Punting on the River Cam

We visited Cambridge today as we had not been for a while on a Sunday and the market on a Sunday has some interesting 'crafty' type things. I did not buy anything, except we had lunch and coffee at the University Centre where we are members; then it was home in time to see most of the Formula One.

I did take this blip of some of the people enjoying the lovely hot sunshine as well as the punts.

Across the Pond

We celebrated Federico's thirteenth birthday today with a roast lunch, games in the garden, presents, cake and candles.

Of the many photographs that I took today I chose this one of Victoria relaxing with Moggie the sixteen-year-old cat and Debora who is also sixteen.

Red Admiral

This Red Admiral butterfly was trapped in my daughter's conservatory along with two others; all were released after this blip was taken.

There was a Green Woodpecker in her garden today, as apposed to the more common, in her garden anyway, Great Spotted Woodpecker. Unfortunately I did not have the correct lens with me to get a picture of it, which showed the bird big enough to see!

This is the end of the first week of the school holidays so now I have two days off. Actually I only have one day off, as we are going to lunch and tea tomorrow as it is the birthday of Federico, one of the Italian children and so celebrations and cake are in order.

I wonder what I will blip tomorrow?

Rose

Today we started with a visit to the orthodontist for Victoria. She still, at aged thirteen, has one baby tooth left! Once this comes out they hope that her teeth will be fine, but they plan to check her in one year's time to see if she needs 'train tracks'.

Then because this was a very early appointment we went for breakfast, then some shopping and then for an ice cream. After that we did some more shopping, partly looking for presents for the Italian children, who after eight weeks here, go home on Sunday.

This afternoon we played Monopoly and then they made a 'sun compass' with their Granddad.

Now I am home again and so a quick blip before supper of this rose, which is rather overblown now, but I still like it. It is from my favourite apricot rose bush, Tea Clipper.

The cakes from yesterday were a great success at the cricket tea as well as at home and as expected disappeared very quickly.

Fairy cakes made and iced by Victoria and Oliver

Today is the last match of the cricket season for Oliver and for the buffet afterwards he, or his Mum, were asked to provide some cakes. Victoria and Oliver spent a good part of the morning making these fairy cakes and then when they were cool after lunch they iced them; they made them be themselves with very little help from Grandma.

Victoria was more proficient to begin when putting the mixture neatly into the cases, but Oliver soon caught her up. To make things even, he managed to conquer the art of icing very quickly; not to be outdone by her older brother, Victoria soon got the hang of it too.

There were 64 cakes in total, not all for the buffet, but some for the family too; my husband has already eaten three for his tea! Neither of the children had made cakes like these and iced them before so they were very proud of their efforts.

Cherry Plums

These are just a few of the cherry plums on one of the trees in my daughter's garden. We have already made lots of jam and several plum crumbles with some of these and there are still a great many left. Their garden, like mine also has other plum trees as well as apple and pear trees. 

Fruit and Cheese Scones

The first day of the school holidays and so I did some baking with my grandchildren.

Victoria made fruit scones, Oliver made cheese scones. These two plates do not show them all, some have already been eaten!

White Polyanthus

Back to a garden blip today. Not so exciting as the headless man, which was yesterday's blip.

Headless Man

This is a back blip as I spent all day yesterday in London with my daughter, my son-in-law, their two children, as well as the two Italian children who are still staying with her.

Despite the many good blips I took to record the sightseeing day, this is the one I have chosen to include here. This fascinated the younger of the two Italian children who had not seen street performers before. He lives in a very small alpine village and was overwhelmed by almost everything he saw; everything was so big compared with his tiny village.

We went on a walking tour rather than visiting any specific attraction as we felt this gave them a better idea of London and the many famous sites. We walked from London Liverpool Street station via the Tower of London, over Tower Bridge and along the south side of the river. We walked over the Millenium Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral where we saw this headless man and then back again and on to see the London Eye, stopping to look at the many street performers along the way. We crossed Westminster Bridge and saw The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Then on to St James's Park to have a picnic lunch and a rest. Then we walked past Horse Guards Parade, the Mall and saw Buckingham Palace, then onto Trafalgar Square through theatre land to Covent Garden. By this time our legs were getting tired so we walked to Holborn and caught the underground back to London Liverpool Street station. As we walked all four children learnt a lot, not just about London, but the various history which went with it.

In the evening we went out for an Indian meal just to finish off the day. By the time we had finished, my pedometre read 17.5 kilometres, just short of eleven miles!!! 

Not surprisingly, today I have two blisters and the muscles in my thighs ache.

