Brighten the Day
Self-isolating may bring on a form of Winter Blues or general depression, clicking on this⇐⇐⇐⇐ may help. And, you can Brighten the Day by clicking on any pink⇐ text below (or blue⇐ in the WP Reader).
Brighten the Day 13 with Flowers and a very cheery song anda very happy dog.
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Brighten the Day 12 ⇐ with The Sugar Plum Fairy and flowers and Beatles.
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Brighten the Day 11 ⇐ with flowers and 
perhaps
the best guitar solo ever and song and the wonderful Sandy Denny.
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Spring 2017 ⇐ with squirrels and The
Sultans of Swing. 😀
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Brighten the Day 10 ⇐ Flowers, squirrels, quips and 
Sachmo sings. 😀
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Brighten the Day 9 ⇐ Some flowers and the 
Muppets do Bohemian Rhapsody with explosions. 😀 😀 😀
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Every Reason to Hope ⇐ A message of good news and hope for the future
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A Lament for The Ancient Code Wrangler at Xmas ⇐
Twas the night before Xmas
And through all WordPress house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Because they’d eaten the mouse ~
😀
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A Christmas Ode to the WordPress Reader ⇐.
Twas the week before Christmas,
And through all WordPress house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a mouse ~
😀
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Brighten the Day 8 ⇐ Flowers and a lady sings at 
Martha’ Vineyard while some youngsters tell the tale.
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There Is Nothing You Can Sing That Can’t Be Sung ⇐ 
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Brighten the Day 7 ⇐ Some Flowers and the 
Ballad of Beaker – Sounds Like Somebody Punched a Goat, Burnination and Roflcopters. 😀
The thing I like about beaker is he’s daft enough not to give up. There’s a lesson in that somewhere.
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Park Life ⇐ Some Ducks and Geese and Swans
and Flowers invite you to sing along. 😀
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Brighten the Day 6 ⇐ Having a Bad Hair Day. 
Try 
some silliness, pictures, flowers and videos including Beaker from the muppets . 😀
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The Great Nut Heist ⇐ Squirrels take the 
Michael, followed by squirrels climb my leg and squirrels in the park. 😀
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Brighten the Day 5 ⇐ Flowers and Thomas .
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Goslings and Ducklings ⇐ a sing along and a little 
humour (allegedly). 😀
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Brighten the Day 4 ⇐ Flowers and song lyrics 
for 
your minds ear.
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The Dog and Swan ⇐ A daft tale of animal 
humour. 😀
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Brighten the Day 3 ⇐ Flowers, Ducklings, a
cheery Song and Alice in Wonderland.
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A Flower With No Name ⇐.
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Brighten the Day 2 ⇐ – Flowers and Animals and a little humour. 😀
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Brighten the Day 1 ⇐ – Some Flowers, a View and a Duck. What else
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Brighten the Day ⇐ – one flower.
Brighten the Day 4
8 Flora and some lyrics to brighten the day.
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“What do you say to an 8 foot tall Budgerigar ?”. “Who’s a pretty boy then”.
“Call that a hair style, check out the hat”.
“I’m feelin’ glad all over
Yes I’m-a glad all over
Baby I’m glad all over
So glad you’re mine.
The Dave Clark Five
“That John Wyndham had a good idea”.
“Purple haze, all in my brain
Lately things they don’t seem the same
Actin’ funny, but I don’t know why
Excuse me while I kiss the sky”.
Jimi Hendrix
“Yellow is the color of my true love’s hair
In the mornin’, when we rise
In the mornin’, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best”
Donovan.
“Blue moon!
Now I’m no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own”.
Billie Holiday
And, one more time with a song.
“Sunny, Yesterday my life was filled with rain.
Sunny, You smiled at me and really eased the pain.
The dark days are gone, and the bright days are here,
My Sunny one shines so sincere.
Sunny one so true, I love you.”
Stevie Wonder
More Brighten the Day ⇐.
