Westgate Gardens Canterbury

Westgate Towers Canterbury, built around 1370, is the last surviving city gate of 7 original Medieval gates surrounding the city of Canterbury.

Just over the road from the towers is Westgate Gardens. Last month my friend and I decided to have a day out in Canterbury, my friend suggested a walk in the gardens as it was a lovely sunny day but very cold.  I was a child the last time I was in the gardens and I was was amazed at how lovely the gardens are, even in January :)

Westgate Towers from the Gardens.

The River Stour flowing through the gardens.

Remains of what I presume were once Monastic buildings.

Looking through to the 200 year old Oriental Plane Tree, which is just amazing:)

The spires of the Cathedral peeping over the roofs :)

Beautiful gateway, again I would assume that at one stage this was part of Monastic Medieval buildings.

Although it was January, walking through the gardens in the lovely sunshine was a real treat :)

It was so peaceful walking by the river, I must go back and visit again in the summer :)

A few photos of winter trees, showing their beauty whatever the season 

We thoroughly enjoyed our walk, when we left the gardens we made our way to a local well known Italian Restaurant, where we had a warm up and some lovely food.

January Bits and Pieces

January is usually a quiet month for taking photos, but as I am now retired I have been able to get out and about a little bit more, but I have missed all the gorgeous sunrises that we have had this month because I don't get out very early these days!

To celebrate my retirement and my sons birthday we went to the Red Lion at Hernhill for lunch, the food was really lovely but I was too busy eating to take any photos indoors. You can see from the photos of the outside that it is a beautiful building :)

I love the Dogs Bar outside the front door. The pub is one side of the village green, opposite is the Church - I will have to investigate that at a later date. There are also a row of very pretty cottages on one side of the green. I am sure it must be lovely when the weather is nice.

The January Wolf Moon, not too bad a photo with my little camera.

Sunday morning walk in the Park, this time of year when the sun shows its face you have to get out in it if you can :)

Another sunny day last week, it was very windy on the pier, but a cup of coffee in the cafe on the end of the pier was lovely :)

Finally above is the Sweet Pea crocheted blanket from Attic 24, the lady who owns the website has some amazing crocheted things to encourage people to pick up their crochet hooks, this one was last year CAL (Crochet Along) This is the first bit of crochet I have done for about 30 years, the colours are so lovely I just had to make it. I think I had been finished it about a day when one of the cats decided that I had made it for him!! I am not really surprised as the blanket is so warm and cosy.

Happy New Year 2020

Wishing everyone a very Happy and healthy New Year :)

End of The Year Blog 2019 - Part 1

Our gorgeous Loki :)

 It's that time of year again, I can't believe it is a year since I did the 'Last Blogs of the Year 2018' but it is! Many of you will have seen that virtually all my blogs from 2019 were about my holiday to China, I was still taking photos all year, and was actually quite surprised at just how many photos I did take! I finally retired earlier this month, so I am hoping that I will get much more time to take and share lots more photos in 2020, we shall see :)

JANUARY

Alice enjoying a nice glass of wine in the Mermaid Hotel, Rye. Sitting next to the fire in the bar is just lovely when it is cold outside :)

On of those spectacular sunrises that I used to see on my way to work.

Deal Pier, looking at the sunshine it the photo could have been taken much later in the year :)

FEBRUARY

Snowdrops growing in our garden.

A beautiful Robin in Walmer Castle Garden.

The Quay Sandwich.

MARCH

Both photos shown here are of Sandwich Library Garden, it always looks lovely any time of the year :)

APRIL

I have posted enough photos of China in earlier blogs, but the photo above was taken from the plane window on the flight home, I think we were still somewhere over China!

A Tulip in St. Peter's Garden, Sandwich.

A lovely gate along the Rope Walk, Sandwich.

Glorious Sandwich Bay.

MAY

Tulips in the Kitchen Garden, Walmer Castle.

In the woods, Walmer Castle.

My pride and joy, after years of trying I actually have a Wisteria that is blooming!!!

JUNE

Middle Street, Deal. I was on my way to work, the sun shining down this alley was so lovely :)

Above and below, poppies in my garden. Poppies are one of my favourite flowers :)

The End of the Year Blog Part 2 is to follow..

Last Blog of the Year 2019 - Part 2

Here goes for the second half of the year, again I was surprised looking through the photos at how many photos I did take :)

JULY

Hollyhocks in Sandwich Library Garden.

My daughter Alice and myself with our good friend Jeff, the current Mayor of Sandwich :)

AUGUST

Not so many photos taken in August, but both the photos here were taken in our garden.

SEPTEMBER

A beautiful coronet worn by Queen Victoria, one of the many fantastic exhibits my daughter and I saw on a great visit to the V & A museum :)

The same day as above, my first visit to China Town in London :)

OCTOBER

The beautiful calm sea off Deal, on a lovely October day.

  

The pots outside my kitchen still with lots of colour for the time of year.

NOVEMBER

A poppy skeleton.

A fuschia in almost full bloom, so unusual for November.

This tree is growing outside Deal Railway Station, it had been raining which had made the colours more pronounced, I am not sure what the tree is. It looked beautiful whatever variety it is :)

DECEMBER

One of the photos from our visit to 'Enchanted Walmer Castle', showing part of the Fairy area.

Finally a photo of Sandwich Library on my last day working there before I retired. The staff and Library Guild held a MacMillan Coffee morning and a 'Farewell to Val' which was amazing :) Above is the craft stall, the teas and cakes were in the room at the back. All sorts of people popped in to say Goodbye to me, and to support the Coffee Morning. I had such a lovely time :) :)

So on to another year, this one has been pretty good, I am hoping to take lots more photos with all the added spare time I have now.....!!