Banned and Redeemed in Gardens

I'm peeved.

The 'Online Mail' has banned me and not even told me I was banned!

I feel rejected.

Of course I was only on there to wind up the 'wide eyed loons' who abound on the site, helpfully indicating the falseness of the DMs scribbles.  However, this appears to have been unwelcome.  I know not why, others agreed with me, maybe they have been banned also?   This of course is very much the Tory way these days.  Dictators push one line of thought and ban all others.  In the UK only the far-right are allowed to speak, just watch BBCs 'Question Time,' and see dictator led debate for example.  Only one line of thought is allowed.  Those who question this are browbeaten and not invited back.  

Now, with so much more time on my hands I must make the most of it in a positive manner.  Maybe I will spend more time of 'Twitter,' now of course known by some as 'X.'  But he has stopped Firefox from using Twitter as that browser blocks his data stealing, others do not.  So it means much less time there.

Dearie me, I am going to have a lot of time to myself now...

Well, hold on a minute!  

I have just been for a short 40 minute walk that used to take 10 minutes, round the gardens and when I return the situation has changed.  I can once again post on DM, possibly it was a 'blip.

Blips online are not easy to deal with.  At Sainsburys this morning the lassie was struggling to get onto her phone.  It seems that the staff must do everything by phone these days, holidays etc, and logging in does not work!  

Firefox would not let me log into Twitter this morning, this was a problem.  It worked elsewhere, Edge and Chrome, but adverts appeared as the adblocker was not working there.  Most annoying.  However, later, that also appears to have ended.  Others tell me Musk has been playing around with Twitter, changing servers and fiddling with things, so this may play a part.  However, he is a rogue so we do not know what he will do tomorrow.

The sun was quite hot, the flowers were opening everywhere, and the Bees were filling this bush and having a jolly old time there.  Of course, where I pressed the button they moved inside the flower!  The rear end appears to be their best side as it was offered most of the time.  

These blue things are ripening in time for the birds to enjoy.  I expect soon they will be covered in feathered friends chomping away.  I did not try them myself...

A Walk in the Public Gardens

I was very gallus today, I ventured across to the Public Gardens, a place I have not seen for a while.  Once I was here early every morning, before the kiddies arrive. It may be I have not entered this place since cold November. 

Once, this formed part of the garden on the Courtauld family.  Then, as was their family way, they donated this half to the townspeople.  Later, the house and the rest of the gardens became the High School.  Public gardens were a very Victorian pleasure at the time.  This explains the excellent layout, the huge Cedar trees, two in number, which dominate the green space, and the wide variety of trees and shrubs that were planted way back then.  

What had been the gardeners cottage, built in the usual Courtauld 'Arts & Crafts' style, red brick with blue designs throughout, is now used as a coffee shop, partly to make money for the gardens, partly for old people to meet.  

I avoided this.

The sky was blue, the east wind chilly, and few people were around.  Even the kiddie play area was empty, though one or two passed by.  Some healthy people even played amateurish tennis for some reason.  That is, hitting the ball from one side to the other and going outside the large mesh fence to collect the balls gathering over there.

Under the towering Cedar we find this stone with added brass plate attached.  The gardener might have been good at his job, however, he failed to indicate that planting such a tree under the Cedar meant it would not get as much light as required, hence the Oak does not reach as high as it may.  It still lives mind, and is well taken care off.  I wonder what happened to the old clerk?

The auto-focus on my pretend Leica kept annoying me.  No matter which setting I chose it would wait until I was ready then blur the picture.  I love technology!  Almost by accident I found this wee flower in focus beside me.  No idea what they are called, there is a sign somewhere but I could not be bothered looking, but I am once again in wonderment at such fragrant 'Lilies of the Valley,' here today and gone tomorrow, yet designed so well, so colourful, and so attractive.  In a short time the gardens will be full of such things. 

Of course I passed the war memorial.  The wee crosses are lined up well.  I knew one name, found I think two others, the other one may be a civilian 'killed by enemy action' elsewhere.  In spite of everything people still remember correctly.  

