'Tis the Season

sloes                                 gin                                            

Tennistastic!!!

What a tournament, what a match. Congrats to the Belgium organisers of the Davies Cup final who, in difficult security circumstances, staged a brilliant event. What a crowd, such a contrast to the stuffiness of Wimbledon. Great to see supporters who can be partisan and friends at the same time. One of the best doubles matches ever, and the Murray/Goffin match worthy of Centre Court.

Again, well done everyone who had a hand in this event.

Let's just drop a few more bombs!

(article from 'Dispatches' No 79)

In the early morning hours of 3 October, a U.S. gunship repeatedly bombed a Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan. The attacks killed 22 people, including 12 MSF staff and 10 patients, and injured more than three dozen patients and MSF staff. The hospital itself was destroyed, leaving several hundred thousand people without access to emergency trauma care. 

Survivors have recounted it as a horrifying experience. Beyond that, attacking a protected site such as a hospital is a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Conventions. The precise GPS coordinates of the four-year-old MSF hospital in Kunduzwere provided to U.S. and Afghan authorities in Washington and Kabul in the days prior to the bombing, and the hospital contained nearly 200 patients and staff at the time of the attack.

Investigations have been launched by the U.S., NATO, and the Afghan government, but it is impossible to expect the parties involved in the conflict to carry out independent and impartial investigations of acts in which they themselves are implicated.

It was for that reason, and in the name of our killed and wounded colleagues and patients—and for all of our staff and patients worldwide—that MSF called for an independent international investigation into the events of 3 October by the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC), the only permanent body set up specifically to investigate violations of international humanitarian law.

Now that the call to mobilise the IHFFC has been answered, we are calling for the United States and the Obama administration to consent to the IHFFC investigation into the Kunduz hospital bombing, as it must before a truly impartial truth-seeking investigation can be launched.

PLEASE SIGN NOW!

By signing this petition, you can add your voice to these calls and demand that parties to this conflict—and parties to conflicts the world over—respect the statutes of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Conventions

Golden Brown

Autumn in the City

and in the Forest

Soudley Ponds

Nagshead Nature Reserve

Black Country Pastimes

Inspired by Peaky Blinders we headed off to the Black Country Living Museum near Dudley. A real trip to the past. A learning experience for some a trip down memory lane for those of us who remember those times.

We were greeted by a working model of Newcomens steam engine, belching out smoke as it drove the great wooden nodding donkey cross beam.

Shivers down the spine from the sight and smell of the old school rooms. Images of blackened fingers from being ink monitor.









Don't just remember the shop. Remember the tin bath in front of the fire!



The museum also has a good collection of vintage vehicles

Trolley buses and trams still run through the grounds.

The highlight, though, was a walk through the canal side iron works used as the set on Peaky Blinders followed by the most amazin narrow boat trip, c/o the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, through part of the extensive tunnels and caverns of the old limestone works - some of which contain spectacular light shows.

and what better than finishing off with a jar in a CAMERA supported Black Country pub :-)

for more pics catch Marion's blog 

Sun, sea n sangria

Sis managed to sneak an autumnal hol. We started with a gentle stroll round one of our favourite Gloucestershire Gardens @ Highnam Court

I'm the queen of the castle

Then off to the Algarve, sadly leaving Marilyn n Marion behind as they were previously engaged :'-( Felt like going from Autumn back into summer. Stayed in Albufiera at the amazin Natura complex. Really well placed, especially if your on foot, next to two wonderful beaches, the 'Strip' and a land trains ride away from the old town. The Strip and surround was alive with Scots n Irish footie fans - Scotland were due to play Gibraltar, up the road, in the Cup.

Went on a boat trip the length of the Algarve coast. All was fine until we precariously transferred into life jackets onto a small accompanying launch to head in toward some coves containing inlets and caves. Jean thoroughly enjoyed the experience - 'fraid I suffered mal de mer :-/ - held it in, just! 

On the penultimate day, after a much delayed start - firm working on 'Portuguese' time and jungle telegraph - visited the 'Sand City'. Changes themes each year, this year it was celebrating music.

Frank Zappa

Bob Marley + Wailers

Janice Joplin

Jean cools off her sunburnt legs :)

Sadly all good things come to an end. Those lovely people @ Yellowfish Taxis transferred us safely back to Faro and we jetted back into Brit Autumn - so till the next time - 

cheers me dears

Lower Hope a little gem

Set in the Herefordshire countryside this garden is simply full of interest containing, as it does, herbaceous borders, rose walks and gardens, laburnum tunnel, Mediterranean garden, Italian garden, Japanese garden, bog gardens. Lime tree walk, lake landscaped with wild flowers, streams, ponds conservatories and large glasshouse created around a converted oast house.

a beautiful 'shorts' day

and as if that were not enough the garden was sprinkled with wonderful sculptures

Westbury Court Garden

This was the National Trusts first major garden restoration project and is one of Britain's best examples of a formal Dutch water garden. First established in the time of William and Mary - laid out between 1696 and 1715. In the C18 many similar gardens were destroyed by Capability Browns English Landscape movement but Westbury Court survived.

Whilst autumn creeps slowly round the corner there is still plenty of colour, plants and veg in the gardens.

Also of interest -

Wild bees hiving inside a tree

and an oak tree at least 400 year old