May 6

Well folks as I said I am giving you my last comment on this blog. Afraid I would oversleep, I was awake at 4:00 and certainly would have overslept if I went back to bed. So I tuned into CBC Radio overnight on the internet, which always has some interesting topics on. My taxi arrived sharp at 6:00 and I went to the bus terminal where 20 pounds buys you a ticket right to the Central Bus Terminal at Heathrow. We left at 6:30 and arrived there at 7:50. A short walk through to Terminal 3 placed me right at the Air Canada counter where check in was easy. My luggage was within the weight limits and I was off to security which was very fast even at that time of the morning. A swing through Duty Free proved I had enough stuff at home so I picked up a book and a little something for Carol. Heathrow has very nice Gates that are like rooms and as you go in your passport is checked with your boarding pass and subsequent entry to the airplane is very quick. While we boarded the plane on time it was 45 minutes late leaving with no explanation given. No problem for me with my new PD James novel. Once in the air, a lovely meal was served with wine and another snack an hour before landing accompanied by another wine. We landed at 1:15 and customs and luggage were a breeze. I was met by my lovely wife Carol and she was a sight for sore eyes. I am now home watching the 2nd leg of the Champions League soccer game between Chelsea and Barcelona. Chelsea is up 1-0 at half time. Tim and Nigel, I hope your team won. Jim sorry about Arsenal last night. Now we just have to see who Man U will be playing in Rome. You won't see the result here however as I am ending this long running blog shortly.

To everyone that I met, worked with and shared a pint over the past 5 weeks, thanks for your friendship. This was a great experience and even though I am home earlier than I had planned, I feel that I accomplished everything I wanted to. Next week Carol and I have the pleasure of visiting with our 2 grand daughters in Calgary and that was certainly worth coming home for. Thanks for reading and Good Night.......Brian

May 5

After an early night I was awake at 5:45 and up at 6:00. Breakfast was a full English breakfast with toast, coffee, egg, ham and sausage. It was served at 7:45 and Yanna the housemaid was also the cook. She only works Monday to Friday and is a nice young lady. By 8:45 I was ready to start my walk and decided to combine the Morse and City walks which covered generally the same area but gave different perspectives. I walked up Abingdon and then through the grounds of Christ Church College to Rose Lane where I was able to enter the Botanical Gardens which are the oldest in England. It only cost 3 pounds, with a printed guide and I was the only one there as it was quite early. I walked around all the beds taking pictures of plants I thought might work well back home. I entered all the glass houses and saw lots of unusual plants. The gardens were pretty well in bloom and were a treat to walk around. The last time I was here, Carol and I arrived 30 minutes before they closed and we rushed around to take in as much as we could. My job was to take pictures as directed by Carol. I was able to recognize most of the places we had seen before. I finished up about 10:45 and then walked out to Iffley Street where I stood on Magdalen Bridge, pronounced Maudlin for some reason. Off up to Longwall Street where I saw a young man take a terrible tumble on his bicycle after hitting a curb. Fortunately, his pride was hurt more than he physically but he was shaken up. Continued on to Holywell where I saw a site of execution of 4 Catholics as martyrs in 1589. I know this will draw at least one comment from one of my readers but I should reassure him by saying that I tried to find the site of the death of 3 Protestants also martyred in 1555. I know I saw it the last time I was here but couldn’t find it this time.

I walked back down Longwall to High and up Queen’s Lane past New College and under the Bridge of Sighs (Hertford Bridge.) From there I was directed to retrace my steps a few metres and go down a very small lane to one of Morse’s pubs, the Turf Tavern. It was nearly lunch so I had a half pint of Thwaite Black Nutty a new one for me. Apparently this pub only receives two barrels of each ale so they are constantly bringing in new ones. Too bad I’m not here longer to sample more of their fare. At 11:55 I’m off to continue my tour. I went around the Sheldonian Theatre, with the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera being prominent in a square. By that time I was due for another pub visit where I stopped at the White Horse, another Morse favourite and had a half pint of Wayland Smitty which was red and quite tasty. I was down to drinking half pints just in case I was stopping a little more frequently than in the past. I must say for a busy city it has been the place where I have spoken to the least people. It reinforces my belief that small communities present better opportunities for dialogue.

I had seen a reference to the John Tredescants, father and son, collections that as gardeners to kings and nobles had been accumulated during their travels around the world in the 1600s. It used to be at the former Ashmolean Museum and since I have a great interest in them would have really enjoyed seeing it. Unfortunately the collection is in storage as the museum has been moved and is now under renovation. The collection largely dealt with artifacts in natural history and based on a few items I saw would have been fascinating. I did spend half hour at the Museum of the History of Science which was marvellous. Scientific instruments from as early as the 1600s such as telescopes, compasses and medical instruments. The precision of such old tools was inspiring. I believe we must have lost a lot of knowledge at times and then rediscovered it later on. The artifacts from their gardening efforts are on display at Lambeth and Carol and I have visited their.

I wanted to mail two cards and when I went to the post office the line was right out the door so I went to a Western Union office and changed most of the remaining Euros I had left. Thinking ahead to tomorrow I made enquiries about a bus that goes direct from Oxford to Heathrow and decided I would take the 6:30 in the morning which should get me to Terminal 3 about 8:00 for my 10:00 flight. I also arranged for a taxi to pick me up in the morning. Walking back down to the post office I stood in line for 30 minutes to buy 2 stamps and ensure my mail was sent. I walked back to my room and typed up this and yesterday’s blog, while having a couple of Stella so please excuse the typos. It is 7:00 and I am watching a fascinating show on 6 degrees of separation. Once it is over I am going to pack, go to a pub for a meal and either there or back in my room watch the football game (soccer) between Man U and Arsenal. This is a very important game. I will do one more update tomorrow about getting to the airport and arriving home but as that is the end of my trip so ends the blog. Pictures today focus on pubs and one of the Radcliffe Camera. Thanks for watching.....Brian

