Wisley after a side trip to Gatwick

Took youngest to airport for 10am Sunday 16th  – Gatwick – not exactly close but what the heck no way she was getting there otherwise. Her trip to Iceland was paid for so I guess she had better go !

Yoke and I decided that as it was a stunningly nice day to drop in at Wisley RHS garden - http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Wisley - as it was on the way, that was a good call as the day was indeed fantastic, touched 20c !

The Magnolias were in flower, as were the Cherry, Azaleas, Camellias, spring flowers, bulbs etc. The hothouse was in full flower for orchids and they had butterflies in as well.

A few shots to show what it was like,

Random Butterfly

Glasswing Butterfly

Camellia - one of many

Cherry Trees in full bloom

Main Glasshouse

Magnolia Black Tulip

Water Lily Lake

Comma Butterfly

Cymbidium Orchid

Magnolia in front of main building

Ladybird

Magnolia against the sky - it was clear blue all day

Magnolia Stellata

Magnolia Tree - yep, they grow that big

Owl Butterfly

Pasque flowers

Slipper Orchids

Strelitzia - Bird of Paradise flower

taking notes

Tree Nymph Butterfly

Treecreeper

Vanda Orchid

We left quite late but felt very relaxed, something about ‘spring has finally arrived’ I think.

There and Back again - a trip to Falmouth

Had to pick up youngest yesterday from Uni to bring her home en-route to a week in Iceland, so drove down from home 250 miles - picked her up and drove back, well not quite, I decided I needed lunch on the way back and detoured to Lydford Gorge. Its awsome in the sun mid week with almost no-one else there. lots of photos - mostly so - so.

The waterfall White Lady fall is nice, best part of 30 meteres in a staged drop.

Then off to the other end to see what the devil did before he bogged off to Georgia for a fiddle competition. The Devils Cauldron, getting down to it is not for the faint hearted although its safer now that the last time Yoke and I visited - then it was a couple of railway sleepers a couple of feet above the cauldron with a wire handrail on one side !

From the top 

The Cauldron

Youngest taking a few pictures

Looking into the viewing platform above the cauldron - as you can see between this picture and the one above part of the path to the viewing stage has only a handrail on the rock side

This is how the river looks as it flows into the Cauldron

Out above the caulron - down a few steps the river is a 'bit ' calmer

Wood Sorrel, Oxalis acetosella, first ones open - a bit early and very pretty

In all a nice couple of hrs realxing and taking photos and a good drive home. Now to get her to Gatwick Airport Sunday morning !

It was Yokes birthday on the 1^st March so we decided a weekend in Cornwall was called for, not quite as luxurious as the last time I took her for a birthday surprise but a nice weekend never the less. The Secret Garden Café were doing a special evening meal on the Saturday so that was booked as the birthday meal. A Middle Eastern Mezze, lots of wonderful tastes and scents to share, the food was excellent and the presentation was lovely. A most enjoyable evening.

Part of the reason for the trip down was to kit Verity out with cold weather clothing her for her trip to Iceland – mission accomplished in Truro followed by the really pleasant evening in Secret Garden - http://www.secretgardencafe.co.uk/ as before I would recommend this café if you happen to be in Truro – really lovely folk and great food  https://www.facebook.com/secretgardencafecornwall made the day a total success.

No trip to Cornwall is complete without a visit to a garden, we planned a trip to Caerhays Castle Gardens, however on this occasion the weather was not conducive so the other favourite location was pulled into play, Eden. To be honest I cannot see myself going to Cornwall and not going to Eden so it was still a good day even the weather was better than predicted – except when we were in the tropical biome and it hammered down outside, a strange sound to hear, heavy rain on the roof while in warm tropical plantings, rainforest without the rain, just the sound effects – works for me !

A few pictures, each time I go I try to find something new I have not seen or photographed before, started outside as the birds were definitly of the opinion that Spring had arrived

Male Goldfinch

Hedge Accentor - or common name Dunnock

Black Eyed Susan

Cherry Blossom

Spathe of a flowering tree - love the pattern

My mum used to grow these - Bizzy Lizzy - but this one is rare and almost extinct on its native island

Litchen with fruiting bodies

Papaya flower with fruit showing

Peace Lily

name to be investigated !

as above !

white eyed finch feeding on nectar

why is it called white eyed - well here is why !