Flower Festival at Leeds Castle
During the Flower Festival the castle was festooned, here are just a few. And there is more to see at Leeds Castle Interiors and Leeds Castle Grounds. 🙂
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Brighten the Day 1
10 pics. I’ve put aside some florality to brighten the winter days. Collages will include flowers, orchids, bonsai trees, statues, an occasional odd duck and perhaps something photo-shopped. Mostly from the Wisley flower show. This is the first, I hope that it brightens your day. 🙂 Click on twice to expand an image.
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Have a guess how old this Bonsai tree (Juniperus Rigida) is, Answer further down.
It’s not my fault. I just live here.
Best Friends by Harriet Francis
Fluffy did it.
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And, the Bonsai tree is an amazing 150 years old.
More Brighten the Day ⇐.
Hatfield House and Gardens
There is a lot of history and a lot to see at Hatfield House. This is just a sample. I’ve started with this flower because it is the most regal that I have seen. You might also like to view the amazing interiors and some of its Elizabethan history by clicking here.
Inside the house are the famous Rainbow and Ermine portraits of Elizabeth I, together with a number of ornate ceilings and artifacts.
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For instance, this is Lord Burghley who created and ran what was probably the first organized intelligence service.
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. Access from Hatfield rail station is via a viaduct (I’ve always wanted to say that) that spans over a village.
Further into the estate is the old house and gardens.
This is the rear view of the newer house.
Across the green is the old church.
And, nearby is a path leading to the church which is open to visitors for part of the day.
In the church grounds there is this Tudor cottage.
And, inside the church the ceiling is being restored.
There are a number of gardens and water features.
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Meet the crew. There are several statues but I thought this was the best and appears to feature Queen Elizabeth I herself.
There is quite an extensive shopping mall with a gallery, large cafe and this. A toy shop and gun shop side by side. What can I say, it’s the countryside. Here are some flowers.
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If you like history then Hatfield House is steeped in it. More here.
Flowers at Wisley Gardens
Wisely Gardens is run by the Royal Horticultural Society and I think the best I have seen. Please click here for the Gardens/Glasshouse/Orchids/Bonsai Trees/Statues.
Flowers at Westminster
Photography is not allowed inside Westminster Abbey (although some have sneaked out here), so I pinched a few flower images from outside. The camera sees a lot more than the eye and it is always a surprising delight. 🙂
Osterley Park Flora
The gardens at Osterley Park House have a rich variety of blooms and the admission/info/house and gardens are available to view and photograph. The house can be found on Google and the nearest underground rail station is Osterley on the Piccadilly line. Enjoy ~
Geffrye Museum Gardens and Flowers
The Geffrye Museum Font Garden
15 pics. One can have a pleasant picnic in the front garden, stroll through the rose and herb garden to the rear and then return to the front and enter the museum free. The museum interiors are series of rooms depicting the changes of decor and furnishing over time .
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The Rear Herb and Rose Gardens
Together with many other colourful blooms.
Flowers at Kenwood Park
10 pics. Kenwood Gardens can be found here and Kenwood House interiors (with information and travel) here.
Flowers at Kenwood Gardens
Mostly Rhododendron in a great variety of colours and roses near the cafe
Kenwood is a very welcoming place and this flower even has dance steps for the bees :-).
Flowers at the Cafe Seating Area and Shop Wall
Floral Fusion 2
3 pics.
A little something to brighten the day (click on a picture for full screen and again to magnify).
A little more colour ↓.
A little less flowers ↓.
No flowers were harmed whilst making this display but several brain cells went walkabouts. 😀
St James Park – Wildlife Band
At the East End of St James Park, London
So let me introduce to you, The one and only Billy Shears, And Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Ruddy Duck (really)
It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play, They’ve been going in and out of style, But they’re guaranteed to raise a smile, So may I introduce to you, The act you’ve known for all these years, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
We’re Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, We hope you will enjoy the show
We’re Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Sit back and let the evening go
It’s wonderful to be here
It’s certainly a thrill
You’re such a lovely audience
We’d like to take you home with us
We’d love to take you home
Oh we would, we would. – Why are you doing that with your leg ? I don’t know, he started it.
More feathers than sense that lot.
Find the Squirrel (its in the middle).
Here’s one. Here’s some more (in a new tab).