May 4

Hein and I were up about 7:30 this morning and had a light morning. I had checked out trains and accommodations in Oxford where I intend to spend the next two days prior to coming home on Wednesday. I caught the 12:27 from Evesham to Oxford and arrived there at 1:15. It was pretty busy as there were only 4 cars and people were coming back on the bank holiday. It was raining this morning and a little breezy and probably only about 15. It had stopped raining by the time I arrived. With my heavy luggage I again took a taxi to my B&B Newton Guest House. It would have been about a 20 minute walk. I was let in by a young lady who had just been cleaning my room. She is from Slovakia and here improving her English so she can further her education. She was very helpful and I was soon settled into my room. It was a pretty good size and had WIFI that I could connect to in the room. It cost 56 pounds per night and that is very reasonable for walking distance to the city. I was given a map of the city and within 20 minutes was off for a walk. The streets are very crowded and I was disappointed to see a lot of garbage that seemed to be just blowing around. By 2:30 I had found the tourist bureau and bought a walking guide and a few post cards. On the way down Turl Street I stopped and bought a book and a music CD about Morse in Oxford, from the TV show of the same name. This was a great favourite of Carol and I so I thought it was very appropriate. It only cost 5.99 pounds. I continued down to High Street and stopped at the Que Pasa Pub, which was very much a restaurant with a few taps. I had a pint of Marsden’s Pedigree and took time to relax and write up my journal. By 3:30 I am off again and stopped at the New Road Baptist Church where Othello was advertised and I intended to come back for the performance tonight. I took the long way back to the B&B which took about 30 minutes. I posted yesterday’s blog and answered my emails.
I thought about going to the theatre so started up towards it but upon arrival I was met by a fellow at the door who didn’t think it was on tonight. He was kind enough to make a call to a posted number to check and confirm that indeed despite what it said on the poster, it was not being presented tonight. I was disappointed. One of the pubs mentioned in the walking guide was the Turl Pub and I was determined to find it and have a meal and a drink. I found it no problem and wanted a fairly traditional meal so opted for the fish and chips which was haddock. To compliment it I chose a half pint of Guinness a real standby. I was a little disappointed with the fish. I think they buy it battered and frozen and somehow heat it and thaw it out. I found it a little watery and the peas accompanying it were quite hard. Usual French fries couldn’t disappoint, only hand cut ones are really any good. All in all for 7.70 pounds including the beer it was nothing to complain about. I walked back home at least full and stopped at an off license store and selected a couple of bottles of Stella and a block of aged cheese for tomorrow. Back at the room, I put on the Morse CD and read up on the tour I planned to take tomorrow. I was asleep at 10:00 with music playing on the computer. It was very peaceful.

May 3

Up at 6:10 and still unsure where I am going today. Had a bit of breakfast and after consulting with Cathy, decided to go to Oxford. Carol and I had been there once before and they have a marvellous botanical garden, the oldest in England. We stopped off to visit with a friend of hers at Chilgrove, Brenda and her husband Dick who is the farm manager for West Dean Estate. We walked around the farm a little, saw the new born calves and lambs and talked about the dairy herd. They milk on average 170 cows and sell to Marks and Spencer.

Then we drove to the train station, which was a blessing as managing my suitcases on the bus is a little awkward. I have a very large suitcase and another large tote bag as well as my knapsack and computer. This is different from when I had arrived as my knapsack was packed, but as I wanted to travel light to France and for the next few days it has become my suitcase and refrigerator. It has worked out fine. We got to the train station at 10:53 and I bought a ticket on the 11:06 train for 35.10 pounds. Fortunately they had a lift available as I had to go underground and to the other side of the station platform for my first leg of the trip. Cathy helped me get my bags across and the train arrived just on time. We said our good byes and I was off on another adventure. The first place I had to change trains was in Havant about 15 minutes away. This required hauling my luggage up an inclined ramp and over a pedway to the other side of the platform. From there I waited about 20 minutes to catch a bus to Guildford. On that journey I had lunch which was bread and cheese from yesterday washed down with a beer and followed by an apple. This train segment took about 40 minutes and we passed through some pretty countryside including golf courses and backyard gardens that were a delight. Getting off at Guildford I walked 10 feet across the platform on the same side of the tracks and after consulting with fellow passengers boarded my train to Oxford that was waiting at the station. I am on and seated by 12:37 and have access to a plug for my computer to keep it charged while I type this portion. This section of the trip takes about 1 ¼ hours and only stops at Reading before Oxford so is very direct. I have no idea what I will be doing in Oxford but will figure something out once I get there.
When I arrived there at 2:03 with my entire luggage I had to take an elevator up and over a pedway and back down to cross the platform. I checked at a bus tour company masquerading as a Tourist Information Centre, but did locate a cafe that had a WIFI connection about one block away which was still far enough considering all the luggage I had in tow. I signed on and found a message waiting from my friend Hein who lives in Evesham towards Birmingham that I should come and stay overnight with him and his family. I replied that I was on my way, towed my luggage back to the train station and bought a ticket for the next leg which was leaving at 2:50, so my timing was very good. It was a nice train ride out through the northern part of the Cotswolds and the train was not very full. We stopped at about 6 stations on the way but the trip only took about 53 minutes. Upon arrival I took a taxi to Hein’s house which was not far away but would have been nearly impossible with my luggage.

Once there I was met by Hein and his wife Selina who grew up in this area so it was a natural choice for them when they moved back to England from California. I also met their two sons Jost and Johannes. They also have two daughters, one in California and the other in London. Their address is The Gatehouse, Abbottswood, Evesham and they have a lovely home and gardens which I forgot to take pictures of. Hein and I toured the gardens both front and back and they have done a lot of work here and have more planned. After a lovely roast pork supper with all the trimmings, we went for a walk to the town centre taking a circuitous route through some historic sections. Evesham has a long history and in 1265, Simon de Montford who had temporarily wrested control of the country form the King (can’t recall which one) and introduced parliamentary control, was drawn into battle by the King’s son and unfortunately defeated at Evesham. There is a well on a private property where he is supposed to have died and it is appropriately named Battlewell. We continued our walk until we eventually discovered the true purpose of our sojourn which was a pub. It was very busy as tomorrow is a bank holiday, but we were able to enjoy our pint of bitter just the same. We walked back up the hill to the house about 11:00 where we enjoyed a nightcap and were off to bed about midnight. It was a very enjoyable day with a lovely family.

Pictures today show a blurry picture of the Cotswolds from the train, Hein and his family and a picture I took in Oxford that shows how everyone here walks regardless of their age and physical condition.

May 2

Slept in until 7:10 after all that walking yesterday. Read the train schedule and decided I should take the 10:50 from Caen to Ouistreham. Checked out the Mercure restaurant and what I wanted would have cost me €15. Now I don’t consider myself cheap, but even that was too rich for me. So I decided to take a walk around the area and see what I could get. This was before 8:00 and nothing was open except a couple of bread shops which I may stop at later. I went to the Chateau Ducal built or started by William the Bastard (same guy in the tapestry) in 1060. Caen has been sited here since 1025. This was a grand structure in its day with a moated keep. Unfortunately most of it was destroyed in 1944 and some has been restored. On the way back from here I saw a brassiere that was open for breakfast. I asked for un petit dejeuner and didn’t understand the full implication so ended up with a baguette and butter and jam and a nice cup of coffee. They make up for in coffee what they lack in beer. This was very tasty and took the emptiness out of my stomach. The lady who ran the place sang to the music on the radio and did a good rendition of Patsy Cline’s “I’m Sorry.” I told her “J’aime que tu chanter.” And she was very pleased.

