Diana Was On Early Shift Today,

and when she returned home we decide to go out for a walk,

and of course I took way too many photographs, so I am only making one post today, before Diana returned home I started on a bit of DIY, on Sunday the front of the kitchen utensil drawer came off, so upstairs to grab the trusty hot glue gun, as it happens just as I started Diana did in fact arrive home,

as soon as she saw the glue gun warming up, that was it,

Diana just had to try the glue gun,

a small bead all along the inside,

and hey presto, as good as new!

next we were out,

as it happens the reason Diana wanted to go for a walk, 

was that it was such a bright sunny day,

on the way out of the park the rhododendrons in the garden at Foxgrove Lodge in flower and looking nice,

as was this flower,

unfortunately the wisteria now past its best, but still looking nice,

we passed the green,

at the graveyard by the church,

the wild flowers have really taken over,

and are in need of a serious trim!

we passed the church entrance,

and were soon at the top of the steps next to what was once a police station, now closed, along with the ones at Penge, Bromley and Catford, in fact now I think about it, I really do not know where the nearest police station is for the whole area,

we arrived at Kelsey Park, as it happens we have visited here many times at different times of the year,

unfortunately on this visit we had chosen a time between the flowering beds actually flowering, 

well there were some,

but soon to be removed and replaced for the summer flowers,

as we crossed the first small bridge, this tree was putting on a good show,

these looking very nice,

a quick pose,

or two,

or three!

the River Beck, was flowing quite strongly today,

Diana just had to,

and so did I!

we approached the waterfall,

where water leaves the lake,

I made a short video,

I love the fact that some areas are dog free, so that you can put a picnic on the grass without a out of control dog helping itself, to the cries of the owner, "he has never done that before!" which has happened to us in the past, it is also a fact that so many dog owners never went to school and learnt to read even simple signs,

the waterfall in full spate, 

normally there are so many ducks here,

today not one,

a bit further on we found one,

who was not very hungry,

out with the telephone,

and nuts, 

we carried on walking and there were a few Mandarin ducks, (Aix galericulata), two females and a male,

who looked rather splendid,

Diana threw them a few peanuts,

which they all dived for,

the peanuts,

did not go unnoticed,

by the local squirrel population,

Diana was soon feeding,

and taking photographs of them,

one more for luck!

one pair at least of Canadian geese had a few chicks,

one of the adults walked too far away,

that's better,

I am not sure if the other parent had one or two more with it,

another squirrel found Diana,

and begged for some food,

Diana happy to oblige,

smile for the camera,

and he did,

not before telling some of his mates,

one of a pair of Egyptian geese, (Alopochen aegyptiaca),

who have made the park their new home,

normally this flower bed has so many flowers on it, hopefully the next time we visit it will be a riot of colour,

but the lack of flowers did not put this squirrel off of visiting it,

a quick pose where in summer time the ice cream van normally pitches up,

a bird we do not see often very close,

a heron,

I cropped the photograph a tad after zooming in,

we were now by the main lake,

across from heron island,

where the herons nest in trees,

three or four of them in residence,

as I mentioned surprisingly few waterfowl, 

although a white pigeon decided to keep us company,

we stopped to have a look at a birds nest,

another one here in the distance,

the nest of a coot,

one of the rhododendrons just starting to flower,

the daises in full flower,

as Diana was photographing them, a squirrel,

or two called by,

on the opposite bank another rhododendron was in full bloom,

I started feeding the crows,

and soon there was a murder of them,

Diana made a video of me feeding them, we turned at the top of the lake and started back towards the entrance on the other side of the lake,

we were being watched,

as one of the squirrels settled down by some bluebells to enjoy the peanuts,

a few more nuts for the waterfowl,

we were soon at the area where the giant Chilean rhubarb grows, (Gunnera manicata),

compared to the one we saw at Coombe Wood, just 6 days ago,

these are much further advanced,

the flowers,

and seeds already developed, 

but it will be a month or two before the leaves reach their full size, sometimes nearly 5 feet across!

we were nearing the entrance,

and soon passing the gate house,

and making our way past the new café at the corner of Manor Road and the High Street,

we walked along the High Street, naturally we had a look in the jewellers, no change there then!

Diana also wanted to pop into Boots the chemist, 

this café looked decidedly Mediterranean,

into and out of Boots,

followed by Superdrug, before leaving the park we had both decided we were hungry,

so The White Horse it was then,

 Diana ordered the food,

which for myself included a white wine,

'Cheers!', we had not been here before, I had ordered the drinks, a pint and a J2O for Diana,

our food soon arrived, 

a huge bacon and cheese burger for Diana, with chips and a side of onion rings,

for myself fish and chips,

'Cheers!', the food was excellent, the bill came to £23.00, plus the pint and J2O,

we were lazy, so we caught a 354 back to the club,

and walked towards,

the tennis courts,

it was a lovely evening, blue skies and white clouds, we settled down to watch some television, the evenings staying light until it was time for a Midsomer Murder, after which we were off to bed.