Can you identify this plant? A Visit to Olive Grove Nursery

This one, that I'm holding the Label of! Answer at the End.

The Nursery sold Wild Boars too.

And even Gorillas - though we didn't buy one.

It was hot, so we sat here under the vine and had an ice-cream.

This is Jill, for whom I've been housesitting. We went to the Nursery to visit her 150 yr old Olive Tree in a Pot, that they are keeping for her until she moves house. The photo below that, of the Tiki Bar, is for Claire.

And finally, The Answer! You knew all along, didn't you, that is was the rare Wollemi Pine, discovered about 20 years ago in a still secret location in a remote part of NSW, and grown by licence around the World.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life's Not All Butterflies!

Though I did see some lovely ones in the Bedford Purlieus, which is a Wood. This one is a Peacock Butterfly, and the next one delights in the name of Fritillary.

There was no one else walking, just a couple with a long-lensed camera, who had been butterfly spotting. The man had long grey hair, and looked like he was enjoying returning to the ’70s. He made a snide comment about how his wife scared off the butterflies before he could shoot them. They go every year, to make sure the butterflies have hatched out of their cocoons I suppose, because if nobody saw them, would they really be there? Like Schroedinger's Cat I suppose. I have been listening too long to:....

 

This is what the Wood looked like. I didn't veer off the main path much, as it was dark in there and there may have been weasels. And I don't think I would fit through Mr Badger's door. Incidentally, for those who wondered how a Galapogos Turtle wandered into the Midlands, it was a rock. You knew that, didn't you.

But now I must do vacuuming. Fortunately Jill and I have a lot in common.

She has this neat cordless vacuum ( it is plugged in for recharging), which is handy for big spaces, so you don't have to keep finding powerpoints or lugging the cord around.

Then I'll get on with my reading.

 

A Walk on the Nene Way

Today I took my daypack, audio book ( A Tale For the Time Being) and an apple, and set off in the tradition of Wayfarers everywhere.

First, I had to circumnavigate the large field with the Large Harvester. No rollicking peasants with scythes here!

There are Hawthorn hedges, brambles, nettles and Scotch Thistles aplenty.

 

Then there is a large private fishing pond. I totally circumnavigated this, until I realised the fishermen were beginning to look familiar, and realised I was going in a circle, not along the river. A bit like life sometimes..

But there were diverting ducks and hundreds of electric blue Dragonflies. The latter were less easy to capture, and the photo doesn't do their colour justice.

I found my way to the village of Nassingham: a couple of rows of stone cottages, an Olde Pub, and a Store run by the inevitable lovely Indian whose child is a Professor of Rocket Science. I like the signage in Old Villages!

Heading back I crossed the river where there is a lock which controls water and boats into a side "harbour" where there is a quiet caravan park.

I almost sat on this to rest, before realising it was likely a Galapogos Tortoise a thousand years old.

Lucky I didn't, because this Swan was keeping an eye on me.

While it was posturing, Mum and the teenagers were enjoying the water.

Navigating between the river, the ponds and the Steam Railway was tricky and I found myself up a Dead End with a Tunnel. I decided to retreat.

The Track Switching Controls are very accessible, but fortunately I am not a terrorist.

So I went home instead, and practiced my watercolour painting.

 

The English Rose

...because it's Summer...

 

 

 

 

 

...simply messing about in boats, Stamford. And Graffiti.

If you lived on the river here.....close to the Nene River which inspired Kenneth Grahame.....

Walking on a little further from the car park, I found some graffiti.

Earlier, on the drive in, traffic has to take turns because the ancient bridge is only one lane wide.

It was cool and rainy then, but hotted up to iced coffee weather.

W

 

Learning New Skills

At Burghley House, a massive Country House near Stamford, there is a lovely artist, Sandra Peck, who  holds watercolour painting days.....it was really fun and I learned lots and met some friendly interesting women. Hmmm, another activity I can buy lots of stuff for and never get around to doing properly!!! And it's not as easy as it looks, I can tell you!

Today I went to another Country House, Elton Hall, at the eponymously named village.
The Gardens were lovely.

I chatted to a Gardener, and he said the guy who comes to do the topiary, used to be a hairdresser!

Inside there were some lovely things and a lot of other things that were just old and famous( the odd Gainsborough, Ancient Bibles.) it made me appreciate my house, which doesn't have as much peeling paint and carpets that are in better condition. You can't take photos because it is still lived in by m'Lord &Lady,and it is only open 2 afternoons a week.

This fat Bumblebee was enjoying the flowers.

This is one of the outbuildings. Some of them are rented out, probably to Bankers who whizz home from London on the nearby A1.

One day the Bankers will get their just desserts.

What struck me most was how it is just like today, where those who are in favour with the Ruler ( in this case it was Queen Elizabeth 1) are given land and the servants to work it. In England their is still an attitude of "Weren't They Wonderful!" which I find a bit puzzling, given they weren't all nice. In Zimbabwe, to choose a country at random, those handed assets and wealth may not be so revered. Of course there are arguments for a feudal system too.

Blogging is Hard Work!

Entertaining the masses isn't easy you know. Which is why I had a few days break! Back to work. I have been:

Collecting flowers.

Admiring the garden from the second floor and trying to spot the bunny.

Doing quite a lot of nothing, like these cats.

Contemplating the Stingrays.

Visiting Thomas at the nearby Nene Valley Railway. They put his face on when he goes out.

More exciting news tomorrow. Promise!