Author: Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

Bench series #34

For the month of August I’m looking for a colourful bench

(This month I want to see photos of a bench that is painted or stained or otherwise coloured in some way. Not the plain wooden variety unless there is some colour detail)

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Colourful benches in the courtyard of the Rose and Crown, Ludlow
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Bright Benches

If you would like to join in with the Bench photo challenge then please take a look at my Bench Series page. No complicated rules, just a bench and a camera required 🙂

  • Create your own post and title it Bench Series: August
  • Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
  • Add the tag ‘bench series’ so everyone can find the benches easily in the WP Reader
  • Get your post in by the end of the month, as the new bench theme comes out on the first Sunday in September.

My Picks of the Week:

 Kaz joins in with a Sydney bench in need of TLC and another Sydneysider has red and green benches. If you haven’t viewed LD’s blog before then you are in for a treat. And yet ANOTHER Aussie, PP, has a red bench. Isobel has made me very happy by sharing the Book Benches that were in London last year. And more red and green benches from Tgeriatrix.

As always there are so many delightful benches to view, I hope you will check out the other links within the comment section.

Today Was A Good Day

Well it was except for being attacked by a mad rabbit…
…and then finding a dead rat only six inches from my bare foot when taking in the washing in the dark. Day one. Another nine to go.

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Alice in Wonderland is an activity trail for youngsters in the RHS garden at Wisley. Inspired by the Lewis Carroll novel first published 150 years ago, the Top Terrace takes you on a journey into Wonderland. At one end is the Queen of Heart’s geometric red and white garden, mushroom sculptures pop up through the bedding and the White Rabbit directs you towards dream-like Wonderland. I had a great time discovering the ‘Alice’ sculptures on one of the hottest days this year!

The Queen of Hearts
The Queen of Hearts

Today was a good day…

WPC asks you to create a slideshow using Mesh. As someone who doesn’t use APPS or indeed have a smart phone and who is paranoid about sharing too much data with anyone or anything in the public sphere, I have used the slideshow that comes with WP. Suits me fine and a change from my usual galleries.

More Post Boxes

Some of you following this blog may remember my recent Post Boxes. I thought that I had seen a blue one somewhere, but couldn’t remember which country it was in. Whilst searching through the digital shoebox for something else I came across it. Voilà! Or maybe that should be ‘Há’ as we are in Lisbon. (Hopefully Jo will be along to correct me).

Lisbon – Bairro Alto (Largo do Carmo)

There are over 800 different types of post boxes in the UK alone. Perhaps you have an unusual one to share? If you do then please post it and link to this one in the comments or via a pingback. I’d love to see it.

Discovering St Leonards

One of my favourite places to take a local walk is in the burial ground of St Leonard’s in Ludlow. The grounds are now a naturalised area for people to enjoy nature and wildlife, an attractive environment that residents and visitors alike can enjoy. There are many trees including Yew trees which were grown to make bows, but as the berries are poisonous to animals (and humans), the trees had to be grown in places like churchyards where animals were excluded.

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There are also some ageing Lawson’s Cypresses and self-sown Sycamores and Horse-Chestnuts. A large number of birds, butterflies and a colony of rabbits live in the grounds and there are many benches on which to sit and rest and enjoy the birdsong and the countryside views, as well as a few picnic tables and benches situated in a grass clearing.

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I love to wander around the monuments and select interesting carvings, words, shapes to photograph. Often hidden by clumps of stinging nettles and moss or lichens each time I visit I see something different. Continue reading Discovering St Leonards

Bench series #33

For the month of August I’m looking for a colourful bench

(This month I want to see photos of a bench that is painted or stained or otherwise coloured in some way. Not the plain wooden variety unless there is some colour detail)

Mosaic Bench
Mosaic Bench in Cranbrook
The windmill
The Crane
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Mosaic Bench

If you would like to join in with the Bench photo challenge then please take a look at my Bench Series page. No complicated rules, just a bench and a camera required 🙂

  • Create your own post and title it Bench Series: August
  • Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
  • Add the tag ‘bench series’ so everyone can find the benches easily in the WP Reader
  • Get your post in by the end of the month, as the new bench theme comes out on the first Sunday in September.

My Picks of the Week:

Violetsky has an unusual colourful bench this week and Tgeriatrix has more mosaics from Spain. Colline is all hot-pink in Toronto and staying in Canada Amy takes us on  a delightful stroll with a bright blue bench at the end. Ruth finds some comfy ‘benches’ over in Tasmania that you might not want to sit in at the moment.

As always there are so many delightful benches to view, I hope you will check out the other links within the comment section.