Large Red-tailed Bumble Bee

This large Red-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius) was seen in my garden feeding on some clover.

My grandchildren finished school at lunch time today until September. As their Mum now works full-time I will be looking after them except for the two weeks when they go away on a family holiday. I am very much looking forward to doing things with them, from baking to visiting museums and the seaside.

Red Admiral

At last I have managed to blip a butterfly although it does not show it off as well as it might; I saw it feeding on the buddlia.

We had planned a trip to the seaside today, but the weather did not look good and I am pleased we did not go as it has been raining again here, as well as the seaside town we would have visited.

Common Red Soldier Beetle

This is a Common Red Soldier Beetle in flight; it took off as I focused the camera. It did settle again and I took several more pictures of it, but I liked this one best.

Very dull and overcast here today, but so far no rain; it is quite warm out too. Not a very busy day either so I have been taking lots of photographs of wild things for identification on iSpot.

Black and Yellow Fly

This morning I made cherry plum jam from some plums given to me by my daughter who has several trees producing these tiny plums in her garden. 

I took several images today and after much deliberation I decided to blip this black and yellow fly, which was seen feeding on the buddlia bush. I had hoped for a butterfly, but saw only one which promptly flew away. I do not not know exactly what this fly is called, but if I find out I will post an update. I almost included a Common Red Soldier Beetle, but there were lots of those in the wild garden so further blip opportunites to be had, whilst I had not seen a fly like this one before.

Wednesday 20 July - update - This has been identified on iSPot as a hoverfly. It looks very different to what I thought a hoverfly looked, but the experts on iSpot have identified as such.

Marsh Plant

A visit to the dentist this morning, not good for a Monday morning, but then it was followed by a session making cake pops, which were to have been my blip today. However, although they taste good, they do not look as good as they should, so that blip will have to wait for next time.

These pink flowers grow in the marshy area next to my home and this one had strayed into the wild area of the garden. I do not know exactly what it is called, but we call it a Marsh Plant, because it grows in the marsh.

I hit the spotlight yesterday, so many thanks to everyone who commented and viewed my blip.

Later identified as Rosebay Willowherb

Two for the price of One

I was taking images in the garden and thought one of a thistle might make a good blip. We have a lot of thistles in the part of the garden which we deliberately allow to go wild during the summer to attract wildlife. Suddenly I could see a honey bee and a hoverfly in my viewfinder at the same time, so here it is.

Garden Snail

It has been raining here all day, but has just stopped long enough for me to take this blip of a common garden snail in the clover.

The photoshoot at Milton Keynes was cancelled due to bad weather which was good in one way, as it is doubtful I could have gone as I am still having back problems. I also did not go to bed very early last night as my daughter managed to get a fish bone stuck in her throat. Her husband took her to Addenbrookes, but I had to go to her house to childsit her two children plus the two who are staying with her for the summer. Fortunately they were able to sort her out and no harm has been done, although she has a very scratched and sore throat.

Gazania

I had an early morning meeting in Cambridge this morning and then visited my favourite garden centre. I bought a gluten free macaroon and a mocha and after I had finished them I thought - that would have made a good blip!

I purchased a variety of plants for my front garden, including the window boxes and tubs. I purchased two of these Gazania plants, they produce several different colour flowers, all on the same plant and they seem to attract a large number of insects. I did make a collage with them, but then decided against using it, so here you have one of the plants, which is in one of the tubs by the front door.

It has been a warm day here, but I am told that it is going to rain; it feels as though there might be a thunderstorm. I am also told that it will be wet all weekend; well that saves watering the garden.

Enjoy your weekend, whatever you do.

Tea Clipper

This is a late blip today as I have been out since 0730 this morning. My husband had two hospital appointments today at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, one at twelve noon the other at 1700 hours. Early this morning, we went into Cambridge for brunch in John Lewis and then again, in between appointments we went shopping again. Our daughter also works at Addenbrookes so we were able to see her briefly during her lunch break. 

I took my camera to Cambridge, but forgot to take anything as I was busy shopping, buying new clothes, as well as a birthday present for one of the children staying with my daughter for the summer.

Then when I got home I had several emails to deal with from a student who had 'forgotten' to submit their final assignment and thought they had missed the deadline.

So it was a quick dash into the garden, then I ended up with two images, but decided on this apricot coloured David Austin rose; it is called Tea Clipper. Now time for tea and then hopefully I will have time to comment.

White Everlasting Sweet-pea

This is the white everlasting sweetpea, which I blipped in bud on 3 July 2011, if you missed it, you can view it here if you wish. It is the same stalk although taken from a slightly different angle.