I am Moorhen than Duck
I don’t really want to stop the show, But I thought that you might like to know, That the singer’s going to sing a song, And he wants you all to sing along
We’re Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
We hope you will enjoy the show
We’re Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sit back and let the evening go
Sgt. Pepper’s lonely, Sgt. Pepper’s lonely
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band ~
We hope you enjoyed the show and thank you for visiting.
Beep
Beep, Mole Periscope or Dumb Insolence with Megaphone and two more pics.
Beep – Feed Me Boop – Fir Tree with blossom ?
Happy Spring Time to all.
Horniman Museum Gardens
12 pics – A view from the upper gardens of the Horniman Museum across London’s Canary Wharf and the Shard of Glass (the tall pointy thing). For a range of quite extraordinary flowers from the upper gardens please click here, for the museum interiors and artifacts please click here.
The dye garden.
I didn’t post process these. They really are this bright.
Alright now I’ve got a pearl of wisdom, what do I do with it ?
I you think I’m strange, wait until you see what’s inside the museum. I was thrown out for being too normal :-D.
The Temple Court
9 pics – The Temple Court was established in the twelfth century by the famous Nights Templar. Later given to the Nights Hospitaller, it has changed hands frequently but mostly provided chambers for barristers throughout the centuries. It is still one of the centers of English law.
Many of buildings were damaged during WWII and rebuilt. More of its history here⇒.
The Temple Court is haven of peace hidden away amongst the bustle of London. The nearest underground railway station is the Temple. On leaving the station turn left and proceed until you see this portico on our left.
Within the court there are many delightful small gardens and the Temple Church. More flowers here ⇒ and pictures from within the Temple Church here ⇒.
Within the court ⇓.
Flowers at the Horniman Museum
These pictures were taken at the upper garden area of the Horniman Museum in mid August of 2014. There will be more about the extraordinary Horniman Museum later.
Flowers at Temple Court
18 pics – To brighten up the winter gloom, a few flowers from the Temple Court gardens, London.
In southern England the kink in the old jet stream has been weaving about all over the place and forecasters have been having a hard time. The other day, thinking it was going to be wet, I took to wearing Wellington boots. The locals were so surprised. It was my own fault, I should have put some cloths on.
The Temple Court Flowers
A big hats off the Temple Court gardeners. There are many flower beds dotted around the place, a very nice little enclosed garden and a beautiful rose garden. They are all in pristine condition and somehow a considerable diversity thrives happily alongside one another.
There will be more from the Temple Court later, in the meantime, here are the flowers photographed in early July of 2014.
The plant (?), in the first picture, ate a corporate banker. I don’t want to say what the second did to a stockbroker. 🙂
This last one is from a small garden adjacent to the Temple Court.
I’ve been saving, what I believe to be, the best flowers until mid February and there will be more about the Temple Court and the Tower of London soon.
Queen Mary’s Gardens
14 pics. Queen Mary’s Gardens was opened in 1932 and named after the wife of George V. It can be found near the southern end of Regents Park, is shown by Google maps as the “Inner Circle” and the nearest underground station is Baker St. The gardens are in part a formal setting with up to 12,000 roses and 9,00 begonias. There is also a landscaped area of tress, bushes and a small wetland.
Photographs of some of the flowers can be found here and more information here.
Flowers at Queen Mary’s Gardens
Queen Mary’s Gardens can be found at the eastern end of Regents Park, London. It is a world-famous horticultural site with a great variety of plants including 12,000 roses and 9,000 begonias. There will be more views later. In the meantime, a little colour photographed in July, to brighten up the day.
A Flower to Brighten the Day
I thought I would just quickly publish a little colour for those who may be caught in winters gloom. This beauty is from a collection taken at the Horniman Museum’s gardens. There will be more later in the year, or next.
For those of you who were kind enough to enjoy the squirrels climbing up my leg; I went back with food and got mugged by the squirrels. So there will be more of that later and some Xmas lights. In the meantime I hope this brightens your day.
Flowers at Kew Gardens
From around the grounds.
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From the Japanese ornamental gardens.
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… and just outside on a nearby cottage.
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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.
🙂
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.
Freed From Time 