Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Autumn is on the way

As any of you who have followed my Blog before will know my friend Steve {the Waistcoat} is a fun guy 
                                 so here's one from one Fungi to another!


This beast was almost eight inches across!


This was a massive 'fairy ring' about a third of it is out of shot

Today I cycled out through Dodington again, past the strange building I shared with you the other day


The Old Chapel at Greet
The local history buffs in the area tell me it was originally the chapel to a The Lady Margaret Hospital, apparently it was built by the staff and patients 


Total ridden since last update 23.55 miles

My contribution to Cycle to Kolkata 
688.07 miles 
that's just over 11.097% of the journey


Monday, 25 August 2014

Bear Bunging and other nonsense!

Saturday and Sunday was the annual Cider Festival at Brogdale Farm home of the National Fruit Collection. As usual Kent Kite flyers where invited to entertain the children with our Teddy Bear Parachuting Rig.




Well Len enjoys himself

New for this year a Kite making workshop





And the little train attracted some interesting customers



When the wind wasn't strong enough for our lifter we made the kids tow the parachute!!!
  

Then the strangest things started appearing in the sky







SUnday was a bit more overcast and had less wind than Saturday


Wendy's wind garden

Ok so may be one to many ciders but it shows the bear bunging the wind garden and a kite from the workshop
And as we prepare for the hop festival next weekend I've been recreating Labyrinth's CD's so we have some to sell! 



And I've decided that my floor is not big enough for my hobbies




I need some more space for laying out new kites this one will eventually have six metre long tails!!

Total ridden since last update 29.72 miles

My contribution to Cycle to Kolkata 
664.52 miles 
that's just over 10.843% of the journey


Monday, 18 August 2014

Mileage update and a teaser

My next Kite project has started this will eventually be a Khushi Feet Ghost {my kiting friends will know what a ghost is} but if you don't click the word to see.


This is the start of the central logo not the easiest thing to sew so I make one big round and cut the excess off once its secured to the main sail.

The kite will be auctioned on 29th November at a gala dinner with a celebrity speaker.
Sorry cant tell you who the speaker is it wont be announced till 30th August.

Total ridden since last update 8.95 miles

My contribution to Cycle to Kolkata 
634.8 miles 
that's just over 10.23% of the journey


Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Summer Countryside and hitting 10%

So todays main aim was to vist three pubs, not to partake of there wears but to try and get some gigs for Labyrinth, it does also add to my exercise.  The route can be found here my first port of call was teh Plough at Lewson Street looks to be a nice country pub with an attractive garden, no gigs though!! 

My next stop was the Checkers at Dodington the bar I entered was quite dark but there is a nice court yard at the front and I think a garden at the back, the landlord has only been here a few weeks so is not sure if he wants bands or not! I then headed out toward Payden Street and Warren Street, actually took a wrong turn as the road I had intend to take looked more like a driveway than a road and missed Payden Street completely.

Between Dodington and Payden Street I found this strange building



I haven't a clue what it is, though it now sports a water tank it does not look like it was originally built for this purpose.



And the harvest is being gathered in, many fond memories of travelling to and fro  in the 'bluebin' on my uncles farm during the grain harvest.

The next pub was The Carpenters Arms at Eastling I was greeted by a cheerful landlord who appeared interested and said he'd pass the info to his other half who books the bands. I bought a half of Whitstable Bay Pale Ale, my water was running out, and chatted to a young lad at the bar about the band and what sort of music we played. He bought me the other half and it turned out he worked the bar at the Carpenters and two other pubs in the area so he took our details, you never know. 
From Eastling I headed home via Painters Forstal & Ospringe stopping to look round the church.  I always think the tower looks more like a dovecot than a church tower.


Think I'll have a word with the Vicar about this 'Its Locked!!





The Village War Memorial

My route home from Ospringe takes me past the back of the Shepherd Neame Brewery and close to the creek imagine my surprise to find the road past the brewery under three inches of water!!

Looking along North Lane the water is at curb level on the right 

I stopped at Town Quay the location of Faversham's Nautical festival and took some more photos

Normal at high tide you'd just see the black line on this boat


Last June against the wooden fence and just to the left of the black bollards was the stage we played on for the 2013 Nautical Festival!!!

 The next three shots are taken from the swing bridge across the creek

Lower Brents
Town Quay

Gas Works Basin

Total ridden since last update 26.13 miles

My contribution to Cycle to Kolkata 
625.85 miles 
that's just over 10% of the journey



Friday, 8 August 2014

Mileage update

Lots of cycling but no photographs as most of the routes I have covered before sorry I'll try and do some next week.

My contribution to Cycle to Kolkata 
599.72 miles


Saturday, 26 July 2014

Just a few flowers

Ok so I've been home for a week now and done nothing so here are a few of the flowers I took at Osbourne House whilst on The Island












Just had to share the pigs again



Magnolia grandiflora 

I've got back on my bike but not done any very long rides the longest can been seen here  but with the temperatures we have had its been a bit hot for me  to do any really long rides. The total mileage I've done this week is 32.04 miles 

My contribution to Cycle to Kolkata 
540.14 miles