On the way back to the hotel a man had a small open air vegetable and fruit stall. I bought two “Canada” apples grown in France, an orange and a banana for €.94. At first I picked up the fruit and he cautioned me saying that he would serve me. Again no English, but friendly. Next door was a boulangerie or bakery and there I got a baguette and an apple turnover for €2.10. I am all set for lunch. Back at the room I ate one of the apples. It was soft but very nice and juicy. Back home I suspect we would use it as a juice apple. By 9:30 I was ready to go and checked out and headed for the bus terminal. It took about 25 minutes at a leisurely pace and a stop for some elemental cheese at another stall. It was only €2.10 and by now all I had was a €50 note. That was no problem for the enterprising businessman who made change for me. I must have been nearly to the hotel yesterday when I turned around because all the streets going back looked familiar. I was unable to connect to a WIFI so had another good cup of coffee at a bar and read until the bus came. Weather this morning is overcast, about 15 and a slight mist in the air but no wind. The bus came right on time and left with me as the only passenger. It took a swing back through town and to my surprise stopped just outside of my hotel and picked up another 5 people. That was the last stop until we reached the ferry terminal. I picked up my boarding pass and waited 30 minutes until we went through security and took a shuttle to the ferry.

I scoped out a table, picked up a beer by 12:10 and proceeded to have lunch from my morning’s gatherings. The cheese was good, but the bread was ooh la lah, terrific and a banana for dessert. The ferry departed at 12:20; 10 minutes early so I’m glad I wasn’t late. The ride seems smooth but then again we aren’t very far out. The crossing is scheduled to take 3 ½ hours. After we were out for a while and up to peak speed the ferry seemed to be swaying from side to side and it was difficult to get your sea legs. I found a comfortable lounge chair and put the back down somewhat and was comfortable for the rest of the ride. I woke up at 2:05 English time and could see we were just going past the Isle of Wight and slowed down in the harbour. It was a smooth finish to the journey. I was off the ferry and through customs with no problems by 2:55. I walked about a ¼ mile to a bus stop and it arrived at 3:20. It was sunny and warm here likely in the low 20’s. I got off in Bosham at 4:00 and walked 1 ½ miles to the Bosham Church referenced in the tapestry. Kind of neat to come full circle. I walked around inside and got some good pictures and a brochure explaining its features. One picture in particular is of a tomb of an 8 year old girl, reputed to be the daughter of King Kanute. I have included a picture. I walked back ½ mile and was tempted to stop for a beer at the Berkley Arms, so I did. 4 horses attached to sulkies (Brent McGrath wouldn’t have approved) were tied to trees across the road while their owners had an ale. I saw two of them racing down the pavement in front of our bus previously. I walked the last mile back to the bus stop and discovered that I cover a mile in 10 minutes at a moderate pace. At the bus stop I checked the time and realized I had time to have a bite as it was 5:00. Same fare, still good but I should have had it with the beer. Now you realize that in France they drive on the right and two days was enough to confuse me as I was waiting on the wrong side of the road for the bus. Fortunately I realized this before the bus in my direction came and would have left without me. I got off in Chichester and to my surprise, the couple I had met last week on the way home from the Isle of Wight, had seen me get on the bus and recognised me by my hat. They were pleased to know that I had indeed made it to France and especially pleased that I was to Bosham.

I really can’t believe how much I squeezed into this weekend but was happy to be back home in West Dean to spend the night. I’ll check the train and bus schedules and see what tomorrow brings but I shall definitely be in another locale tomorrow.

May 1

This may be my longest post yet.

Turns out that this bank holiday is the French version of Labour Day, except there nearly everything is closed. I got up after a 6:00 wakeup call and was over at the bus terminal at 6:30. The person in the Tourist Bureau thought there would not be any buses today but was good enough to call and find out that the only bus going today was at 7:00. I bought my ticket for €2.80 and was on my way right on time. It took about 25 minutes to go direct to Caen and there I was let off at the Train Station. I tried to read the schedule but it was a little confusing as a lot of trains go through here. So I went to the ticket office and between my French and their English we bought me a return ticket to Bayeux for €11.40. I also asked them to check on a hotel for me there and when they did they said they were all full. I suspect they have a few that they patronize but since I couldn’t take a chance on that for a change I asked them to try in Caen. They did and booked a room at the Hotel Mercure, same chain as last night. The cost was €85 but they said it was one of the best they use. I decided to see if I could find the hotel and the tourist bureau as I had lots of time before the train left at 10:04. I couldn’t but I still had a nice walk around town and got some good photographs. Caen is an unusual town for being in such an old part of the world. A lot of it was destroyed after the Allied Forces came ashore on D-Day 1944. The Germans were so entrenched the only way to get them to leave was to bombard the area. Thus you see a lot of post war homes mixed in with the much older ones and the Chateau. I didn’t get to tour that today but hope to in the morning as it is close to my hotel.

Breakfast this morning consisted of cheese and biscuits I had bought yesterday and a piece of pastry I was able to buy at the only shop that was open. I complimented that with a cup of coffee from a vending machine, which was quite good. The train arrived right on time and it is only a 15 minute ride to Bayeux in a fast passenger train not travelling on freight lines. It was clean and comfortable and uncrowded. I saw a ticket from Bayeux to Paris for only €43 return and was almost tempted but I won’t go to Paris without Carol. Getting off at the Bayeux station I was approached by an Irishman from England who asked me if I thought the museums in Caen would be open today. I don’t know how he knew I spoke English but with my concern about the tapestry maybe not being open, we came to the optimistic conclusion that they would be. He had spent yesterday in Bayeux so was able to point me in the direction of the Tapestry by showing me the steeple of the Cathedral in the distance and saying, rightly so, that everything was close to the Cathedral. I set off walking and in about six minutes came upon a sign showing the way. At that moment a couple had just arrived in an upper parking lot by car and the gentleman got out and in a very French accent asked me something. When I said I was sorry I didn’t speak French he apologised and said, pas de problem and started to leave. I thought even though I couldn’t understand him that maybe I could still help him, so I said “Monsieur. Cherchez vous la tapestrie?” He looked over at me and said “Oui.” I said. “Je crois qu’il est en bas”. He took a look at the sign and we both walked down the steps and around the corner to the main entrance. Now the question was, is it open? It was as it turned out and he was very appreciative but had never spoken a word of English.

