Wordless Wednesday - A Simple Flower for a Simple Week

Enjoying half term week and the simple things in life.

Take care.

      

This week I am sharing with:

Wordless Wednesday

A New Milestone in Parenting

It's not spring but there are hundreds of butterflies fluttering around me.  Not in the garden but in my stomach.  You see, it's Mr Teen's birthday and with this one he has his first driving lesson booked in the afternoon.  He has wanted to drive all his life, wanted his independence and freedom to go where and when he pleases.  So, it was obvious what his gift would be this year!

As our baby has grown there has been the first word, first step, first day at school, first trip away from home, exams and first day at college.  Each new step met with a very anxious mother trying to guide the way.  It's so hard to cut the apron strings but this time, this moment of watching him drive, has been the worst parenting moment for me.  His uniform on the washing line is a thing of the past, it is time to move on.

Part of it is my selfishness, the feeling that he will be free to live his life without asking.  Eventually I will become the passenger and not the driver.  Another part is the fact that my baby is now a man.  We have had many disagreements lately and I think it is me trying to keep hold of my baby and that this moment of parenting has been the hardest for me.  We end the disagreements with 'are we good?' and the reply is always a hug before we have another disagreement.  Yes, this has to be the hardest time in parenting for me, the old wood making way for the new leaf.

So, after a couple of years Miss Teen will be doing the same, so it's just you and me Coco.  Stop foraging in the old leaves and picking up cobwebs!  Fancy a walk?

A Happy Birthday to my Mr Teen!!

ps. Hubby is about but keeps his feelings well hidden, I do believe he is as nervous as me!  He is just quiet and keeping very busy today :-)

Take care.

      

The Lion, the Horse Guard and the Old Father

Well, another week has passed so quickly and I can't believe it's the weekend already!  Are you finding this too?  Let's continue our journey in London and visit 'The Lion' (Trafalgar Square's lions), 'The Horse Guard' (Horse Guards' Parade) and the 'Old Father' (The Thames)!  

After leaving the National Gallery we continued on our rainy journey through Trafalgar Square with the proud bronze lions.  Did you know that the perfectly sculpted bronze was made from the melted French and Spanish cannons that were aboard the battle ships at the Battle of Trafalgar?

Trafalgar Square is always busy but this isn't due to pigeons anymore.  Yes, there are some that still visit but hawks are occasionally flown here to keep the overpopulated feathered visitors at bay. Instead there are plenty of street entertainers, well apart from when it's raining.  Today the air was filled with the haunting melody of echoing bagpipes as this bearded gentleman blew his way through a Scottish melody.

Today it was a bit of a thankless task, but he continued regardless to entertain the soggy tourists.

The rain was slowing leaving puddles in its wake and the open London bus tour had obviously reached the National Gallery with the obligatory white rain macs for those who had sat upstairs on the bus.

Trafalgar Square, as wet as the fountains that flow within it!

We walked along towards Westminster and joined the crowds outside Horse Guards Parade.  The flash of red was a joy to see on this very grey London day.

Today was very different though.  Whenever I see the pomp and ceremony within the City of London, I feel proud and in awe of the all the work that it takes to organise.  But today, it felt tense, unnerving in fact.  The Horse Guards were like coiled springs, keeping charge of their horses but at the same time wary of anybody that came close for the typical photo opportunity.

They were checking everything, where the person was standing, who was taking the photo, who was passing.  Their eyes were everywhere and it felt uncomfortable.  In amongst the crowd, a now all too familiar figure of an armed policeman looking straight back at the Horse Guards, again watching every movement.  The expression hidden by a warm piece of material and only his eyes showing any movement.  Yes, the times we are living in now ensuring that the soldiers on display were safe.  After walking past here and looking in Horse Guards where the police were all on alert, it became much more apparent that protection was key.  It is saddening, upsetting and filled me with an unusual anxiousness that I have never felt before in my home town.

We walked towards Westminster and over Westminster Bridge which was absolutely full of a different sort of entertainer than Trafalgar Square - the con men!!  Three cups, which one is the ball under?  You know the one! There must have been at least ten of them, all blocking the paths.  Maybe they were taking advantage that the Police were needed elsewhere for more pressing matters, but how they annoyed me and others! Can you see the bottle neck they were causing on the right...

Let's just look at the flowing and calm Thames instead... that's better!

Things were a little calmer over on the South Bank and the street entertainment here were smiling and happily interacting with the captive audience!

The London Eye in the background slowly lifting above the bare trees.

And some singular quiet entertainment for someone on the river...

By now we were getting tired, after all we had done Selfridges, the National Gallery and a walk down to the River, so after a lovely hot chocolate on the South Bank it was time to head home.

And so, that was another day in London Town.  Guess what we are doing next week?  Yes, you're right, we are back again but in the Docklands this time.  A spot of ice skating amongst the towers of Canary Wharf awaits us!

Once again, thank you so much for your lovely comments (especially those of the Ugly Duchess!!) and welcome, welcome to some great new followers.

Have a wonderful Valentines Day if you are celebrating.  We have a certain Mr Teen's birthday, so we don't get sucked into the commercialism of the day of hearts and chocolates.  Instead we have candles and cakes... and this year, driving lessons!!

Take care.

      

A Visit to the National Gallery and the Ugly Duchess

So, are you ready for part 2 of my latest London trip?  Selfridges gave us a little retail therapy and some fantastic art displays in the windows, but now we were heading towards Trafalgar Square and seeking cover from the rain in the National Gallery.  The fountain sculptures noses are still dripping so are you ready for another cup of tea and a rich tea biscuit in the cosiness of your own home?  Here we go on a little tour of this amazing art gallery.

The fountains, lions and Nelson's Column are the theatrical prologue to the main attraction that is held within the National Gallery's walls.  Especially inviting with the rain continuing to fall.

Let's rush in and get out of the rain shall we?  People turning left, right and centre, making their way into the different corridors and rooms.  Maybe next time we will start at room number 1 and work our way around this way, but today it was a free for all.

For me, as well as the treasures that graced the walls, there were also treasures above our heads.

You can always tell it's me because the camera is pointing upwards in places like these instead of the masterpieces on the walls!

The intricate carvings are so beautiful and make my heart sing.

But of course there are the beautiful works of art hanging from the gorgeous wallpapered walls.

Urm, and the not so beautiful!!...

Isn't she gorgeous?!!  To think that this was painted in the 1500's.

The gallery containing Van Gogh's amazing work was full to brimming.  How I would have loved to take the photo of the Sunflowers but you just couldn't get near!  One painting we wanted to see in another section was The Ambassadors...

And to walk around to the right and to see Holbein's Skull that lays at their feet...

We were so glad that we managed to view this mind blowing painting.  

Gallery after gallery were visited as we marveled at the paintings, some familiar and some being seen for the first time.

At the same time the architecture just sang out to me.  The columns, glass, colour and detail were simply stunning!

However, after a trip around the souvenir shop it was time to go back into the London rain and to leave this marvellous building... for now!

The weather was a little more forgiving when we emerged which was welcoming for part three of our little trip on this day, so we decided to walk from Trafalgar Square up to Westminster and the South Bank... but that's for the next post!

Thank you so, so much for all your comments and visits for Part 1 and also for our little sprinkling of snow, I must apologise as I have been chasing my tail a little so I will hopefully get around to you all hopefully this weekend.  In the meantime, thank you once again, you are all so generous!

Now, to write part 3!!

Take care.