SATURDAY CRITTERS-South Africa's Blue Wilderbeast

I think it is time we travelled back to South Arica and for me to show you some more animals from that part of the world.  Today it is the turn of the Blue Wildbeast that I saw in Kruger National Park, South Africa. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing these Blue Wildbeast.

I am linking with SATURDAY CRITTERS.

Many thanks for your visit and also to all who leave comments.

FRIDAY'S HUNT and WEEKEND REFLECTIONS - Mount Stewart Gardens

Once again it is time for Friday's Hunt and Weekend Reflections and I found all the photographs at Mount Stewart Gardens, near Newtownards.  The word prompts this week are  a letter beginning with R, Texture and perhaps you can choose a FAVOURITE from the images below.  

As there are many RHODODENDRON coming into flower, these are a few of them below and this one happens to be RED.

I am sharing these 3 reflections from the lake at Mount Stewart with you and on it are Little Grebe and Mute Swan.

There are very many beautiful trees in Mount Stewart however today, to illustrate the word TEXTURE I have chosen three different tree barks. 

Leptospermum scoparium  

 Quercus suber - Cork Oak

Luma apiculata is a species of flowering plant in the Myrtle family.

I hope you enjoyed the photographs and you could find a favourite.

I am linking this post with FRIDAY'S HUNT and WEEKEND REFLECTIONS

Many thanks for your visit and also to all who leave comments.

GOOD FENCES - Mount Stewart

There are many seats placed round the grounds of Mount Stewart gardens, near Newtownards and I captured this moment in time when this couple rested on one of them as they overlooked the beauty of the lake. The flowering tree to the left is a Rhondendron and tomorrow I wil show you more of them.

Because my usual route round the lake was closed at the Japonese part, I came upon this newish bridge and was delighted to see these gorgeous Tree ferns.  

I hope you enjoyed this post and I am linking it to

GOOD FENCES.

Many thanks for visiting and to  all who leave comments. 

A FLOWER from Mount Stewart Gardens

This plant or least the bud you see here is called Beschorneria yuccoides and I photographed it at Mount Stewart Gardens.  I have taken this image and played around with it, so is there one of the images that you like more that the other?  Enjoy.  

Have you a favourite? If so, let me know.

Many thanks for visiting and also to all those who leave comments.

WILD BIRD WEDNSDAY - Oxford Island

Last week I took my bird group to Oxford island and I noted that there were not the numbers if birds as there had been previously.  I photographed a few birds and shot a VIDEO of Great Crested Grebes displaying.  Below is a Moorhen on her nest with 1 egg just outside the Centre itself.  Also there are shots of Mallard, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail and a Swallow.   

If the video does not appear below, CLICK HERE.



I hope you enjoyed this post especially the Grebes displaying on the video.

I am linking this post with WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

Many thanks for your visit and also to all those who leave comments.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY and THROUGH MY LENS - Mount Stewart

Once again I have managed to find all but one of the photographs for the Scavenger Hunt Sunday word prompts at the National Trust property, Mount Stewart, near Newtownards this week.   The words are Entrance, Open, Glass, Homemade and My City.

As you can see, this is the main ENTRANCE to Mount Stewart House and the portico, that is the structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, and is typically attached as a porch to the building, is large enough for a  coach and horses to draw up so that anyone could alight and not get wet.

As I OPEN the door on entering the house, I notice the beautiful brass lock. This is the oldest remaining part of the house and is thought  to date back to the very first building of Mount Stewart in 1780 called Mount Pleasant.  The lock is made from West Indian Mahogany and brass and every night this door is locked with a very big key. 

As I entered the Central Hall and look up, I see the gorgeous chandelier which dates back to George IV.  It is a cut crystal GLASS chandelier hanging on a chain with eighteen lights which now has been converted to electricity.

Central Hall Chandelier

 Victorian, 1850, pointed droplets called Alberts and triangular sections called Prisms. 

As I walked into Lady Londonderry’s Sitting room, I noticed two more lovely GLASS chandeliers and asked Paul, one of the guides to explain how the boat Chandelier came to be in Mount Stewart and you can hear that in the video below.

Sailing Ship Chandelier – early 20th Century glass donated in 1921 by Lady Cunard for charity sale held in Londonderry House , London to raise money for Airmen, Soldiers  and sailors and acquired by Londonderry .

If the video does not appear below, CLICK HERE. 

Now I thought I had seen all the rooms in Mount Stewart however when  I enquired if there was anything HOMEMADE in the house, only then did I discover a well equipped pot-pourri room which Lady Londonderry used. In it there is a heated frame and racks for drying flowers quickly which apparently is the way of keeping their smell.  Lady Londonderry would make up bags of pot-pourri to sell for charity at Charity events held on the lawn e.g. Red Cross.  I found bowls of pot-pourri in some of the rooms.

I live in a town called Bangor which is 13 miles east of the nearest city called Belfast. The other day I travelled up to MY CITY, Belfast and took a photograph of the front of Belfast City Hall for you to see.  

I hope you enjoyed the photographs I  chose to illustrate the word prompts.

I am linking this post with SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY and THROUGH MY LENS.

Thanks you for visiting and also to all who leave comments.

SUNDAY THOUGHT - Mount Stewart

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12 

Photographed at Mount Stewart

National Trust Property

Newtownards

2016

Many thanks for visiting and also to those who leave comments.