HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021

 

Last blog of the year 2020 Part 1

The Designer Outlet, Ashford.

Well what a year! I always look forward to publishing these last two blogs of the year, but this year I nearly didn't even bother. However when I looked through my photos for the year I was pleasantly surprised by how many photos I did take! Luckily we live near the sea, so my daily excercise walks gave me some good photo opportunities. I think I speak for many in hoping that 2021 will be a better year for us all, especially if the vaccine can be rolled out as speedily as possible. 

I hope you will enjoy the photos I have chosen to share, take care all :)

JANUARY

The Red Lion, Hernhill, near Faversham. We had a lovely meal here in January to celebrate our sons birthday.

View from the pier, Deal looking good in the winter sunshine :)

Westgate Gardens, Canterbury. Really lovely even in January.

A view of the Cathedral, taken from the Westgate Gardens, Canterbury.

FEBRUARY

I joined a painting group in Sandwich one morning a week, my friend and I parked on the outskirts of the town and walked along the Mill Wall to the Church Hall :) 

Lovely squirrel playing in the sun, again on the Mill Wall.

St Clements Churchyard, looking very peaceful :)

MARCH

This year was the 75th anniversary of Lancaster ME449 being shot down over Olgod in Denmark. My Dad was the Flight Engineer on the plane, which was shot down on the night of 13th March 1945. Sadly two of the crew died when the plane crashed, my Dad and four other crewmen survived and they were all helped by the Danish Underground to get back to England. We were invited to the anniversary ceremony, which both my husband and I were keen to attend. We landed in Denmark on 12th March to find that Denmark had just been put into Lockdown! The small ceremony went ahead anyway the next day, with a small service and wreath laying at the graves of the two men who died. 

The graves are on the corner of a wood, a beautiful peaceful spot, where the Gemans buried the two bodies. After the ceremony I was approached by a lovely man, who's Father in Law had kept my Dad's ID card and his tags for the last 75 years. I was handed these items, it was very emotional as you can imagine.

The sign at the graveside, erected in 2015. My Dad was Segeant K. Foster, flight engineer. He was 21, the first to jump from the plane. The Danish people looked after him, and helped him and the other crew members to get back to the UK.

This plaque is on the wall of a private house where my Dad and two other crew members were hidden (at different times)  on their journey out of Denmark. The men were hidden in the roof space, there were German soldiers billeted in the basement of this house!!

A beautiful country road in Denmark near to where my Dad landed, and hid out in nearby woods for a few nights. 

The Danes looked after my Dad, and they certainly looked after us for the two days we were there, we were both so glad we went. I came home with my Dad's ID card and a tiny piece of the plane, returned to this country after 75 years. It was a memorable visit!

APRIL

Lace bobbins wound up, waiting for me to get started!! LOL

Beautiful tulips at the entrance to our local park, one of my regular excercise walks during Lockdown.

I am not sure what this plant is but it was so pretty :)

The wisteria in bloom in the local park.

MAY

More of the wisteria's blooming in the park :)

Our first outing when Lockdown was eased in May. Above is my son feeding the ducks and seagulls in Sandwich :)

The seagulls were pleased to see us....

......so were the ducks :)

We rounded off our trip to Sandwich with take away fish and chips, eaten in St Peter's Garden. A lovely small trip out :)

JUNE

June is flower month, above a rose in my garden.

above and below are poppies, growing in my garden :)

The Garden of Rest in the town, I walk through here whenever I can as it is so peaceful.

The Black Pig Butchers with its trademark white pig :)

The months July to December will be in the next blog :)

Last Blog of the Year 2020 Part 2

One good thing that came out of this years lockdown - I finally had the time to get out my Pillow Lace, and actually made a nice piece  of lace:)

JULY

The door leading into Walmer Castle from the garden, usually these doors are wide open, but access to the Castle itself has not been allowed since Covid 19 started.  

Walmer Castle gardens, I couldn't resist taking this photo, the shadow of the leaves on this tree trunk was lovely :)

A bee on the plant that I know as Sea Holly :)

AUGUST

Our son has been working in a Country Pub for some time, even during the first lockdown. Occasionally he asks for a lift to work, single track country roads to negotiaite, but they are so peaceful and beautiful. This one is looking down the hill, so lovely in the summer sunshine :)

Walmer Castle, in the woods, just gorgeous.

Walmer Castle Gardens, not sure what the plants are, but love the colours together.

SEPTEMBER

Gorgeous shape of this tree, Walmer Castle Gardens.

Roses blooming beautifully in our local park, so pretty.

OCTOBER

This is a crochet blanket that I am making for my son. It is King Size, and he wants it to be 7 feet long! I am over half way with it, but it is slow going and getting heavier all the time!!

Beautiful Autumn colours :)

Lovely day, but cold. I love watching the waves roll in :)

One of the gorgeous Dahlias in my garden :)

NOVEMBER

The Bandstand on Walmer Green, built to commemorate the 11 bandsmen killed by an IRA bomb planted in the School of Music, Walmer in 1989

A beautiful little squirrel in The Garden of Rest, enjoying a berry or two :)

A very windy day for a walk along the Pier, the two Cormorants were probably having a rest  :)

DECEMBER

Autumn leaves in the Garden of Rest, lovely kicking through them :)

Seagulls practising 'social distancing' on the Pier!!

Seagulls enjoying the sun and the windy weather :)

Beautiful Sandwich, looking good even with all the restrictions.

MERLIN

In September we had to say goodbye to one of our cats, Merlin. He was FIV positive, but that didn't stop him, he was the boss of the house :) We had the pleasure of his company for 5 years, we all loved him to bits, and wished we had had longer with him. 

We won't forget you Merlin x

A lace pillow is a good place for a nap :)

Snuggled into crochet blanket I am making, he loved anything soft and cuddly :)

I hope you have all enjoyed the photos, we are all looking forward to hopefully a better 2021, but we will have to wait and see on that one! 

Wishing anyone reading this a happier time in the New Year, take care everyone x