk to the Newsagents for me to get a newspaper and the boys to choose a comic each. This is a ‘must do’ whether I stay with them or the boys visit us. Joseph selects a comic based on it’s contents while Henry’s choice is decided by what ‘toy’ there is on offer!
A quiet morning ended with a Pub Lunch for Tonys Birthday.
Pint of T.E.A. Beer from the Hogs Back Brewery.
Hogs Back Brewery near Janet and Tony make an excellent Traditional English Ale (T.E.A.). A really nice pint of beer!
Henry went to a Birthday Party in the afternoon so while he was there Joseph and me got out our sketch books and drew a couple of items in Janet’s garden. Joseph is a budding artist and we spent two hours happily drawing and painting. Here are my results.
Sketch of Garden Chair in Janet's Garden 17-08-08
Sketch of Spade (Joseph's choice) 17-08-08
Unfortunately I haven’t got any of Josephs to show you but they were a very good effort. Maybe Janet will put them on her blog as I think they deserve being shown.
All-in-all a good day until Joseph thrashed me, again, on our Nintendos ‘Race Driver’ game using the multi-player function.
I will have to practice for the re-match!
Eastern Evening Sky Over Ramsgate
Poked my head out of the back door, as I usually do, this evening (Friday – this week!) and looked East instead of West to see what the sky was like.
I was not disappointed.
Evening Cloud Formation Looking East Over Ramsgate 7.15pm Friday 22nd August 2008
I hope you are not!
Filed under Photography | Comment (0)A Week in Arrears – Friday
A quieter day today after a busy Thursday.
In the morning I took the boys to the park. Unfortunately such is the paranoia about taking photographs in public, especially near children, I didn’t take any of the boys playing on the apparatus or of the park itself. Shame!
In the afternoon though we went to Basingstoke to see Wall – E
Poster for the Film Wall-E
Good though isn’t it!
It is a brilliant and funny film. The boys enjoyed it (all four of us!).
So there was Friday gone.
Filed under Family | Comment (0)The Alert Blackbird
Just a quickie!
Looked out this morning and saw the Fledgling Blackbird back in our garden.
Fledgling Blackbird
I was snapping away and every time I clicked he heard the shutter go and would look all around him.
He finally spotted me and gave me this ‘look’
Fledgling Blackbird eventually spots me
He is gradually losing his downy feathers and is rapidly becoming a ‘grown-up’
I am now trying to reduce the volume of the shutter on my Canon 350D.
Anyone know how?
A Week in Arrears – Thursday
Today we went to London. A very exciting day for the boys – and me!
We were off to see the Royal Academy Summer Show.
While we were waiting at the Railway Station for our train the ‘Cathedral Express’ Steam Train came thundering through.
Cathedral Express Steam Train passing through Farnborough Railway Station
In the Court Yard of the Royal Academy of Art is a sculpture display involving water.
Joseph and Henry Outside Royal Academy of Art
Henry could not resist it!
“Henry. Don’t go near the water!”
Henry does go near the Water !
I took this photo of the galloping Horse outside the entrance to the Academy.
Detail of Horse Statue outside Royal Academy of Art
A good show this year and the boys and Tony enjoyed looking at the paintings and sculptures as did I.
After spending three hours at the Academy it was off to find something to eat. Pizza Hut was the obvious choice as the boys love the ice cream machine.
Pizza Hut Sign near Piccadilly Circus, London
A photograph of a London Bus was requested by Joseph.
London Bus near Piccadilly Circus, London
After an enjoyable day it was onto the Underground and back home.
A busy day I think you will agree.
Filed under Family | Comment (0)A Week in Arrears – Wednesday
My regular reader(s?) will have noticed that I have been absent for a week.
“Where were you?” I hear you ask.
Well, since you ask, I was helping to look after our grandchildren Joseph and Henry with their father Tony while Janet and Mae were at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, where Janet was displaying and demonstrating her stitch craft.
The boys and I had such a great time (Tony looked after the three of us really! – Thanks Tony) that I thought it would be a nice to share the week with you. Hence the ‘A Week in Arrears’ title.
On Wednesday we visited the Aldershot Military Museum. We had a great time. The boys clambering over the Tanks and other Army Vehicles.
Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier circa 1955
I reminisced about my time in the Army and explained various bits and pieces to the boys but all they wanted to know was ‘Did you kill anyone?’ (no!).
Joseph and Henry exploring the inside of an Alvis Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier, circa 1955
I did try on an old Red Dress Tunic (I was a Bugler and wore one just like this).
Me Trying on an Old Red Tunic
As you can see, the jacket was a tight fit and the belt wouldn’t do up at all! (probably down to it being a smaller size than the one I wore!!).
We then had a look at an Armoured Personnel Carrier.
Armoured Personnel Carrier
I was a Section leader so commanded one of these beasts.
I am sure I bored the boys to distraction with my anecdotes of Army Life (especially as I didn’t kill anyone!) but I do think it is important that they learn that there is more to them than just being great to climb over.
Still, I had a good time and, sadly, could name most of the vehicles.
In my last post I left a ‘picture puzzle’. The photo was of a Cordyline Plant.
Thanks again for those who participated but no-one guessed correctly.