At the entrance is a courtyard flying various country’s flags and I have a good shot of Canada’s. Unfortunately I was only able to take external photos as cameras are not allowed inside. Entrance fee is €7.40 and includes an audio guide. Before leaving England a few people had told me that they were somewhat underwhelmed as the tapestry was not as large as they had anticipated but it did not disappoint me. It is 70 meters long and about 1 meter wide. It is housed in a special building that controls light and humidity and considering it was made shortly after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, it is nearly one thousand years old and is impressive in many ways. It chronicles the story of how Edward, King of England, asked his brother-in-law Harold to advise William, Duke of Normandy,(bastard son of one of the King Richards), that he had been chosen to be Edward’s successor as he had no heir. The story line is a little murky but apparently, Harold had sworn an oath of allegiance to William and promised to help him ascend the throne of England when Edward died. That did not happen however as Harold, a Johnny on the spot at Edward's death, had himself crowned as King much to people’s rejoicing. However when Haley’s comet appeared they took it as a bad omen (I’m not making this up) and were uncomfortable with the situation. When William heard of the duplicity he set about organizing an army, building ships and sailing to Pevensey. Harold found out about William’s arrival and galvanized his army and a battle took place at Hastings. It only lasted one day and ended with Harold being killed by being struck with an arrow in the eye and the rest as they say is history. William was known first as “The Bastard” and from then on as “The Conqueror.” This was the last time that England was conquered. (Sarah and Jim I may not have all the facts right here, but I hope I captured the essence.) He still had a tough time gaining control of England, but that’s another story for another time. They had a good film that could be viewed afterward. It only lasted 16 minutes and I saw all but 4 of them. They also had some excellent dioramas and reproductions of what soldiers would have worn at the time. A visit to the gift shop for a book and a few postcards to replace untaken pictures and I was on my way.

I headed to the City Centre towards the Cathedral. On the way, hunger pangs set in so I stopped at one of the many restaurants that were open. I selected a pasta vigorelli (Alan you will know what this is) and a lovely white wine, though I didn’t get to see the label. The meal was huge, but the past was real and the sauce delicious. Carol and I would have reverted to our usual practise of sharing, had she been there. At any rate I polished it all off but didn’t have dessert. I sat beside three people from England and they were very nice but were late getting here as their tour bus was blockaded by a group of French people protesting working conditions. Apparently this is a common practise on this day. After lunch I went to the Cathedral which is a marvellous piece of engineering. It was built in 1077 so once again, very important historically. I have some lovely pictures of this but will only put one up today. Walking around the city, I saw a lot of flags flying and Canada was prominent. I checked in at the Tourist Centre and picked up a map and wanted to walk to the British War Memorial that Richard and I had walked through at midnight 4 ½ years ago. I will never forget that evening. So off I went and in about 15-20 minutes was on it’s doorstep. I took quite a few pictures, this time of individual headstones from different counties. I saw some from Arabia, Australia, Britain, Canada, Czech, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Soviet Union. So many young people died. It was once again very moving.

I next walked back to the Cathedral and found a public washroom which wasn’t near as neat and clean as Chichester. I stopped for some camera batteries at one of the few stores that was open and got 4 for €3.80. I wanted to rest my feet a little so stopped for a beer at the Tapestry Garden Restaurant. I had an Amstel and have arrived at the conclusion that the French don’t do beer well. It is a lovely sunny day and I sat there in my shirt sleeves. I walked to the train station to catch the 5:00 run. One appeared at 4:40 and left at 4:42. I got on and hoped I was going to the right place. The worst thing that would have happened is I would have had a new adventure. No problem, 15 minutes later it pulled into the Caen station. I was determined to find the TIC and my hotel this time. I knew what general direction it was in but after half an hour I found the TIC but was told by a French couple it was closed today. They offered to assist me by showing me a map and locating my hotel on it. I think I had nearly been circling it. I walked off down in that direction but streets are poorly marked here. I was about to go into another hotel and ask, even though it would be poor form, but as I looked up there was a big city map on a board by the marina. I located myself on the map and though “Gee I must be close.” I took two steps literally and looked across the street and saw my hotel. So help me it wasn’t there a moment ago.

I walked in, gave them my credit card. The reservation had already been charged. They gave me an adaptor to use so I could charge my computer. The place is very clean, bigger and more modern than last night’s and is close to a lot of restaurant and bars. Well this has been hard and thirsty work. I think I’ll go and have a libation.

April 30

Well I might as well tell you that I am not going to be staying in England for three months as I had originally planned. This is because the concept was that Carol would come over for a few weeks in the middle and that would give me my fix that I need from her. As it turns out, she is not able to come for a variety of reasons and I am unwilling to stay here that long without her. Therefore on May 6 I will be flying home. With yesterday my last day at the gardens, I am taking a week for travel. My first destination is to France. Four and a half years ago when we were here with Richard and Margan we spent a day and night at Bayeux visiting all the D-Day museums and beaches including Juno Beach. We didn’t have time to see the tapestry and I always said I was going to go back to see it. So I caught the 8:15 bus to Chichester, the 9:10 to Portsmouth and arrived at the Brittany Ferry Terminals at 10:00. My intention was to take the Fast Ferry across to Ouistreham outside Caen but would you believe it only travels on Friday to Sunday. Not to be put off I booked on the 2:30 traditional Ferry to Ouistreham and the Ferry folks were able to book a hotel right next to the arrival destination as I get in at 9:30 tonight and don’t want to bother travelling anywhere that late. I also booked a return trip on the Fast Ferry for Saturday getting back here for 3:00. I love the fact that everything can be booked in one place and the total cost was only 86 pounds, all taxes included. By 10:30 all was arranged and paid for. Nothing more to do but wait for the sailing.

I walked back a way into the city and picked up a few things to munch on; cheese, biscuits and allsorts, my favourite candy. Back to the terminal and bought a copy of the Times. Also had lunch from a cafeteria there – beef bolognaise and a Guinness. There must be lots of nutrition in that combination. We boarded for the ferry at 1:45 and the security check is nothing like the airport but that’s fine with me. There is a light mist in the air but as we were at sea about 3 and ½ hours, the sun started to shine. You know the English say I bring the good weather with me. Maybe the French will think the same thing. The crossing has been extremely comfortable, unlike the last time we crossed and the voyage is very comfortable. There are a lot of French students, junior high age, on board and they are having a great time, a lot of laughter and what appears to be good camaraderie and it is pleasant to see the youth enjoying themselves. There are lots of deals in the Duty Free shop but so far I have resisted. I will likely pick up a bottle of wine for the room tonight. I brought a corkscrew Alan.

