GOLD!

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HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Ed McKeever of Bradford on Avon… winner of the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in the 200m kayak sprint.  The Town is very proud of you and thank you for the rather natty gold post box in the Shambles… just a shame we don’t have a Post Office to go with it!  (Oooh… political comment!).  Anyway, well done Ed.

Our postman told us that he is actually from Farleigh Wick, just down the road, but their post box only takes approximately 4 letters a week, so they did the Bradford one as he used to paddle here!

I guess this will mean I’ll have loads of new faces joining me on the river in the mornings!…

Ed McKeever Olympic Gold Medalist

Ed McKeever Olympic Gold Medalist

Ed McKeever Olympic Gold Medalist

Ed McKeever Olympic Gold Medalist

Ed McKeever Olympic Gold Medalist

Ed McKeever Olympic Gold Box!

Sorry about the bin bags Ed!

 

 

Beijing to London

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We had a visitor down here this week who I couldn’t help but be inspired by.  It was one of a group of cyclists who have been raising money for charity by riding from Beijing to London.  Immensely impressive you may say, but these guys were all 60 years old and over!  Unbelievable effort gentlemen and I take my hat off to you all…

Beijing to London Bike Ride

Beijing to London Bike Ride

Beijing to London Bike Ride

Off he goes again!

 

Flash Floods

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What on earth was that about…

Mike & Terry

Mike & Terry in the Tea Garden

Tea for Two

Tea for Two!

Serena capturing the action

Serena capturing the action

team_GB_water_clearance_squad

Team GB water clearance squad

I will be posting a video of a little of the action from yesterday very soon.

For the first time ever, the garden starting filling up like a bath tub as the torrential rain came down yesterday.  After 4 huge thunder storms and rain like I haven’t seen for many years in this country, we looked like we were going to be in big trouble.  Everything has to be moved up about 3 feet in the galleries and whatever flood defences we have are put up… then it’s fingers crossed and see what happens.  Luckily it made it only to about 6 inches below the door before the rains stopped and we all made huge efforts to get the levels back down by shovelling water down the overworked drains.  Disaster averted and our thoughts go out to everyone who wasn’t so lucky yesterday.

Whatever next in this amazing summer season?!…

 

 

 

Robin

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As part of my anti squirrel regime, I bring in the bird feeders each night… a little sad I know, but it’s become personal now!  So, I put them just inside the gallery door ready to put out the next day.  When I put our gallery signs out this morning, I left the door open and a young robin decided to fly in for a bit of breakfast.  Unfortunately, when I returned, he panicked and flew in the gallery rather than out…

robin_in_the_gallery

An interested customer!

Not a great photo I know, but I was trying not to scare him too much.  This, however, didn’t work either as he flew round showing how scared he was all over our counter tops!  Anyway, I finally got him out safely and who do I find filling his fuzzy face on the bird table?…. yes, that bl**dy squirrel!

Keep Your Friends Close…

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Now… I’m sorry, but I am going to have a bit of a whinge!

I, like many other Apple Mac disciples, was eagerly awaiting the launch of the new OS X Mountain Lion.  However, despite having only a four year old MacBook and a four year old Mac Pro Desktop (combined cost over £3000), I am only able to install Mountain Lion on to the MacBook and even that is only partially supported.  What on earth do Apple think they are doing releasing a system that makes any Mac computer older than 2 or 3 years completely unsupported by their latest operating system?

Personally I feel that you should look after your regular customers, as they are the ones who put you in the position you are in today, but Apple seem to be hell bent on following the latest Social Media sites and trends, rather than concentrating on their VERY loyal regulars.

I would never in a million years, try and tell Apple how to run their business, as they do rather well at that themselves, but I would just point out that many of their followers have been left angry and potentially out of pocket over this latest update.  How hard would it have been to make this system available for 32 bit as well as 64 bit?

apple_mac_mountain_lion

Mountain Lion

That’s it… rant over!

Morning Canoing

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Finally the river level is down sufficiently for me to get back out in the canoe in the mornings before work.  Absolutely beautiful down there this morning…

Shady spot on the River Avon, Bradford on Avon

Shady spot on the River

The Packhorse Bridge, Barton Farm Country Park, Bradford on Avon

Through the arch

Much like my battle with the squirrel in the garden here, I have an ongoing confrontation with the kingfishers on the Avon.  Impossible to paddle and photograph at the same time.  As a result this is as close as I got this morning…

Attempted photo of a kingfisher on the River Avon

Another one gets away

Just about made it to the Weir at Avoncliff and it was worth it.  Very calm out there and no workmen on the Old Mill site when I got there…

Weeping Willow next to the weir at Avoncliff

Ripples over the Weir

The last one I managed to take whilst propped against an uprooted tree that had got caught on the top of the weir.  Just as well, as I could have ended up heading down towards Bath!  I wonder how much they’re going to be charging for these once they’ve been finished?!  Any suggestions as to what they’re going to do about the big, rusty corrugated iron block on the side?…

The Old North Mill at Avoncliff during restoration

Balancing on the weir

 

 

 

 

Birthday Off

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Normally, when we get a Monday (our day off) that has nice weather, we usually come into the gallery…. not yesterday though…. weather was great and Serena had a birthday!

The morning was spent at the beautiful Stourhead Gardens, a National Trust house and gardens down near Mere off the A303.  Absolutely stunning place…

Stourhead Gardens, The National Trust property

Stourhead Gardens

(guess who used his sweep app again!)  It really doesn’t do this lovely place justice I’m afraid, but we would definitely recommend it anyone.

The afternoon was over to Bath for a boat trip on the Avon.  Made a change from canoeing up it myself!  Very interesting commentary and plenty to see.

Bit of a touristy day really, but Serena did manage to get lots of photos, so watch this space for some good pictures!

Panorama

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Guess who’s just downloaded another free app for his phone?!

Not bad actually… it’s a panoramic stitching one.  Not as good as the sweep cameras, but pretty good for a phone.  Despite the big black cloud in the sky, the weather is beautiful today and we’re all hoping this is the beginning of the summer season!

Panorama of the Tithebarn Workshops

Panorama of the Tithebarn Workshops

Rare Visitor

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Just thought we would share these images of a woodpecker that visited our cheery trees outside the gallery the other day.  He bashed away for a good couple of minutes as he wasn’t going to be bothered by any customers!!  Sorry the quality of image isn’t up to our usual standard, but it was me that took them and not Serena as she was working at the home studio…

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker on our Cherry Tree