Friday Bench: Lonely Hearts

Another of the fab collaborations between Alan Call and Charlie Graham-May for last weekend’s #FringeFeb in Chippenham.

I love how shooting into the sun has added to the mood of this photo 🙂

 

Waving

A number of new signs cropped up around the centre of Chippenham at the weekend as part of the first #FringeFeb. A great way of cheering up what’s been a dreary February.

It was fun to go round spotting them. I didn’t get them all, but watch out for a special Friday Bench later this week 🙂

Friday Bench: The Repair Bench

Hubby and I love the programme The Repair Shop and often discuss which item we’d like the team to restore for us.

One of our garden benches used to belong to my parents in-law. It resided in their covered porch and was a useful stopping off point when loaded down with shopping.  It’s now our favourite bench in the garden and I love its more unusual design.

However, we’ve not looked after it that well the past couple of years and it was in sore need of some tlc. One replaced slat plus a couple of coats of timber preserver later and it’s as good as new.

Whilst we sat drinking coffee on it earlier this week, we talked about our bench’s former use and realised this was the very object we’d have taken along to The Repair Shop if asked, and we’d tell them how it brings back happy memories when we sit there. On the other hand, I’m happy to have my very own in-house Will Kirk 🙂

 

Friday Bench: Blackbird

I found a rather startled blackbird perched on my garden hose yesterday morning. By the time I’d grabbed my camera she’d unruffled her feathers, moved to the bench and was looking more with it. She mostly kept to the patio area all afternoon – she can fly though so all is well 🙂

 

Friday Bench: All the fun of the unicorn

Waiting for the train to whisk me to London, I kept on getting tapped on my shoulder. I turned round to find a bobbing unicorn balloon was the culprit. The owner was most apologetic when she heard the click of my camera and turned round to find out what was happening!

Bubblegum Pink

I went to Bristol by train recently and was surprised to find this bright pink Gumdrop near the ticket barrier. I whipped out my camera to take this photo, much to the amusement of the ticket attendant.

“That’s new, how long has it been here?” I asked her.

“Oh about a year”, she replied. So much for my powers of observation then.

“Not only that”, chimed in a fellow passenger, “it’s made out of recycled chewing gum.”

I looked more closely and by gum, she’s right…

Friday Bench: Christmas Greetings

Someone knows me very well!

May Christmas and the New Year be a good one for you and yours 🙂

Friday Bench: Remembrance

 

Friday Bench: Rosa ‘The Fairy’

Rosa ‘The Fairy’ has gone a bit bonkers this year. She’s in a pot, goodness knows what she’d do if she was in the ground!

It means the bench is out of bounds for a while whilst she sprawls about and makes herself comfortable.

Update: I’ve always been a bit uneasy about a rose which has 3 different colourways on offer in the catalogue. According to the RHS, the pink version is ‘The Fairy’ and I see the online offerings now show this as ‘Red Fairy’. Looking at my rose and their photos, I think I may have a case of Rosa mislabelledanthicus!

Friday Bench: With cowslips

An unexpected continuance of last week’s bench with spring wild flowers theme. I’ve been meaning for ages to photograph the restored ex bench in the Donkey Field nearby.

A walk back from town in the spring sunshine last week provided the ideal opportunity… and the discovery of a flash of butter yellow cowslips to brighten my view.

Looking at the previous photo, it’s interesting to see how the bench’s surroundings have changed. When it was an ex bench there was lush growth around it. Today’s bare ground and a stray pop bottle suggests it’s well used.

It’s that usage which probably allowed the cowslips to re-emerge or take hold for the first time. Around here they thrive and provide delight where the grass is kept relatively short.