I strolled the boat not really wanting a drink but did inquire about having access to a power source to charge my computer. After leaving my passport I was able to get an adaptor that the English adaptor that my computer was plugged into was able to fit. From then on I was able to download and arrange all the pictures I had taken. About 6:00 I was feeling a little peckish and walked down to the self serve cafeteria. The only substantial meal they had was roast chicken and I opted for it with fries. This was a far cry from last night and too soon to compare to Sarah’s. At any rate I drenched the fries with vinegar and salt; they were not home cut. The best part of the meal was the 250ml bottle of white wine from the Cellier des Dauphins, Cote du Rhone. Altogether the meal was 9.10 pounds and after I finished eating with the noisy kids outside the cafeteria, I took my glass and remaining wine to a lovely seating area on deck 8 and proceeded to have wine and cheese for dessert while I wrote this up. I also started the book “Les Girls” by Constance Tompkinson, Jane Riley’s Mother and it is well written and very amusing.

By 7:30 I could see France and we land in one hour. Now you know there is a first class on airlines and also on ferries. Apparently if you pay an extra fee you can sit in the front of the ship and actually see where you are going. Oh yes, they have large comfortable reclining seats. Well I found this just after 7:30 and opened the door and since no asked me for a ticket I sort of just walked in, found a nice seat two rows back and watched the rest of the trip. We landed a little early and it was no trouble getting off and then taking a shuttle to the ferry terminal. I stopped at the Tourist Bureau to ask directions to my hotel and discovered it was just across the street. I also discovered that tomorrow is a Bank Holiday in France. Who knew? What that means is that there is only one bus going to Caen in the morning and from there I catch the train to Bayeux, maybe. The only bus leaves at 7:00 am and I have already put in my wake up call. Every place I go has Bank Holidays. Even England has another one on Monday. I was able to connect to the WIFI at the hotel and update this blog tonight. You may not hear from me for a day or two if I don’t have further access or find another adaptor to charge my computer. So stay tuned for France. Good night.

April 29

Well today is my last day to Work at West Dean Gardens. I was up at 5:30 and packed my luggage so that I could store it with Cathy and Nigel while I do a little sightseeing. Its sunny and about 20 More about that later. I was off to work at 6:45 to get some early morning pictures. Half way there I realized that I had forgotten to make my lunch so it was back to the house and then after a quick lunch preparation was back to the Gardens. I did get a few pictures but mainly of birds; goldfinches that look nothing like ours except the shape and movement. I also took the time today to get pictures of everyone who worked there doing their regular jobs. I am going to miss them. This morning, work consisted of edging a bed opposite the laburnum arch and it went very well. At tea time, Sarah had provided a lovely cake to recognize my last day here and it was very much appreciated. I continued to work on the edging and a group of volunteers under Steve’s direction worked at the far end working towards me, cleaning and weeding. The result has turned out very well and is a huge improvement over when I first looked at this two weeks ago, This continued until 11:00, when Anne and I started to plant the rock garden using plants that Jim had set out in a pattern. There were ferns, cyclamen, hostas, violets, ajuga and others that made a very nice vista. Yesterday and today I had started using a bicycle for travelling back and forth to the staff room and I don’t know why I waited so long. At any rate I rode one back at lunch and joined two volunteers in the walled fruit garden while we ate our lunch. Some very interested and dedicated people volunteer here. It was sunny and about 20 degrees today. After lunch we continued to plant and the work was reasonable easy as Jim had ensured there were no rocks under the plants he set out. There were some rocks of course as the soil in Sussex is made up nearly entirely of flint and there were lots of roots around the centre of the bed. We were concerned that we wouldn’t get everything planted before the end of the day and tomorrow is forecast for heavy rain. We worked along however and did accomplish our goal (though Jim says I missed one at the very beginning) and even took our tea break. We were all done and cleaned up by 3:45 and started the walk back to the office. Lots more pictures and then said good bye to everyone. I was to meet Sarah and Jim at their place (the Gardeners Cottage) at 7:00 for supper.

In the meantime I went home, sorted out the rest of my packing and then showered and over to the college to update email and my blog which you saw last night. Got to Jim and Sarah’s a few minutes early and had a lovely time watching Sarah prepare the meal and enjoying an ale. Jim joined us shortly and the conversations covered a broad series of topics from gardening, travel, beer, art, music and geography. Sarah and Jim are very erudite and can talk on any topic in an informed manner. Jim gave me a tour of the cottage which was built in the early 1700s and that fact is reflected in the design and additions that have taken place over the years. Some doors are quite short and the third floor has two rooms that would challenge those with any height. One of the things they asked was what I wanted to accomplish while I was there and did I. My response was to experience life in England while living and working in one place, gaining knowledge of garden practises that I could take home with me and just seeing if I could work at physical labour for an extended period now that I am getting older. I definitely accomplished all three of these goals. Dinner was a fabulous roast chicken dinner, with a full suite of vegetables including home cut potatoes. Dessert was a custard flan creation and the wine was a lovely Pinot Grigio.We finished off with coffee which Sarah pretended to be concerned about because I had done a rant once saying that I couldn’t get a good cup of coffee in England and the cups they served it in were meant for tea and too small. Well she did a great job of preparing a lovely Java and I was offered a large mug. It was quite good and definitely the best I have had yet. Jim and Sarah are great hosts and a lot of fun. They don’t take themselves too seriously, just their work and have the ability to laugh at themselves. At 9:45 I left for a walk home for the last time through the walled fruit gardens, around the college and down the back lane to the Selsey Arms and across the road to 108. I have walked many times at night and have always felt very safe. Home at 10:00, charged my computer and off to bed at 11:00.

April 27 and 28

Apr 27
Up and off to work at 7:00. The day is dreary looking but no rain yet. I brought my rain gear but decided against the wellies. My job today is to work on the rock garden and I have it nearly finished by 9:00 tea time and Jim suggests I work in the grape glasshouse with Rob as it is raining quite steady now. This is a nice dry job and I get to see the grapes developing. This is the third time I have been at them and they are really coming along. The process is to ensure espaliered branches have two twist ties on them, trim the ends where growth has extended to the desired limit and cut off any offshoots we might have missed. (There is a picture showing the grapes today)This lasted until 2:30 and then Rob, Steve, Chris and I were asked to replant about 1000 plugs that had been pulled up over the weekend we think by a rogue pheasant. The plugs were simply lying beside the holes so we didn’t know if it was a game they were playing or what. Anyway by this time the grass we were in was quite long and very wet and my decision not to wear the wellies was shown to be a mistake as there is only so much water that can be absorbed by regular boots with the obvious result.