 

A very blurred picture of a 'Dunnock.'  This, along with a young 'un and a Wren with tail in the air, were feeding ahead of me.  These would not wait while I focused so snapshot at distance it was.  Being close to midday most birds were elsewhere today, and I will not be there early when they come down for breakfast.  

In Victorian fashion the Courtauld's were not afraid to leave signs indicating what they had done for the town.  Indeed, this family gave schools, churches, doctors, houses and even a Hospital to the town.  There has been many similar donations to the other towns where they established Mills.  All this has been much appreciated.

There is zero chance of any Conservative Cabinet Millionaire doing similar today.

Cutting down an old tree and leaving it in an ordered disordered fashion has produced results.  This area allows wildlife, some far too small to be seen, to thrive.  I did not seek them out.  

The Daffs may be out but the stark branches show that we are not yet fully into Spring.  This means my Spring Cleaning may be left awhile, again...

Car Show: at Braintree & Bocking Gardens 2023

I played truant from the Kirk on Sunday.  The service was going to be a long one and I conversed with myself as to missing it, I agreed with myself, and then went over to the gardens for the car show.

The 'Pickup Truck' seen here is one of those things many worldwide long for.  In the UK and much of Europe it means little, but the wide open spaces in such lands as the USA, New Zealand and Australia, saw a need among farmers and others for such vehicles.  

The Ford Model 'T' was adapted as far back as 1917 into a 'pickup' and developed somewhat during the 1920s.  However, as far as I can make out it was in 1940 when General Motors introduced the 'AK Series' that what we know as a 'Pickup truck' first appeared.  Ford soon followed and a generation of young Americans saw the vehicle as their main aim.  In the UK we still longed to afford a bike!

This one on show looked somewhat tarnished, but I bet the price to buy would be great.

The Ford Anglia.  This car sits in my mind as representing the period when the UK found the modern world.  No longer would cars all be black, nor would they be curved all round, instead the modern US styled fashion was here.  A bright ne world existed and was to be cherished.  Mind you, I was only 10 years old!  

The 'Zodiac,' another example of the modern desire to copy the flash US cars of the late 1950s.  Old people may remember these cars as fronting the revolutionary TV police programme called 'Z Cars.' Here, the modern police ran around in white Zodiacs catching criminals in a new manner and putting the world to rights.  The series lasted for many years.

Personally I would prefer one of these.  Ideal for us young bucks while running around during the summertime, especially down by the seaside.  Of course I may be confusing US adverts and movies with a day under the Haar at Cramond beach, but you know what I mean.

I did not hang around long enough to discover who got prizes for the machines, but when I saw this 'Alvis' I gave it top prize.  Of course I had not seen half the cars there at the time but this car looked what a car ought to be.  Running boards over the wheel, huge headlights, bright radiator, and a wonderful wee mannie on the front.

The wee mannie...

While as a 10 year old I looked into the future of vehicle travel, now I look at this curved beauty and realise my mistake.  US imitations are well enough but this 'Morris' had a quality that the flat air resistant cars of today lack.  It may weigh a ton, be slow, and in todays world unsafe, but it looks like  bit of class in comparison to cars today.

It is always difficult to beat a Jaguar, and this is a beauty!   I think this is the 'D' Type, but I found nothing to confirm this as I pushed and shoved the fantasists of all ages dreaming of being John Surtees or Stirling Moss.  

A roll bar added to the 1965 great, but nothing else.  I would be scared to drive fast in this in case it rolled and scratched the paint.  The car is too good to drive fast!

This may be more my 'cup of tea.'  Slow, in danger of tumbling over at all times, and in danger of attack by 'Mr Bean!'  

As always there are the bikes, with many a biker gathered together talking about bikes and boring everyone in the family around them.  Fabulous set of bikes of past ages.  I bet many of these men have a 'Honda' at home...

Situated in front of the war memorial is a vehicle from the 1950s.  The 'Ferret Mk 2,'   Built by 'Daimler' in 1948 and brought into service between 1952 -1971 the 5000 'Ferrets' were a scout car that saw service with the British Army and many other friendly nations.  This one lives in the locale.

