The Fan Museum at Greenwich
The Fan Museum is at 12 Croom St, Greenwich and, at just £4 entry fee with numerous concessions, is well worth a visit. The museum is thought to be the only museum, dedicated to fans, in the world. There is also a charming Orangery style tea room (you do need to book ahead)
The museum is quite small but has a number of activities and events. You can also create or commission your own designs. For more information please click here and then start with “Practical Information” from the side menu. For more of the many attractions at Greenwich please click here.
The Fans
It is well worth seeing the finer details, which are little obscured by the folds. To do so, please click on the image for full screen and then again to magnify. To return here use the “back arrow” screen button on your browser.
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The Orangery Tea Rooms
You might notice the false shadow that has been painted on to give a 3D effect. You will need to book for tea, so please see the website (the link is at the top).
Happy Halloween
You know that Large Hadron Collider in Cern. I ate it.
If you’d like something eaten, please contact Munchies R Us and leave a message after the groan.
Please have a safe Halloween and enjoy you’re eats responsibly. 😛
Wild Fowl at Hall Place
Welcome to Cray river at Hall Place park.
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Let me take you on a brief tour. Please walk this way.
Here we have Ducksville.
…. and of course our newest inhabitants.
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.. and so it’s good night from him and good night from me. Do come again there’s loads of us, innit. 😀
Inside Hall Place
The interior of Hall Place may see a little empty at first, but it does give the impression of being recently vacated and still vibrant with the presence of it’s previous occupants. One might imagine the graceful elegance of past days, romance and gentle intrigue. More about Hall Place, admission and gardens can be found here.
Above is a view of the hall from the side gallery and below is the musician’s gallery as seen from the floor of the main hall.
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Hall Place Gardens
Hall Place is a little north of Bexley (not Bexley Heath) to the east of London. The gardens are free, there is a large car park, the rail station is not far away, there is small butterfly house, entrance to the hall is £8 and it makes a great day out. The hall dates back to about 1540 and was built on the site of a manor house built about 1240. More at The Hall Place Website, Hall Place Interiors and History of Hall Place.
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The Queens Beasts
More about the Queens Beasts
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… and this is part of their very interesting art gallery
Butterflies at Hall Place, Bexley
The butterfly house at Hall Place is very small and hot but one can re-enter on the same £4 ticket.
This lady is definitely dressed for the summer ball.
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Chocks Away.
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The Black Night does battle with the invaders.
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The next one got away (they really won’t keep still) but the flowers are nice.
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Thank you for your visit and I hope you found it enjoyable. There will be more from the magical Hall Place later.
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Flora at Hall Place, Bexley
12 Pics – Hall Place
In the hot house and shop.
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This one comes in peace, offering tokens of jelly beans.
Happy is the tiger with a badger as guardian angel
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Hang on Snoopy, snoopy hang on, de dup de dup, dee do do, de dup .
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Whaaaa, surprise.
In the Garden
She’d not pulled a double a double rose, a rose but only two, When up came young Tam Lin says “Lady pull no more.”
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In the House
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Thank you for visiting and there will be more about the house and gardens later.
Winter Blues & Seasonal Affective Disorder
Some suggestions for treating and dealing with Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder. 😀
And, Vitamin D supplement, which is usually created in our skin when subject to sunlight. 🙂
Deer at Bushy Park
I went to Bushy Park in search of green parrots, but found deer instead . There are a number of flocks of green parrot around London, thought to have escaped and managed to adapt to our UK winter. I hadn’t thought about it, photographing green parrots amongst a summer of verdant green leaf wasn’t going to be possible. I heard them and occasionally saw a quick flash of green wing but that was all.
I was delighted to find deer instead. I knew they were in Richmond Park and Hampton Court Deer park but pleasantly surprised to find them here. Photographed in early August they still had velvet on their antlers.
Fallow Deer
The Black Prince, and I think he knows it. Black deer are quite rare but do live amongst the herd.
The above were happily grazing amongst the fallow deer, although they are probably reds. It’s mid-summer, live and let live.
Red Deer
Red deer are the largest of deer-kind with the exception of moose and elk. Found at southern end of Bushy Park, they were not so much a herd as a squad.
They have the unnerving and unerring ability to raise their heads at exactly the same time. Much like a bristling of antennas. One can almost hear “Have you got permission to be here and have got any ID.
” I say it is tea time you know”
Time to leave
Deer are generally not dangerous but one must be careful in spring when there are young about and in autumn when they are rutting. They will also attack and sometimes kill dogs. Some deer herds (those around London) carry Lyme Disease which is spread by ticks. It is quite difficult to pick up but such places are not suitable for lounging in the grass or for bare legs in tall grass.
Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)
I first noticed a few bright blue flitters beside the Thames near Hampton Court some while ago. I thought at first they must be butterflies. It turns out they were Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies. I finally discovered some in the wetland area of Bushy Park. I also discovered, eventually, that they fly away if you let your shadow fall upon them.
Damselflies and Dragonflies have a number of charming names in folklore across the world, including sewing needles, snake doctors, horse stingers, mosquito hawks and devil’s darning needle..
Beautiful or gruesome ? It probably depends on how close we look and, of course, the eye of the beholder. Certainly, I think, one of nature’s wonders.
Bushy Park
Bushy Park is just a short distance north of Hampton Court and is full of surprises. To the west of the park are wetlands, just behind this view. I could almost eat these clouds. They look as if they are too solid to stay up there. Magic. Later posts have a particular little gem and some shots of deer.
The wetland area is very peaceful and the river quite still.
This one confuses the eye beautifully.
… and on the pond further down; “There’s an old mill by the stream, Nelly ~ “.
This one is basking in her own glow.
… and here’s the old mill (I think). 🙂
August 2014
Freed From Time 