Des Res for insects

Living wall waterfall

Women's Olympic Cycle Race is today, also in Surrey

Men's Olympic Cycling Race 2012 is today in Surrey

Peony

Tea on a stick

A little light reading in the garden

In a Russian Garden - by The Russian Museum

By the chiminea

Cool plumes

Flames in the Marquee

Firey Planting

Today the Olympic Torch visits Guildford

Fox & Co's horse drawn pantechnicon from 1890 resplendent in yellow and red paint, waiting to be hitched up to two magnificent shire horses for the parade.

And here they are - 

Waiting for the parade

The Chief

The mascot on the bonnet of Specialised Movers vintage van, 1938 Guy Vixen - ELM 157.

Specialised Movers

Yorkie

1957 Ford Thames Fordson E83W

This is one of the vintage pantechnicons on display at this year's Surrey County Show. It belongs to Specialised Movers who are based in Sheffield - a birthday present to the firm's owner from his wife!


Specialised Movers

And meerkat friends

Merely a meerkat

Small, medium and large

The sheep with the crumpled horn - 

 with apologies to 'The House that Jack Built'

This is the farmer sowing his corn

That kept the cock that crowed in the morn

That woke the priest all shaven and shorn

That married the man all tattered and torn

That kissed the maiden all forlorn

That milked the cow with the crumpled horn

That tossed the dog that worried the cat

That killed the rat that ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

The Spotted Sow

How now, Brown Cow?

Surrey County Show on Bank Holiday Monday was a Royal occasion with the Earl and Countess of Wessex attending.

Surrey County Show

The Black Swan is not a pub, but a Gallery with two ns.

Swann Gallery

Not sure how old this one is!

A bit of modern history

Views & Postcards of Blenheim sold here

The Blenheim -
a grand place for a cream tea.


The Blenheim

Woodstock, the clearing in the forest, was a Royal hunting estate, even before the Doomsday Book cited it in 1086. This plaque isn't that old, but is a nice reminder of the long history of Woodstock.
(On the wall at The Bear.)

The Bear is one of the oldest inns in Woodstock and now takes up what were several houses on the main street. A far cry from its humble beginnings in the 13th century when people stayed on market days and bear bating, a common sport in those days, took place in the town.


The Bear Hotel

A sixteen pointed star is a symbol of the Guild of Innkeepers. (I wonder how many stars the Assassins Guild or the Thieves Guild get?)

The Star Inn

Looks a goodly brew she's offering.

The Punch Bowl