Off work at 4:00 and walked home in a light rain. Had a nice shower to warm me up, then a beer to cool me off. Supper was a lovely roast beef carvery. I was pretty tired and started to read a book but fell asleep about 8:00. I think the dreariness of the day did me in.

April 28
Woke up at 4:00, no surprise here. Finally got up at 6, and after a light breakfast left for work at 7. Even though it was a lovely sunny morning the temperature was only 3 and there was a fairly heavy frost. I don’t think anything was damaged. Today Anne and I worked on planting the rest of the laburnum arch. Jim had laid out all the plants in the desired design. We mainly used cyclamen, asarum and ferns. We finished this by 10:30 and continued to work on the rock garden. It is really coming along and I have spent a lot of time doing the lower path by the water. I finished the job after lunch. In the early afternoon we took delivery of 60 bags of mulch delivered by Rob. Anne and I worked together mulching the entire bed on both sides of the arch and finished up just at 4:00 though we worked through our tea break. It was gratifying to see this completed and the plants really stand out against the mulch. The laburnum is just starting to put out blossoms and I know it will look stunning when it does. Pictures today show the mulched arch and the laburnum in blossom.

On short notice I had invited any of the staff who wanted to go to the Selsey Arms at 6 when they open. Shirley, Brian and Anne were able to go and we enjoyed a couple of drinks and had some friendly conversation. At 7:30 I was back at the house and had another good meal. Nigel and Cathy and I watched Chelsea vs. Barcelona in the first leg of a two game soccer match in the world championship It was a 0-0 tie and they played an extra 6 minutes. This game was in Barcelona and the next game is in May here at home. I must admit to falling asleep part way through the game and may have missed about 30 minutes of it. Off to bed at 11:00

April 26

Awake and up at 6:50. Had a light breakfast and after reading for a while caught the 10:00 bus to Chichester. I walked around the south gate walls and the Bishop’s garden. It is a very pleasant morning and about 15. Hardly a trace of wind. I attended the 11:00 service at the Cathedral and even sat in the same seat as the last time I was there. I feel like a regular. At the end of the service, an older gentleman sitting next to me asked me where I was from and so began the story again. This time however he had actually worked for Thompson Corp.for many years and had lived in Toronto for several of them. Sadly though he had never visited NS.

Right after the service I walked down East Street to St. John where I knocked on the door of Stephen and Jane Riley, friends of Eric and Barb Ruff of Yarmouth. We had been corresponding by email for some time and today was the day that finally we would get to meet in person. Eric had said they were very nice and he did not exaggerate. They treated me as if we had known each other for years. They have a lovely home just outside the town walls built in the 1800s. They have a wonderful backyard that is filled with gardens and a lovely birdbath which is a memorial to Jane’s parents. As it turns out her mother was born in Canso NS, the daughter of a minister. She moved to New York in her twenties to become a dancer and eventually appeared on stage. We had a lovely bottle of rose and talked in their backyard for about an hour. It was so pleasant as they have flint walls about 8 feet tall and this creates their own little micro climate. There is also a sculpted hanging on the wall that reminded me of Eric. I’ll include it in today’s photos.

Dinner was served about 2:00 and it was a marvellous shepherd’s pie with peas and cabbage, followed by a dessert of cheeses, grapes and a lovely red wine. After dinner we talked again for quite some time and then left for a walk around the town including a Catholic church which I had been unable to find and a section of the Roman walls that I had not seen before. They also took me to St. John’s Chapel, a former church now managed by trustees. One of the features of this chapel is a three tiered pulpit, quite rare. Two of the pictures today shows Stephen and Jane preparing to deliver not a sermon but a rant and one of myself. Back to the house for tea and biscuits (not cookies) and finally they showed me a shortcut to my bus and waited with me until it arrived at 5:10. They have travelled extensively in Nova Scotia, visiting with Barb and Eric and just touring around by themselves. They are true adventurers, not afraid to take the road least travelled and often find themselves in places others might not go, but they have wonderful experiences when they do. I hope that when they return to Nova Scotia, Carol will have the opportunity to meet them and maybe the six of us will get together. There is a picture of Stephen and Jane as well as one of their backyard included today.

Just an update from last night. I had gone to supper with Derek and his wife Angela. Derek picked me up and brought me back home which was good because I don’t think I would have found his place easily. After a lovely bit of conversation and drinks, I was treated to a lovely salmon dinner, followed by coffee and dessert. Home by 10:00. The treatment I have received at this end has been nothing short of terrific and reminds me to be welcoming to visitors to our area when I get home. Here is a picture of Derek and Angela.

April 25
Up at 6:00. Rain had fallen over night and likely had just stopped. Hoping for a clear day but expecting it to be cooler. After a good breakfast I caught the 8:20 bus to Chichester and after some minor confusion took the 700 to Portsmouth at 9:55. I was able to buy a single ticket that was for unlimited trips today on the bus, the Cat Ferry return to Isle of Wight and bus service on the island all for 16.50 pounds. That is a very good deal. The bus stops frequently on the shore route and took about an hour to arrive in Portsmouth. The sun is shining and the temperature is about 15. There is a breeze though and I am glad I wore a jacket. I basically walked off the bus directly to the Fast Ferry Terminal and we departed for the Isle of Wight at 11:20. Crossing takes about 18 minutes and is reasonably smooth. There are a lot of sailboats out on the water, but the ferry goes right through them. After landing I walked about a half mile across a walk/roadway to the island arriving in the town of Ryde. It is a fairly small island with about 70 miles of paved roads around the perimeter. I checked at the Tourist Bureau for information on Dinosaur Isle, the main attraction for me. If I had time I would consider something else. The bus station was right across the road and a bus comes along every 15 minutes. It is very efficient for a small island. It took about 20 minutes to go about 10 miles due to the frequency of stops, but I ended up in the town of Sanddown, sort a seaside resort. A ten minute walk along the coast put me at Dinosaur Isle.
Along the way I saw a lot of children playing some sort of an organized sport on the beach, lots of people walking dogs and several families playing in the sand. Off in the distance was a huge chalk cliff. The admission to Dinosaur Isle, a museum, is 5 pounds. It had a very good illustration of how geology has played such an important role in the formation of fossils and had lots of examples of fossilized mammal bones and marine fossils. They even had a section on Ichthyosaurs, large marine dinosaurs and an illustration of the largest one collected in British Columbia by Betsy Nicholls (deceased) of the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Also they had a picture of Samuel Buckland, a prominent palaeontologist and I wonder if he is related to the Garden Manager, Jim Buckland. I must ask him. They also explained how rocks called flint are formed. As you will know from previous postings, flint is the prevalent rock material in this region. Apparently sponges have spines which are made of silica. When sponges die en masse or over time where they are heavily populated, the soft material decomposes and the silica spines are left. They are then compressed over great lengths of time through the chalk mud in a marine environment and form flint.