Victoria - Prizegiving

Today was Junior Prizegiving at my grandchildren's Grammar School and Victoria won a prize for being in the top five for housepoints for her year. Neither of her parents were able to attend, being at work and unable to get time off, so it was down to Grandma and Grandad to do the honours.

This was taken by another parent after the prizegiving when there was a small reception for prizewinners and their families. I do not photograph well so make the most of seeing me here, or look away quickly; it has only been posted at Victoria's request, rather than one of her on her own with her prize.

Red Crocsimia

I took this in my daughter's garden this afternoon. This shows just one flower from a whole stem of them and I think they are crocsimia.

I have not done a whole lot of things today, the weather has been very hot so apart from going to have physio on my back I have not done a great deal.

Busy day tomorrow though.

Green Grapes

Today has been dull, but warm with no rain, so this morning I did some gardening at the front of the house. My husband pruned the grape vine, which tends to ramble all over the place if it is not kept in order.

We watched the Formula One, from Silverstone, here in the United Kingdom; it was not the result I wanted, but an exciting race. Now my husband is mowing the lawns.

I thought today's blip should reflect what we had been doing so here is an image of some of the grapes. It looks like being a very good crop this year and when they turn purple around September time I will blip them again.

Gluten Free Cake Pops

I went to the Newmarket Gluten Free Food Fair today with my grandson and bought these cake pops, which seem to becoming very popular. They are a little expensive for what they are so I think it is time to experiment and make some.

The food fair was not as good as it has been in the past although there were some free goody bags from the top suppliers and things to sample, there were no sausage suppliers and much of the food for tasting was sweet rather than savoury. The other problem this year was that they were selling only coffee, from a tent outside, rather than having the proper area open to sell hot drinks as well as cold; this in my opinion was a big mistake.

Still overall, even though there were not as many suppliers as before, it was still worth while visiting.

Raspberry

I took this blip of a raspberry in my neighbour's garden. There are quite a few red ones and we will be eating them tomorrow; there are also some strawberries, which we are to have too. 

We have had sunshine and heavy showers today, more like April weather than July weather.

Tomorrow I am off to the coeliac food fair at Newmarket Racecourse with my grandson who is also a coeliac. There should be lots of things to taste as well as, hopefully, some nice things to buy.

Bow

This is Bow, the dog we are looking after this week, waiting patiently for his supper.

Another busy day, but I found time to have lunch out with my husband and to do a little shopping before supervising my grandchildren after school.

It has been raining on and off for most of the day, but now this evening the sun is out, for how long I do not know.

Only a Rose

I have just taken delivery of a new Nikon 18mm to 55mm lens so I wanted to try it out on something; this peach coloured rose seemed a good idea.

Today I submit my Open University assignment for T189 - Digital Photography. If anyone is interested in this course details can be found here on their website.

The First of Many?

This is the first tomato to turn red this year. It is in a hangling basket situated in the pagola. I have four baskets of these Tumbling Tom Thumb as well as other varieties in pots on the veranda. I am also growing runner beans in pots this year as back problems have prevented me from cultivating the veg patch; well that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Today my daughter has started work again full-time after almost fifteen years of raising children and working part-time at the local school to fit in with small children. Now they are older and at Grammar School they are much more self-sufficient, but I have volunteered to supervise them for an hour or so until she comes home. I will also look after them during some of the summer holidays; something me and my husband are looking forward to. 

Today I have almost completed my assignment for my Open University course. I have my ten images ready and my answers to part two questions completed. However, they need a little more editing as I am well over the word count on one of them. I will leave the answers overnight now and finish it off and submit it in the morning.

 

White Everlasting Sweet-pea

It is back to the garden today after an exciting day yesterday at the carnival. I back blipped a shot of the judo team which can be seen here if you are interested.

Today has been a quiet day at home. It has been quite warm, although very overcast. Today's blip, this white Everlasting Sweetpea, is growing near to the pink one I blipped on the 22 May 2011. It is still in bud and looks cream rather than white at this stage. I may blip it again once it is fully open, depending on what else is available in the garden.

Saffron Walden Carnival - The Judo Club

The Saffron Walden Carnival is held every three years and raises an enormous amount of money for charity, many of them local. This shows the Saffron Walden Judo Club, including some of my family members, at the end of the parade, having walked four miles in very hot sunshine.

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

Another bird blip today and I make no apology for including it. I have photographed this bird, or one of its siblings, on several different days this week and have not had one sharp enough to include until today.

This is a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker identified as such, by the red on its forehead.