A different type of 'Daimler.'

A different type!

Entertainment of suitable vintage was available, and these two were very good indeed.

This is only a sample of the days 165 pictures. 

 I will put the rest on the Photo Page.

Allsorts Today

 

After a very tiring day, I actually had to work again, I sat down to scribble something of great note.  However, just as I did this I realised there was football on the TV, or at least on this 'Viaplay' nonsense, an organisation that demands money so you can see your country playing football!  England, you will note, can see their team on terrestrial TV, why not Scotland?  Anyway, we were not playing, that is tonight, but my tired mind was happy to watch whoever was kicking lumps out of one another.  This meant I scribbled nothing.

The walk to Kirk on Sunday, then the shopping early Monday, a desire to lose weight pushed aside by a desire to make oatmeal biscuits, which turned out no bad, wrapping a parcel for the niece, followed by a rather stupid determination to weed the front wore me out.  This was harder than I imagined.  I ache all over now.  Still, the front is cleared, the biscuits are acceptable, the diet is still on as everything else appears to be vegetable today.    

Today however, my mind is still tired, I am doing nothing of any importance, and time for connecting to the real world has returned.  However, I then look at the real world and wish the football would start.

Last night the house of Commons voted by 354 'Ayes' to 7 'Noes' to accept the recommendation of the House committee to declare that Boris Johnson had lies to the House.  128 Tory MPs voted for the motion, 7 against.  The rest ran away and hid from their responsibilities.  This included our pretend PM Rishi Sunak.  His style of leadership meant he did not appear in the House all day.  Surely this is unacceptable.  The result means Boris is out on his ear officially now, and the joy remains amongst all decent people everywhere.  

Today the right wing press, do we have anything else? ignored the result and splashed a tale of a sunken mini submarine hunting the Titanic.  This is a glory trip for those willing to pay £195,000 to be taken 13,000 feet down to view the wreck.  However, they have not resurfaced, contact is lost, and we will all be aware that rescue is impossible in such circumstances.  

The truth is of course that the right wing press may fear the loss of a Billionaire aboard the craft, but they mostly wish to detract from Boris's defeat last night, anything will do.  

Apart from the thunderstorms that have come up from the south, watering the front and encouraging more weeds to sprout, little else appears to be happening.  It remains warm and sultry, rather like in the tropics, but without the parrots, snakes and beasties.  A few flies and moths at night attracted to the light.  

Nothing much else is happening, although some fuss is being made about cricket.  But we don't care about that, do we...?   

So, it has been 'Allsorts Today,' with little of any use to man nor beast.  

At least I did not ruin your teeth...

 

Sunny Sunday

I remained indoors this morning, sleep was fitful during the night and I did not fancy the walk.  The possible lift did not call so I remained eating and fiddling about instead of Kirk.  Naturally, with the sun at the zenith, around 12:30, I walked out across the park, round the gardens, and back down past the town centre.  Not that far, about 45 mins or so, but in the bright sunshine.   

My thermometer reads just under 80F, and tomorrow it may get worse.  Maybe I ought to have bought that overlarge hat yesterday anyway?  Nothing much appears to be happening.  Things are quiet as people sit in the sun, or hide from it, Twitter is full of Tory lies and bull, nothing in the press about Boris having a wedding party at Chequers on the taxpayer, thus indicating all the press men were there.  He has not gone, and he cannot be trusted!  He is up to something.

So, a feeble football match to fill the afternoon.  I would have been better asleep, catching up on what I missed last night.  Waking up every hour yet unable to return to sleep!  

Nothing new is on the horizon today.  The sun is keeping folks busy.  Boris's party has given them hangovers.  Tomorrow it all starts again...

Motor Show III

 You can come out now, this is the last from the Motor Show!

Now some people think this weird.

Not I.

This reminds me of some of my relatives! 

The man told me he had not polished it recently.

 

 

An Eddie Cochrane sang songs all the while.

 

 

I believe Clem Attlee used to go on holiday.

Driving around the south west with his wife, alone, in one of these. 

This was after the war, when Prime Minister, and without escort.