On Wednesday we took advantage of the morning sunshine and visited The Brampton in nearby Newcastle.
We walked through the parkland and the sensory garden towards the museum.
Inside something was happening
Not in here - the wartime kitchen - where there is always something to spot that you recognise from childhood.
A lot of these things were still around in grandparents' houses in the 1950s.
Upstairs in the street scenes something was afoot!
Something was distinctly out of place.
Why was Paddington Bear in an Edwardian doctor's surgery?
Why was this little fellow in the antiques shop when he doesn't look so very old?
Did Pooh Bear ever ride a rocking horse? Perhaps he did.
Oh, I see we were on a Bear Hunt!
Outside we found something new - The Bee Tree. It was created by local artist Anthony Hammond. Here is a -link- to his website.
Wood carvings in the trunk of an old tree
It shows the different aspects of the life of a bee.
Different stages of a developing hive
Plus below a Bee B&B where live bees could lodge.
It was being used as some of the holes were covered in old leaves.
I assume the bee on the top is the Queen Bee.
The tree was also home to other things - Tinder Fungus.
As well as various kinds of fungus and mosses.
Meanwhile some things remained the same. The statue of the 1914 -1918 VAD nurse based on a quote from Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth' - she lived just around the corner - is still sitting reading her letter from the front. Here is a - link - to a post I wrote about the statue in 2016.
Whilst nearby stands the silhouette of women in WW1, including Vera Brittain, hoping for 'No More War.' Here is a - link - to more about it.
In the grass under the trees there were signs of spring.
It had been a lovely morning to be out and about seeing old things and discovering new ones.
The bee tree was a real delight to see. The carvings a joy, a real feast for the eyes.
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes it was a joy and so very useful to nature too:)
DeleteI love the bee tree - practical and beautiful. It was lovely to see some bees had taken up residence too.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
Thank you Ellie, yes both practical and beautiful and well used too:)
DeleteHow bee-lightful! Great fun on a beautiful day. 😊
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes it was a lovely morning and we enjoyed our little bee and bear adventure:)
DeleteA bear hunt! Delightful... -smile-
ReplyDeleteThe carver did a magnificent job, with that tree...
Lovely, all.......
💖 💖 💖
Thank you, yes I loved spotting the bears, always love a bear. The artist is local and has done many fine things around the area:)
DeleteThe tree carvings are fantastic. I was a bit concerned when I saw the first photo of it that it was on a living tree but no. An interesting museum visit. Let’s hope the weather continues bright and mild
ReplyDeleteThank you for visitng Catherine, yes it is an old tree trunk that has been put to use instead of being chopped down and dug out, it's now a wonderful learning tool and also a home to wildlife. It is a lovely little museum and well used too:)
DeleteLove the bee tree - very clever
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue, it's super isn't it?:)
DeleteWhat a super museum and such a delightful idea to have the Bear Hunt. I love the 1950's room - I think I spot an old singer sewing machine with a treadle in the corner! My mum had one of those for years and years and used to make so many clothes.
ReplyDeleteThe carvings on the bee tree are wonderful and again a great idea. Lovely to see the snowdrops too. Have a good weekend :)
Thank you RR, my grandma had a treadle machine, she kept her shoes on the foot peddle - always black leather, lace ups with a heel. It had little drawers full of bric-a-brac like buttons, ribbons, darning mushrooms, thimbles etc, she always let me play with them. I still have my mum's singer machine dated 1939. I thought you would like the bee tree:)
DeleteI wonder why it is that children find it so entertaining to hunt for things, but as we get older it becomes one of life's great annoyances to have to search for things we've temporarily misplaced???
ReplyDeleteI love those carvings on the old tree trunk.
Ha Ha, made me laugh out loud, John, yes I spend ages searching for things that I know I've put somewhere safe! Bear hunts, egg hunts, elf hunts I've seen them all over the last few months, whatever did we do as children without being entertained? Just played with each other in the street or gardens I guess. We were lucky to have a whole village wood to play in as children. The carving is lovely:)
DeleteThat was lovely! I bet the bear hunt was fun for children but the bee tree was fun for me! Such wonderful carvings and then a 'hotel' for the bees to reside in too. It is good to see that the tree is supporting other forms of life after its death. Recycling at it best! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone, there was a class of children sitting on little cushions around the main bear exhibition so I couldn't photograph that. The bee tree is wonderful:)
DeleteLoved getting a closer look at the wartime kitchen when I enlarged the picture.
ReplyDeleteThe wood carvings are stunning.
Thank you Julie, glad you could enlarge the photo it is a super display:)
DeleteIt looks like a nice sunny day, it's good to see the flowers :) and the bee tree, that's a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThank you Pam it was a lovely sunny morning and did feel a little Spring like. I like how the tree is not just an instructive sculpture but home to wildlife too:)
DeleteWhat a lovely place! It looks great, both bears and bees (I have a special fondness for bees, I think they are amazing). I am wondering if you have ever been to The Land of Lost Content in Craven Arms? x
ReplyDeleteHello Mrs T, I've heard of The Land of Lost Content and passed through Craven Arms both by car and a few times on the train from Shrewsbury to visit a friend in Pennybont but have never stopped to look around, I remember also passing by an environmental/nature place with a mammoth outside? Perhaps I'm dreaming. We really must visit one day:)
DeleteWonderful shots, particularly those last two.
ReplyDeleteThank you William:)
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