July 2008 Archives
Just back from a hot, hot, hot weekend in heavenly Hereford, which was perfect for Kate & Warwick's cocktail party and barbeque at Forty Acres yesterday and today's blessing plus idyllic riverside afternoon tea at Kate's dad's place. Here's hoping we get similar good fortune in a month's time.
Photos: Kate & Warwick's wedding celebrations
Take 12 kids and one no nonsense instructor. Combine in a London canal basin with the Islington Boat Club's sharktooth speedboat, kayak catamaran and colourful canoes. Result: one great 11th Birthday Party - as Jo's photos show....
Brilliant! I was rather tempted to join in, especially with the grande finale - the boat roof chute.
Pizza, crisps and chocolate cake completed the celebrations in style.
The roof terrace is looking particularly garden-like at the moment. Three large tomato /triffid plants in full growth, plus the two clematis plants seem to have shrugged off last year's slug onslaught and are fast taking over the trellis - and flowering!
Plus there are a couple of pots of geraniums, the fuschia Jean gave me for my birthday last year and a funny-flowered bushy pot plant that Jo gave me this year.
And on the lounge balcony I've seven surviving tomato plants courtesy of Cam in Bristol.
We're going to have a lot of tomatoes - I just hope they survive the week we're away in August....
... all 779 of them taken on Wild Frontiers' Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon - Spring Festival Tour in March 2008.
All photos are in my Bhutan - Land of the Thunder Dragon set on Flickr.
Photos day by day
Saturday 15 March 2008: UK - Delhi
Sunday 16 March 2008: Delhi - Bagdogra - Jaigaon (Hotel Anand)
Monday 17 March 2008: Jaigaon/Phuentsholing - Paro (Hotel Paro)
Tuesday 18 March 2008: Paro Festival (Hotel Paro)
Wednesday 19 March 2008: Taktshang (Tiger's Nest) trek - Thimphu (Pedling Hotel)
Thursday 20 March 2008: Thimphu: Folk Heritage Museum - National Institute for Zorig Chusum - National Textile Museum - 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival rehearsal - Motithang Takin Preserve - Post Office and Bank of Bhutan - shopping (Pedling Hotel)
Friday 21 March 2008: Thimphu - Huntsho Community Primary School - Dochu La Pass (3116m) - Lobesa - Wangdue Phodrang dzong and town (Dragon's Nest Resort)
Saturday 22 March 2008: Wangdue Phodrang - Khuruthang Goemba - Khamsum Yuly/Yuelley Namgyal Chorten and Mo Chhu river valley walk - Punakha dzong - Lobesa farmhouse and family - Wangdue Phodrang (Dragon's Nest Resort)
Sunday 23 March 2008: Wangdue Phodrang bazaar - Pele La pass (3420m) - Chendebji chorten - Trongsa dzong - Zungney village textile shops - Bumthang valley - Jakar (Lodge Rinchenling)
Monday 24 March 2008: Jakar - Chokhor valley walk (Jampey Lhakhang - Kurjey Lhakhang - Polling station - Tamshing Goemba) - Wangdichholing dzong - Yoser Lham shop (aka the Swiss farm shop) - Jakar town - Hot stone bath - Jakar (Lodge Rinchenling)
Tuesday 25 March 2008: Jakar - Shertang La pass (3590m) - Ura village - Thrumshing La pass (3750m) - Langur monkeys - Mongar (Wangchuk hotel)
Wednesday 26 March 2008: Mongar - Kori La pass (2400m) - Yadi - lemongrass distillation "plant" - Trashigang town and dzong - Rangjung town and Monpa or Brokpa ladies, local weaving - Bonfire and Quiz - Rangjung (Rangjung monastery guesthouse)
Thursday 27 March 2008: Rangjung - Thakcho Kunzang Choeden Anim nunnery - Radi valley walk (Khardung - fern-headed man - Khuru contest - weaving - farmhouse lunch) - Rangjung (Rangjung monastery guesthouse)
Friday 28 March 2008: Rangjung - Trashigang - National Handloom Development Project, Khaling - Samdrup Jongkhar - Guwahati (Dynasty Hotel)
Saturday 29 March 2008: Guwahati - Kolkata: Victoria Memorial / St Paul's Cathedral / market - Kolkata (Tollygunge Club)
Sunday 30 March: Kolkata - UK
Other photos from the trip
David's photos on Webshots
Maggie's photos on Flickr
Hazel's photos on Flickr
Next on the photo list: dad's 70th birthday dinner in Broadway (only four months after the event...)
Hirsel Cottage, St Andrews. Some of the photos look very familiar!
(Thanks Ruth!)