Verity was so happy to find a tree frog - but it would not turn around to give us a front view photo - ah well 

After this we decided that Yoke and I would have a day in St Ives then head back home. Monday is nice and quiet at this time of year so it was a relaxed walk around before heading for home and the mayhem of work on Tuesday, a few pictures – the weather held even though the dark clouds were visible most of the day.

from the car part - looks nice but may get wet

harbour with tide out

waiting for tide to come in

beach huts

was a great windy wavey day and this guy was really cutting the waves he was having serious fun.

Time, its a sod, creeps up on you when you are not looking and them bam it hits you

Just realised its 26 years since I did a tour in the Falklands, I can still remember the landscape and the people, the wildlife and the scenery as well as the grand guys I worked with.

It was a bit of a strange thing to do, I had spent my early time in the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Engine Engineer on trainer aircraft for the first 5yrs then a bit of fun on Tornado's, the Tri-national squadron where our pilots and navigators flew with German and Italian aircrew to allow them all to work together. That was a lot of fun. Then off to St Athan in ‘sunny’ south Wales, EROS – Engine Repair and Overhaul Squadron, a damn factory, not an aircraft in sight. One day I got told I was off for helicopter training, Chinooks – Wokkas !

Next stop Falklands. For someone who was keen of photography and wildlife it was a bit of a okay thing to do – there was still a bit of ‘fun’ with Argentina playing silly buggers but most of the 4 month tour was 5 min satellite phone calls home each day, flying to remote outposts to take food, mail and drink to the army guys and keeping the Wokkas flying, keeping sane and getting through the time so as to come home.

They all had names, the aircraft, Timmy was the Tristar that took you there and home, Fat Alberts were the Hercules, we used to go to their site in the evening for later supper in Victoria’s bar, Chinooks were Wokka’s, it’s the sound they make. We had our own bar, Lot 22, that was the lot number for the ISO containers that we bought in the auction to make the bar from – silly but it helped.

The islands are so reminiscent of the Scottish Isles but with fewer trees, the wildlife was something else, Striated Caracaras, Turkey Vultures, Kelp Geese, Penguins of all sizes, Elephant seals, Fur Seals, Sea lions. My favourite haunt on my time off was Berthas Beach. Beautiful silver sand, clear blue sky, warm and sunny crystal clear blue sea, dolphins surfing the waves, then out of the water in front of you 30+ Gentoo penguins power out of the waves onto the beach and casually wander in front of you, surreal to say the least. A trip to Sea Lion Island got me pictures of arguing Bull Elephant seals and Fur seals as well as Chinstrap penguins amongst others. Here’s a tip, elephant seals like to lie out on rotting kelp, it gives off heat as it rots, never go downwind of a herd and breath in – its kinda hard to throw up and breath in at the same time – the stench is awesome.

We worked 12hrs on then 12 off then change shift for two months then you had 4 days off then start again till you fly home. Everything was shipped down that was not urgent so food for all was container shipped, storms in the Atlantic ocean often meant the ships were delayed, so,  whats for breakfast? – rice boiled or fried, the ships late! For a vegetarian it made life interesting.

The weather was grand, we had days where it started warm and sunny – went to snow and sleet – went to rain – went back to warm and sunny for the evening and then it looked like someone set fire to the sky. Just a normal day in the Falklands in April.

Having trips over the islands in the Wokkas was fun, drop the tail ramp – put on safety harness and sit with legs dangling out the back going backwards 50 feet up. Through the valleys over the tops and down the other side, there is no amusement park ride that comes even close to that experience. Saw Goose Green and all the other hot spots from the air.

I have to apologise for the lack of photos, I do have some slides but at the moment I cant find them and once I do I have to transpose them to digital, it will happen and I will post them.

This is the only one I can find at the moment a Striated Caracara, now very rare, it was common a bit like the Red Kite. Gone down in numbers for the same reason – morons with guns and poison. I got within 10 ft of this one.   

Apologies – this is a really bad copy via a flatbed scanner from ages ago.

Ah well, I have lots of memories of the trip and would go back on day if I could it is a really interesting place and the light and wildlife are awesome. I guess this was my key time in the Royal Air Force that will always be with me.