The Last Day of June

The last two weeks have flown by in a haze of not coping very well with the heat, mostly due to my medication and not walking very far because of painful and swollen knees and ankles but also popping out now and again here and there for treats and visits for Paul's birthday.

This lunchtime Woody visited, he landed on the tree in front of the kitchen window.  Luckily my camera was handy on the kitchen table where I'd left it when we came in from our morning walk - how wonderful to walk in cooler weather.

Isn't he handsome?

Over the last couple of weeks we have visited the Trentham Monkey Park, the RAF Museum at Cosford, taken a late evening Beaver Safari at Trentham and on the actual day a music event at the Dorothy Clive gardens where various performers sang songs from the musicals from each decade 1920s to 2020s, folk music and sea shanties.  Thank goodness it was cooler and the morning rain cleared.  Later we popped up to Bridgemere Garden World, where we visited the Food Festival and the show gardens.  One more treat to come is lunch with friends in Nottingham later this week.

Our Beaver Safari bus took us to the ranger station for a talk and presentation and then around the lake.

 Barry, the only beaver I saw that evening even though one was spotted on the lake and several people saw it.  Paul did manage to capture a photo of it.  I had binoculars but couldn't see it. I'll write more about the Beaver family group later.  The ranger in the purple top below was an excellent guide and so enthusiastic.

I thought with it being a Sunday Bridgemere would be crowded but it wasn't too bad at all.

We had the Octavia Hill show garden to ourselves.

See you in July.

Spotted in June

 A quick 'spotted locally' post for mid June.

The three sculptures above are part of the Staffy trail across Staffordshire this summer.  Left to right - 'Outdoors, Muddy Paws' at the Goods Yard, Stoke.  'Sonney' in Hanley Park and 'Artie' in the churchyard at Stoke Minster.   

There are others in Lichfield, Stafford, Tamworth and Uttoxeter.  

Inflatable purple ducks have appeared at Trentham gardens. I have no idea why.  As the event tents are all purple I expect it is to do with that.

Lots of lovely flowers in the garden to make up a table posy.  Pinks, Sweet peas, Oxeye daisies, Hardy Geranium and Pink Valerian.

A tailless squirrel at Westport Lake.  There are one or two like this here and have been for a year or so.They seem perfectly healthy so I think they must have been born tail free.

A Macaque monkey enjoying an apple at the Monkey Forest, Trentham Estate.

It was easy to spot this years new-borns in their family groups.

Twinkletoes the lucky cat at the RAF Museum, Cosford. In June 1919 navigator Arthur Brown and pilot John Alcock made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic ocean.  Twinkletoes took the journey with them tucked into Arthur Brown's pocket.  Arthur and John had both served in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War.

Rainy Days

 Rainy days can be a nuisance but they can also be quite beautiful.  Twice this week we have got drenched whilst out walking even with weather coats and umbrellas. Today was just such a day.

The car park at the Dorothy Clive Gardens was busier than we thought they would be in such inclement weather. The friendly person at the entrance told us there were actually very few visitors and that the cars belonged to the 'Wednesday Weeders'. I guess the volunteer weeders are used to all weathers.  The gardens were looking wonderful.

We explored the bottom half of the garden in lovely sunlight but the skies soon darkened and the heavens opened.  We found a dry space in the coffee shop so early elevenses were in order.  Then it was out again in weak sunshine to enjoy the rest of the gardens.

The flower borders were looking so beautiful.  Alliums, Astrantia, roses, peonies and foxgloves.  All a treat for the eyes and a mindful escape from the woes of the world.  The colours and colour combinations were so attractive.

Of course I took far too many photos, so I've selected just a few of my favourites. 

All for now

Plas Mawr

 A few weeks ago I promised a post on the 16th century house we visited in Conwy whilst on a short trip to Wales.  Plas Mawr is on the High street in the main part of the town. It is said to be the finest surviving Elizabeth town house in Britain, a house of the golden age of wealthy merchants who invested their money in property.

It was bought by a former diplomat named Robert Wynn (1520-1598) at a cost of £200.  He was the third son of local landowner John Wyn of Gwydr. Between the years 1576 and 1585 he turned the property into a desirable, opulent residence which reflected his standing both within the town and further afield.   

Visitors pass through the gatehouse across the courtyard and up the steps to the main building.

There are seventeen rooms in all on three levels.  The first room that visitors enter is the hall.  By the time of Robert Wynn's ownership the medieval main hall had become a reception area for visitors and also where the servants would eat and where household members and tenants would gather.

I love the little details and the replica dishes, bowls and jugs

There was a dressing up area for children and hats for adults to try on.

The next set of rooms on this level are the kitchen, passage, pantry and brewhouse (photos below)

It was at this point that my camera battery ran out so any further photos are Paul's.  I had taken so many photos in the previous two days and also quite a few at Conwy castle.

The Upper Courtyard which led to the dairy and gardens.

The Upper Terrace showing part of the garden and summer house.

Above the Great Chamber.  Recent restoration work has brought the house back to life.  Some of the heraldic plaster work has been decorated as it would have been in Robert Wynn's time.

A corner in Dorothy Wynn's bedroom which, on the floor plan of the house, was called the chamber over the parlour.  Robert Wynn was married twice first to Dorothy Griffith and secondly to Dorothy Dymock. Robert Wynn's bedroom was called the chamber over the brewery.

Up in the roof.  Over the centuries the house became a court house, a school and then an art gallery.  It has been in the care of the Welsh heritage agency, Cadw since 1993.

  I coped with the spiral staircases into the roof but the further staircase into the tower was just a step too far.  I waited in the exhibition gallery where there was an interesting exhibition on Health and Hygiene in Tudor times.

 Paul did manage the stairs  to capture the view below.

Quite late in his life Robert Wynn became the member of parliament for Caernarvonshire and then, in 1591 he became Sheriff of the county.  He died in 1598 and is buried in St Mary's church which you can see in the photo above.  Apparently his tomb is in the chancel.  Next time we visit I must pop in there to take a look.

In the Garden

 It's been far too hot to work or even sit in the garden this last few days.  The pop up gazebo was put up last Saturday but was only used until Monday when it became far too hot even in the shade to be outside until about eight o'clock in the evening. 

The warmer weather has encouraged everything to flower.  We are inundated with foxgloves.

Bees love them.

The yellow rose bush we inherited when we first moved here has had more flowers on it than I have ever seen before.  I'm not sure what type it is but the flowers have a lovely scent and progress from dark yellow to almost white as they mature.

Yellow Flag Iris in the pond.  They have taken over again this May.  Each year they get thinned out.  These too were inherited from the previous owners.

They and the other plants are draining the pond so we have had to top it up from the rainwater butts.

Also in the pond we've had Damselflies flitting around.  Two pairs.  

I think these are the more common Large Red Damselflies.

It was interesting to see them using the pond over several days.

There are loads of little apples forming on the apple tree.  I guess a lot of these will drop but it's good to see them after all the lovely blossom.

Strawberries, gooseberries, elder flower and sweet peas are on the way.  

Last but not least my very favourite plant the Philadelphus  Belle Etoile or 'Mock Orange'.  I'd wanted one for ages and we bought this last year.  Many years ago I worked in a 15th century hall and behind our museum office was a herb garden bordered by a mock orange hedge. The scent in the air as we made our way across the courtyard to the museum stores was wonderful.  I looked forward to it flowering each year.

There is so much to enjoy and  look forward to in the garden.  Much needed to calm the mind and lift the spirits in this very uncertain world.

All for now.