I was too hungry to continue at this time and went next door for something to eat. It was 2:00 and I went next door to what looked like a nice restaurant and I chose a crab sandwich which was very disappointing, perhaps my first poor meal, while I was here. Oh well! I returned to the museum and continued through the dinosaur collection which though relatively small was extremely well documented and displayed. They have a few complete or near complete skeletons of sauropods. I struck up a conversation with Peter, the manager and he was very helpful. He was interested in where I was from and I told him about Joggins and Parrsboro. I also complimented him on the Betsy Nicholls reference and told him about my association with the RTM. He said that their curator, Steve has been to North America to give talks, likely at symposia and I’m sure I would have a good time talking to him. Peter directed me to the cliffs where I could look for fossils and I spent a very pleasant 2 hours walking on the sand scouring the area near the base. There is a lot of erosion there so lots of mud slides are occurring naturally. I did turn up one piece of material that had lots of trace fossils on it, likely worm tubes, and when I turned it over discovered a small tooth about 5mm long. It is permissible to keep fossils collected on the shore so it will be coming home to my collection. I also scooped up a little sand for Carol as she likes to collect sand from beaches we have visited.

I walked back into town and caught the bus back to Ryde. It was about 4:45. There are a lot of nice shops on Union St. Going up towards the town centre so I took a stroll. I got one really nice picture looking back at Portsmouth and could see what is called the Spinnaker Building, Portsmouth’s Millennium project. I captured a picture of house prices in a realty store and it is apparent that they are much more reasonable than the mainland. Upon further investigation, the employment situation is not too bright on the island; so many people travel the ferries daily to the mainland for employment. This would definitely have a dampening effect. One business that seems pretty popular is pubs however and as it was nearing time and lunch had not been that successful I decided to try out S Fowler & Co. Pub a JD Weatherspoon franchise who were having a Festival of Ales. You could get a burger and fries and an ale for 5.10 pounds, a very good price. I chose one from Stoke on Trent, a dark ale that looked like Guinness but was said to be flavoured with Chocolate and Vanilla. It was called Titanic Velvet Curtain and was very good, despite its name. The burger was good and the fries were home cut. One thing I really like about British prices is that they include the VAT in the menu price so that is what you pay. I think we should be able to devise a program in Canada that does that even if we have to adjust other variables because of provincial disparity in taxation.

I finished my meal and ale and walked back to the ferry terminal. The tide is dead low now so I understand why the terminal is so far offshore. One other method of getting here is by hovercraft and I have 2 good pictures, one where it is 50 metres out in the water and another where it is 50 metres on the mud. The channel now is dead calm and the ride back was very smooth. On the way over I had struck up a conversation with a couple who were going to the island for a family affair. They were very interested in what I was doing in the area and I saw them again on the way back so we sat together on the ferry and talked about our respective days. It is always my accent that gives me away and from there conversations about where I’m from just naturally occur. They are always fascinated by Canada. It is amazing how many of them have a relative here but it invariably turns out to be Vancouver.
Once again getting the right bus back to Chichester was a little confusing but I struck up a conversation with another couple who were basically going my way and between us we managed to get on the correct bus. Again the conversation developed over my volunteering at West Dean and what a marvellous idea they think it is. We both had to change buses in Chichester and since they were about 30 minutes off we decided to go to a nearby pub, have an ale and continue the conversation. The gent introduced me to Abbott’s Ale, a very nice brew indeed. These Brits really know their ales. We said good night and went to our respective bus stops. At mine, there was a fellow about my age waiting. We exchanged pleasantries and again the story of my being here was repeated. As it turns out he had been involved in some of the instruction at West Dean College and was very knowledgeable about the Edward James Foundation. He recommended that I visit Bosham back toward Portsmouth and see the church there that is reputed to be the burial place of King Kanute. We sat together on the bus and he said that he thought I was the first Nova Scotian he had ever spoken to. Well there is one less of the uninitiated in the world today. I got home about 9:15, had a talk with Cathy and Nigel about my experiences today and went off to my room to read before going to bed. Turns out I only read two pages of a good PD James novel and fell asleep. Pictures today are of the chalk cliffs at Sanddown, Sailboats on Isle of Wight and a dinosaur from Dinosaur Isle

Apr 22, 23 & 24

Well I know it has been a few days since I updated but will try and bring you up to date. Weather wise this week has been absolutely lovely. Sunshine, light breezes and temperatures around 20 for the high and about 10 for the low. I have been able to get up early each day and have a nice walk to the gardens. Sometimes I am greeted by a rooster crowing as I pass by its pen on the other side of a hedge before I get to the College gate. Yesterday morning there was a heavy fog in the air that caused a coolness on my bare legs as I have started wearing shorts to work rather than changing part way through. However with a sweater on I am very comfortable. This will be the earliest I have ever had a tan.

As for work, I told you on my last post that we were expecting to plant 25,000 plugs. Well that figure has been updated to 31,000 and I believe that figure is closer to reality. On Wednesday, Rob, Steve, Chris and I continued to plant several different beds around the college. On Thursday Steve was replaced by Dennis, a student from Holland for the day and we finished planting the beds around the college including an area outside a tennis court on the river Lavant that flows through the gardens. Some of the soil in this area was quite flinty, which meant a lot of pounding the dibber into the ground to make a hole big enough for the plug to fit in. Then in the late afternoon, we went to the arboretum with Jim, Garden Manager and the five of us continued to plant plugs for the remainder of the day in some lovely open areas; not quite glades but places that show the flowers very well. By now we are mainly planting primroses. After the primroses were all done we took the remaining trays full of cowslips and went further into the arboretum. We finished the day here knowing that tomorrow we would be finished the entire planting. Transportation for this stage was in an open wagon on the back of a tractor. This is a rough form of conveyance over mostly a dirt track and some times over a cattle gate. Jim has been known to say to the tractor operator “those aren’t potatoes in the back” when the passengers might feel a bit of a bumpy ride.

