Friday Catch Up - 3rd April 2026

April 1. Robin, 2. Breakfast

Doodlewash Art Challenge and Friday Face Off

March 31. Macaw

30. Clematis

29. Pyramids

27. Deer, 28. Castle

Photo Challenges

More from Seaton Delaval Hall {Details}

Thursday Doors, Monday Window, Pull up a Seat

What is in the cupboard across the passageway?

And in this cupboard [hard to tell from the photo] is a very tall wig with a ship on the top, inspired by the wigs of  Marie Antoinette

There is a window reflected on it too

The two windows on the right are on the inside of the house.

Flower of the Week

I have quite a few grape hyacinths around the garden this year.

The flowers look pretty but what looks awful is the sooty mould on a lot of my shrubs, its a fungus that grows on the sugary sticky waste excreted by sap-sucking insects like aphids. It doesn't directly infect the plants but it can block sunlight, reducing photosynthesis. One is supposed to get rid of the insects first, but I've never seen them. Hosing is supposed to remove the mould but it seems to want to cling to my shrubs, and it seems to be spreading to more shrubs.

Hope you have a fun week, bye for now.

Friday Catch Up - 27th March 2026

21. Olive Oil, 22. Pasta, 23. Insect

Doodlewash Art Challenge / Friday Face Off

24. Popcorn, 25. Aeroplane, 26. Cookies

Photo Challenges

Monday Window, Pull up a Seat

In the Grand Cinema at the Beamish 50's village. The original cinema was built in Ryhope in 1912 which later became a bingo hall, then a car garage and was demolished in 2020. It has been reconstructed, using a mix of new and original bricks. As some of the ornate plasterwork was in a bad condition it had to be recreated from relief casts, detailed drawings and photographs. Luckily the stained glass windows were saved and are the originals.

and close up of the windows [I'm afraid the quality is not very good as they are extracts from the above photos]

There are two stained glass windows at the front of the cinema and the windows below are where the projectors are.

Flower of the Week

My orchid is in flower again, it seems to like living in my bathroom. The last one I had liked the conservatory but I think it is too hot for this one.

It grew another flower very quickly

I got another type of orchid as a gift from my son, this one is called Dendrobium

That's it for today, enjoy your week.

 

Friday Catch Up - 20th March 2026

20.  Squirrel

Doodlewash Art Challenge / Friday Face Off

15. Yoyo, 16. Buds, 17. Spectacles, 18. Watermelon, 19. Coffee Cup

Photo Challenges

Monday Window, Thursday Doors, Pull up a Seat

At Seaton Delaval Hall which is a stately home owned by the National Trust. The following is a quote by the National Trust

The Delavals arrived with William, Duke of Normandy, as part of his invading army in 1066 and lived at Seaton for the next 700 years. In 1718, Admiral George Delaval called upon Sir John Vanbrugh to expand upon the existing house. Vanbrugh, who felt the old building was beyond repair, suggested that the site be cleared for the construction of a splendid new mansion. Delaval took Vanbrugh’s advice but died two years before the Hall was completed in 1728. Seaton Delaval Hall was the last country house Vanbrugh designed, and it is regarded as his finest work. In 1822, the central block was severely damaged by fire. It was re-roofed during John Dobson’s partial restoration in 1862-3, the central block remaining a shell with the effects of fire clearly visible in the great hall. Further restoration was completed in 1959 and the early 1960s, with recent conservation by the National Trust following acquisition in 2009.

The above photos were taken in Sept 2025 but The Flower of the Week [Snowdrops] in the gardens at Seaton Delaval Hall were taken in February 2026

I didn't think I'd be posting this week. I was supposed to be in Sri Lanka but because of Trump starting a war, the trip was cancelled. We were due to fly to Doha in Qatar and the flights were cancelled. But I'm lucky, at least I've still got a home, and still alive.

Hope you have a great week and let's hope we have peace again soon.

 

Friday Catch Up - 13th March 2026

5. Sparkle, 8. Lighthouse, 9. Dolphins

Doodlewash Art Challenge / Friday Face Off

10. Camera, 11. Lake

12. Kite, 13. Monument

Photo Challenges

Monday Window, Pull up a Seat, Thursday Doors

at Seaton Delaval Hall [Sept 25]

also use as my Flower of the Week

[Feb 26]

This door, or should I say doorway is at Hardwick Park [Dec 25]

Thursday TreeLove

A photo of a tree from my archives taken in 2012 at Chillingham Castle

That's all for today, enjoy the rest of the week.

 

Friday Catch Up - 6th March 2026

March 1. Daffodil

Doodlewash Art Challenge / Friday Face Off

2. Banana

3. Owl

4. March Hares

6. Pizza, 7. Bicycle

Photo Challenges

Thursday Doors, Monday Window, Pull up a Seat

Beamish 1900's town

For Flower of the Week I have this avocado plant which I grew from a pit/stone/seed.

It was wilting a bit yesterday because it was very hot in the conservatory, I cannot say it was the same today.

That is it for this week, have a super weekend.