A TOTALLY FACTUAL WALK IN THE PARK! - HOORAH!

Just beyond the bridge, I turn right and head up what was the original carriageway to an Earl's Country seat (more of which later).

This is looking back down towards the canal bridge.......

Note the wonderful garlands of blossom, covering those greenish bush type things.
The old carriageway now borders on to a golf course.....

I want to live where you live!!

I would like to live where you live too..........in the summer!!!

That trail is so inviting. Perfect place for romp or a picnic. No wonder you're randy so often, Lord. Surrounded by so much beauty.

btw: I loved your garden.

I have some space in the spare room, MG, but the better half may not approve!




OK, so carrying on up the carriageway, it straightens out and runs up to the edge of the bluebell woods, seen right in the distance on this next photo (excuse the bad light, bloody English weather).

This carriageway was planted up with Lime trees on either side, by the Earl of Eseex's gardeners, back in the 1700's. There is a second row of Limes, just behind the first, which an elderly neighbour of mine remembers being planted back in the 1930's. He helped the groundsman wheelbarrow the manure to the planting site. A full barrow of muck went in under each sapling.

View up carriageway, to bluebell woods.....

Hi phoenix and flushd, didn't see you there!


OK...halfway up the carriageway, there is a track that crosses, and buggers off in each direction. This used to go from the old timber mill (now Golf Clubhouse), to the main road out of London.

It's now nicely tarmaced, but as you can see, very wet.



Back soon............

BeauuuuuuuuTeeeFUL!!

he pics are gorgeous on there own but could you add some gnomes, pixies n fairies please just to complete the scenes.

I cant wait till I can remember back 70 years and help with passing on history.

The first Earl of Essex, was Arthur Capel (1631-1683), in the reign of Charles II (the King who took the throne after the monarchy was restored, after the English Civil War. His father, Charles I, having had his head chopped off by those ghastly Parliamentarians, under Oliver Cromwell).
Arthur Capel (Essex) was First Lord of the Treasury from 1679.

Essex was critical of many of Charles II's policies, and he became involved with the attempts to exclude the Catholic James, younger brother of Charles II, who was the Duke of York, from succession to the throne when Charles died.
More dangerously, he was involved with the schemes of the Duke of Monmouth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monmouth_Rebellion

Betrayed and imprisoned in the Tower, Essex was found with his throat cut, probably having committed suicide. His grandson, the third Earl of Essex, planted the aforementioned trees.

The 3rd Earl.
http://www.watfordmuseum.org.uk/cassiobury/galleries/william_capel.html

At the end of the carriageway, is "Whippendell Wood". Maybe they used to get up to some whipping in the dell, back in Tudor times, who knows?

Anyway, it's a jolly invigorating name....

Just before entering the woods, I turned, because I forgot to post the bloody thing, and admired the flora which adorned either side of the carriageway.
I'm not sure what the flowers are called, but can assure you that some are pink, some are white, and they are all wild plants with green leaves.


Soz....please note the Stickybuds.

Halfway down towards the bluebells, I took a picture of what is reckoned to be the world's first ever wigwam. The frame is now all that is left, as buffalo hide isn't available in England, and Jersey cow skin doesn't last very long in adverse weather conditions.
The original tribe that made this wigwam, left England for America shortly before the Pilgrims sailed on the Mayflower, and lay in wait, so that they could give the Pilgrims a spot of bother when they landed there.

It is amazing that Craven's script that automatically moves your posts to "humor" gave this one a pass....

Craven did all the research for me, DD.


Down at the bottom, I should say "dell", but I like the word "bottom", I saw my first bluebells, so called because they are blue, and they chime a tune on the hour, and a single "dong" on the half hour.

pretty

Whilst I was photographing, I looked at my watch and saw that it was very nearly on the hour. I waited, and took this next photo whilst they were chiming.
I am disappointed with the results to a certain extent, because, if you didn't know that they were chiming, they just look like ordinary bluebells.

You are so funny!!!!
Those piccies of bluebells are taking me back to my childhood!!!

Back up through the woods, I crossed the aforementioned golf course, and intended to post a picture, but was refused permission.
The reason for this is that one day per month, naturists play golf on the course, and today was ladies day. I stopped to admire them for approximately four hours, and must say that some of them had the best swing that I had seen in a long time.
I decided to move on, as a thunder storm had started up, and I didn't want to get my legs wet, so I pulled up my trousers and carried on with the walk.
The following day, I was told the sad news that one of the naked lady golfers was struck by lightning between the first and second hole.

Anyway, past the golf course, I crossed the river that used to feed the water driven saw mill for the aforementioned timber mill.

As the last photo was uploading to A2K, the buzzer went on the cooker, to tell me that my pizza was ready. A hot, spicy one with Pepperoni....MARVELLOUS!

I eagerly removed the pizza from the oven, cut off a wedge, brought it back to my seat and chomped away.


After the second or third bite, I bagan to realise that a strange yet nostalgic taste was registering with the old taste buds. My mind raced back, for some inexplicable reason, to the time when I used to lay on the living room floor on a cold winters day, and try to bite the heads off my little plastic soldiers.

"Plastic soldiers?" I thought. "What the....?"

I gingerly inspected the wedge of pizza, and everything seemed OK, until I turned it over. I SWEAR there was no thin plastic packaging tray under the pizza when I put it in the oven! OUTRAGEOUS!!!














Evidence of the Ellpus culinary skills.....