Forget me nots and Aqualegias

Couple of big poppies that came out this morning with a bed of iris behind them

Seaside time again, I was going to paddle this time but as I only had a little bag with paper money as it was so hot there weren't enough coins for the meter to stop. I got some nice photos though which was the main reason I went there.



Westcliff- not quite the sea but the Thames estuary.

Head Office of Newcastle Building Society in Cobalt Business Park

The gardens by the sea front at Westcliff

You've been right in my neck of the woods satguru. Are you going to the Air Show at the weekend?

I've basically been working my way round the clock face of the map to cover new areas, and as they finally widened the North Circular have been catching up east for a while as the problems there made it very hard till recently. I have been to it once at Leigh and was very impressed, and then again by pure chance at Biggin Hill years later so although I didn't have a camera with me then have seen it twice. But I did find a spot on the map which fulfils various major criteria for my statistics so am planning a return the other side of the Crouch when I get a chance.

Seen at a local garden show

This is the time of year when Rosie takes up her position under the fan

Oh gorgeous.

Haha that's too cute, ren!

Anyone for cake? GIANT cupcake even? Here's the centrepiece of my niece's Communion party last week:



(The icing is a bit dodgy in places, as the kiddies couldn't help picking at it from the second it was plated up. The part you can't see, at the back, was almost totally denuded of icing, and that photo was taken within a half an hour of the cake making its appearance).

No wonder. It's gorgeous. Nice photo.

Love it. I'm very jealous.

Part of Southend people don't normally take photos of (so I have)

Thanks Chavs. The poppies are lovely but they don't last long unfortunately. They earn their place by being so spectacular when they are out though. Strangely they don't come well from seed, which is rare for poppies, but the clumps are easy to divide and root pretty much anywhere you care to put them.

I really enjoy looking at all the great pictures in this forum. The variety is great and the images are all so well done.

My better half and I went for a walk in the local nature park. We were there mostly to look at the geese and ducks. Partway through the walk my wife suddenly stopped and let out a "Eek" or a "Augh" or something (I really should listen to her more closely). This was in the path ahead of us. I said "partway through the walk" when I should have said "very near the end of the walk" because after she spotted this, our nature walk was pretty much done. I believe it is a bull snake. He or she was about 4 feet long.

Great photo - are bull snakes dangerous?

Non venomous apparently and you can keep them as pets! How nice.

They are. We didn't.

This is Tulse Hill

When we had the front path relaid last autumn I planted this new bed of roses under the window. They were just bare rooted sticks, five bushes, big gaps inbetween them, but have really grown well and are now just starting to come out.

Christina Wish you were my neighbo"u"r!(I'd press you into helping me with mine-Ha) Love your gardens.

Satguru I love your scenic country pictures.

DeputyGary "They are. We didn't". Too funny.

Santana I'll take the giant cupcake please! Looks delicious.

Ren Rosie is adorable. I've always loved the look of a cat with orange markings.

I've been busy with my son's Graduation/Party. Ready to find some fun things to snap and post.

Here's something which I found rather special: a curved suspension bridge! This is the newly opened (2011) bridge at Térénez, Brittany. It runs for 515 metres long, and the pylons are 100 metres high.

Although it's lost the circle on top the sign and pole are in very good condition. There are a few of these all around the same area as the council kept them, but all the same although there was one with a circle on top I found a few years ago.

DeputyGary: that's an EXCELLENT photo, especially considering your partner was probably in panic mode LOL. Hope you drop in more often! : )

Santana : cool bridge! Am assuming you're standing on a pedway/cycle lane? (seems very narrow lol)

Okay, here's a different orchid still blooming in my kitchen:


You know, I never noticed until taking this picture, that the orange section in the middle looks disturbingly like some flying demonic creature. Perhaps I should stop watching horror movies lol