Yesterday, April 23 was St. George’s Day and I did get an email reminder of this from Margan and Richard. Google’s home page was all done in the red and white for the occasion. I had made contact with the Chichester Priory Rotary Club and indicated I wanted to go to their regular meeting. I spoke to a Mr. Hall who informed me that they had switched the night to Thursday in honour of ST. George and that the usual venue was changed but I was indeed welcome to come. And in the true Rotary fashion he offered to come and pick me up, drive me to the event and take me home afterwards. He picked me up outside the Selsey Arms, an easily recognized landmark and drove me through Goodwood, telling me about the various events that are held there. We ended up in Oving a small community outside of Chichester at a large hall. The parking lot was full. The cost of the meal was 20 pounds and a good bottle of wine could be had for 5 pounds. I bought the wine for my host and myself. I was seated by several Rotarians from the Midhurst club that I had visited two weeks ago and renewed acquaintances. I was introduced to the President, Bernard who I had corresponded with prior to coming over and he had been very helpful in suggesting things to do while I was here. They had a meal which was a fabulous meat pie with vegetables and potatoes and a nice chocolate dessert. They served coffee but so help me I just can’t take another cup of this. During the evening which lasted about 3 hours they had various toasts by celebrities including someone with the title of “Sir” and a very funny pageant about St. George and the slaying of the dragon. It was the hit of the night. It concluded with the singing of three British songs, one about Sussex by the Sea and There’ll always be an England. Quite rousing indeed. One of the requirements of attending was to wear something red and when I told my host I didn’t have anything, he offered to and did bring a tie for me so I wasn’t out of place. Of course I forgot to give it back to him so will have to try and find a way to return it when I am next in Chichester. I didn’t get home until after 10:30 and was right off to bed.

Friday morning was the latest I slept in -6:30. No problem as I have good routine now. I still had breakfast and made my lunch and was off to work by 7:10. The sun was shining and it was likely 15. Jim had told us that a troublesome pheasant was out last night picking out some of the plugs that we had put in by the sunken garden. He was setting up a sprinkler and the pheasant was oblivious to his presence and no doubt shouts. There is someone involved with pest control in the gardens and he had been alerted to the interloper. He wasn‘t seen today. As I knew was to happen, Rob and I alone were left to plant the remainder of the cowslips in the arboretum. We took the tractor and trailer up the hill and got to work. In order to get the plugs out of the trays in which they were grown (by the way they were started as seedlings on Aug 1 last year) you invert the trays and drop them from a height of about 2 feet onto a table. This is most effective at releasing about 95% of them and the remainder can be taken out by hand. There are about 100 to a tray and two trays fill a bucket. While Rob dibbered, I plugged and we continued right through lunch and finished at 12:30. We gathered up the gear and drove back to the staff room where we had lunch and then finished off the afternoon, which stops at 3:00 on Friday by cleaning up boxwood hedge clippings so that the gardens would look neat and tidy for the weekend patrons. There is no doubt that Jim and Sarah have instilled the staff with the fact that in these gardens, appearances are very important.

Tonight I have been invited by one of the volunteers, Derek of the bowler hat to have supper with him and his wife and he is picking me up at 6:00. Must go and get ready.
Today’s pictures include, one of me planting, the Orangery at the Gardens and a picture of the fridge in the staff room. Talk about being made to feel welcome.

April 21

Slept very well last night after a wonderful ham, neeps and tatties and creamed asparagus dinner. I woke up and rose at 5:45. Had my breakfast and made a lunch as usual and headed off to work early, arriving at 7:00. Lots of time to write up my journal and talk to the other workers. I was able to get a couple of plants identified that I had photographed. There are lots of resource materials and Anne is particularly helpful. One thing I had forgotten to mention last night was that I had seen a pair of kites circling over the college. They have been reintroduced to this region and as far as Sarah is aware, the Estate is the only area where they have been successful. They are large birds and often waft on the currents.

Today I am assigned to work on planting plugs. These are plants such as primrose, cowslips, clover and others that are planted in specific lawns to naturalize. A plug is the soil and plant after a seedling has started to grow and leaves have established. The process to plant them is to use a dibble which is a tool made of iron, about 3 feet long and a pointed metal end. It has two foot bars near the bottom for pressing the dibble into the ground. The result is a hole about 2 inches deep and about 1 inch square. Into this hole is placed a plug so that the top of the plug is at or slightly below the surface. It is best done with one person using the dibble followed by another person planting the plugs which are carried in a pail. We used this process today with 4 people, Chris, Rob, Steve and myself. It was a beautiful sunny day likely 20 degrees and I worked in shorts and a t shirt in the afternoon. Jim and Sarah were taking the plugs from plastic planting trays, putting them in the buckets and then wheeling them down on a yard bicycle, the standard form of transport for them and very practical indeed. I have a couple of pictures today of my three partners plugging and one of Jim, his first day in shorts. They are a short version of the overalls he wears daily as seen on the West Dean Gardens website.

We have about 25,000 plugs to plant before Friday. Earlier this year Jim, the Head Gardener had previously surveyed the lawns to be plugged and sprayed the grass. This has two effects, it turns the grass brown to show the dibber where to put the hole and kills the grass to take away competition from the new plant, giving it a fighting chance to succeed. Today we were able to put in the full allotment of plugs in three different areas. We finished up right at 4;00 and it was a very enjoyable day with a lot of good humour from everyone. As is my usual practise I picked up my computer and headed back to the college to update this blog. I am writing this at 6:15 enjoying a Guinness. The wisteria on the pergola is starting to leaf out and I have included a picture of it for your viewing pleasure.

April 20

Woke up at 5:00 and rose at 6.00. It was a nice morning and a good walk to work. Today I am doing the edging on the rock garden and it turned out very well. There was also another small bed opposite that required deep edging and I completed that as well. Between the two beds I removed a wheelbarrow full of flint rocks. You have seen enough edging so I am not going to bore you with another picture. After lunch I used the magic onion hoe and scoured the rock garden. The intention was to remove any moss that was not growing on rocks and define the edges of the rocks so that when mulch is added they will show up plainly. While there are many nice plants here, the concept is to show off the rocks as well. Using the onion hoe is a process that is best done on your hands and knees and placing weeds and moss in a bucket to be carried to a wheelbarrow for subsequent disposal in the mulching yard. By the end of the day I was still only ¾ way through and will finish tomorrow morning. After the mulch is applied I will add a picture.

Now for the nature news. Everyone was twitterpated (Bambi reference) I saw Pigeons doing it, 4 drakes chasing a duck and I heard other suspicious noises in the bushes. I am including a picture of 5 ducklings and their Mom, products of previous action as well as a nest that was on a little island right off the rock garden. I didn’t even know it was there until the small black duck, which I believe is a coot, (not an old one like Barry) until she started to make warning noises as I must have been getting a little too close. There are 4 brown eggs in the nest. I will include a picture of her on it tomorrow. Yesterday I showed you a few lambs and today I’ll show you a whole field. More evidence of promiscuity.

Well for some reason I am very tired today; it was only a 2 day weekend rather than 4 last weekend; so I am going back to the house for a hot meal, will likely read a book and drop off to sleep a little early. In the Immortal words of Elmer Fudd.....That’s All Folks!