Friday 25 May 2012

Made By Hand

Made by Hand

Thought I would stick close to home on this one...





This.... is or was my back garden when we first moved into our home.  Not much to look at really except next doors bird table!  Now it's not the largest garden we've seen, it would be exaggerating to call it small, bijou, or even compact, it is basically tiny.  A tiny triangle measuring 25feet wide and 15 feet at the point of the triangle, as we are a corner plot the neighbour to the left also has a similar sized garden although he has built a sun room in his.  Now he can walk out of his door turn around and walk back in again as there is little room for him to do anything else.
Sorry I'm now getting off the subject I started with.  My tiny triangular garden, I am not moaning about it because it's ours and I never thought I would have a garden again, so I do love it.
Just not when we moved in.
In addition to the piece you can see here there is a 5 foot paved part making the actual soil bit only 10 foot.
When I started to plan the garden I didn't want to leave anything out, I still wanted somewhere to sit with my cup of tea, a rockery, pond, boggy area,trellis, a place for climbing plants and above all somewhere which welcomes insects and other wildlife. Oh yes, and fragrance. 
 A tall order!
Many plans later and an awful lot of crossing out I came up with something I was happy with. 





This is the arbour seat positioned to the far right of the garden on the paved area, where we have our cups of tea.  The wicker pyramid, is the trellis for climbing plants and the other side of that is the rockery which was made from the soil that came from the pond.









The pond and boggy area are also enjoyed by some of our new friends that share the garden with us.








 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The plants thrive on the paved area and with lavender


and sweet peas against the fence providing summer long fragrance.












And with the insects collecting pollen all day...



it makes for a perfect haven ... albeit a miniature one and all made by hand, by me, with a little help from my husband and nature of course.


See other things Made By Hand at Friday My Town Shoot Out

Friday 18 May 2012

Gates & Fences




Gates & Fences

the subject of this weeks Friday My Town Shoot Out





Not much of a fence, well not suitable for livestock, this is a roadside fence on my journey home from work.
A familiar sight around my home county at the moment, turn a corner and you may be met by a sight like this. Many farmers in this area now grow oil seed rape which have these amazingly bright yellow flowers before harvesting. The oil seed rape is turned into cooking oil and also used as a biodiesel as well as improving the ground for the crop that follows it.

Sorry, but once a farmers daughter always a farmers daughter!







A very special fence that helps to form a seated shelter in a part of a small wooded area which is awash with bluebells at this time of year.
It's so special because it has been made by a group of Volunteers who tend the grounds and gardens at the Hospice I work for. They give their time and skills along with another 300 plus Volunteers to provide practical support and comfort to the residents and staff of the Hospice and their families.
This area provides a place for residents,their relatives and members of staff to just sit and be surrounded by nature and it's calming effect.


So as you can tell a very special fence........











..


.and finally...........when is a fence not a fence,



When it's a moat.


Possibly pushing the boundaries ( n0 pun intended) of the definition of fence a little too far.
But you have to agree a very effective fence.

The castle is Bodiam Castle, it's less than an hours journey from home, although it looks good on the outside on the inside it's just ruins.

The river that feeds the moat used to be a place we went fishing in our youth.

I bet there can't be many places to fish with a medieval castle as a backdrop.

















Friday 4 May 2012

Friday My Town; Public Transportation

Public Transport

As time is short this week, (still de-junking my Dads loft), I 've used some of my library photos and seeing as I am being reminded constantly of things past at the moment, I have gone back to my childhood and it's public transportation.

For a few years of my childhood I lived in Isfield a very small village not far from where I live today.
This village consisted of a pub, a grain mill, a church, some farms, Post Office cum shop a variety of dwellings and a school. The school had between 20 and 24 pupils with the age range of attendees being 4 - 11 years , so we are talking small!

However there was a railway line running through the edge of the village and there was a railway station.





The railway closed during a major shake up of the national railways, leaving this village even more isolated. But an enthusiast bought the deserted railway buildings and the one and a half miles of track that hadn't been sold to others already. This gent along with his son-in-law, a boy from the village, started to restore it all back to how it was during it's heyday.





The original signal box had been sold to another Heritage Railway further along the line, The Bluebell Railway, many years before the restoration. Ironically they had to buy a replica of their own signal box which is here.

The furthest side of the box was where the railway line crossed the road and it gave us unending pleasure when we had to wait for the train to go over the road. Delaying our journey as we walked to school.









This is one of the trains that runs on the Heritage Railway, The Bluebell Railway, a bit further up the line. It is similar to ones that ran through Isfield.










This final shot is added because I just love the majestic beasts. The trains at Isfield started my love of steam trains which still give me enormous pleasure and the fun of still traveling on them as often as time allow.



This is a Friday My Town Shoot Out