Messing about...

...on the river - part 2.

Get those kettles on as here are the rest of the photos.

The Olympic stadium is now the home of West Ham United football club...

 ...but it remains one of the big venues for a variety of events held in London - there are a few BIG name concerts being held there over the Summer months as well as numerous sporting events.

 

Elsewhere in the park there is a lot of building going on...

...some is 'repurposing of buildings used during the Olympics...

 ...and much is new build.
The team were amazed at how much was going on...

 ...right on our working doorstep.
The river is beautifully maintained...

 ...which is a very different story to how it was found when development started...

...as this whole area had been a dumping ground for centuries due to its closeness to the City of London. Thousands of tons of contaminated ground had to be removed & cleansed whilst the river itself had to be cleared of thousands of shopping trolleys, cars and numerous in-exploded bombs from WWII.
Construction around the park is moving at a pretty rapid rate...

 ...and cranes  are everywhere on the skyline.
The Orbit was the end marker of our tour...

...and we headed back to the moorings. The park has a large number of sculptures...

 ...these are called "The Pencils" and mark the side of the waterway.
Back on the jetty we made sure we had details about coming events...

 ...and took a last few photos...

...and bid farewell to our guide...

 ...and skipper.
The Orbit was constructed especially for the Olympics and is a prominent feature in the park...

...it is one of the largest free-standing sculptures.
The edge of the park is still a massive building site...

 ...and this area is known as the International Quarter - many large businesses will be re-locating here from the City of London.
The Aquatic Centre is now a busy part of the community...

 ...standing next to the walkway that takes you into the par.
The view across the park towards London...

 ...is ever changing as new buildings join the skyline.
Everywhere is being maintained beautifully...

...and even the entrance into the Westfield shopping complex is beautifully planted.
The is "The Street"...

...original open to the sky, it has now been covered over so that folk can make use of the outside space despite the British weather.

We had a fabulous afternoon and we're all looking forward to the new tours that will be starting later in the year............................................................

I did say...

...the fencing was looking a bit tired.

This is how the back gate looked....

 ...very shabby and scruffy where the previous coat of stain had faded & worn.
The two pots of pansies...

 ...dropped neatly into the two planters by the front door...

 ...and a drop of water soon had them looking perky.
However, here is the back gate after its coat of "Forest Green"...

...it certainly looks a lot tidier but it will probably need a second coat.

I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the new colour (despite my doubts) so it looks like I'm going to be busy for a while. Let's hope Mother Nature is kind and provides a few dry & bright weekends over the next few weeks. Good job Easter weekend is coming up soon.........................................................................

"Spring is sprung...

...the grass is riz.

I wonders where the birdies is.
The birdies they is on the wing.
Now ain't that absurd?
I thought the wings was on the bird."

I learnt this rhyme when I was young and never knew where it came from. A quick search of the 'interweb' shows that there is some debate as to whether this is one rhyme or two that have become linked over time. The author(s) is another question that seems to cause debate.

All I know is that I learnt it as a child and thought it was fun.

 

The "Thurrock Blooming Marvels" have been hard at work getting the town planting ready for Spring...

...and this bed is already starting to catch the eye...

 ...the mini 'tete-a-tete' daffs are bobbing about in the breeze...

...and providing a lovely splash of colour.

Spring is one of those times when I wish I had a dash-cam in my car because the 'Blooming Marvels' have done a wonderful job around the area with masses of daffs of all sizes & shades on roundabouts and along the duel-carridgeways - if there was somewhere safe to stop I would take some photos but as this is the route in & out of the Gateway Port it is a 'Clearway' so no stopping.

So I can't share all the wonderful planting in the area with you but I can assure you, the 'Marvels' have done a fabulous job and it certainly makes me smile as I drive by these 'fields' of daffs.................................................................

Kicking off...

...our weekend away.

Before our weekend, I'd paid a visit to Poundland and bought some packs of A6 hardbound note books and a selection of paper pads. The idea being that we could all participate in a common project but we could see the different ideas that we each had.

So for my notebook...

 ...out came the DST. Then I had to decide what papers to use...

 ...I went with some papers from the pad called "Pure Frozen" - lots of lovely blues & aqua colours to choose from. Crafting with friends is great as there is always something different to use...

...this was one of Carol's 'power punches'. They are made by Fiskars and it is amazing what they will punch through.
A bit of ribbon and some bling...

 ...and my book was done. The punched shape in the middle...

 ...is backed with aqua glitter paper but no matter how I tried to photograph this it really doesn't show.

This was Carol's finished book...

Chris went all buttons & bling...

I made a start on a second book...

 ...even the inside got some pretty paper.

Rene had a seasonal mix. The papers were from the Autumn pad and she hand coloured the daffs before fussy cutting...

Alison went for some butterflies...

What a fun way to start the weekend and we all now have a pretty notebook to jot down ideas in or give away as a little gift.

The weather outside was rather wet and blustery but we didn't care - we were crafting and having fun..............................................................

Tuesday was...

...my birthday.

A day that I share the following events with...

The death of JFK
The birth of Jamie-Lee Curtis
The death of C.S.Lewis
The resignation of Margaret Thatcher

...and I'm sure there are many more.

My staff presented me with the most wonderful present...

 ...a coffee maker and a basket of goodies to go with it. They also came up with a wonderful poem (which I will share another time). Such a wonderful gift. The only problem has been getting it home as I commute - two days later and everything is now sitting in my kitchen.
Tuesday evening I came home to find flowers and chocolates waiting for me...

 ...my arranging doesn't do them justice...

...but they are lovely and contain my 'birthday flowers' - 'mums and sea thistles.

I was also given a huge bottle of Baileys which I shall enjoy over the holiday period.

I will be meeting my friend Hilary on Friday and we will be going for lunch and a bit of retail therapy as it is "Members Weekend" at Pinnacle Crafts.

Not a bad week........................................................

The local schools and W.I. ....

...have been working hard again.

Last year St Margaret's at the end of my road had a wonderful poppy display and they have another fabulous "Poppy Cascade" this year...

 ...poppies of all sizes...

 ...cascading down the walls of the church...

...creating a beautiful splash of red.

In addition to the 'cascade' there are crochet poppies surrounding each of the hanging basket posts throughout the town centre.

I look forward to seeing the completed display on Friday..............................................

After the rain...

...and the sunshine.

Just take a look at the "Flower Trees"...

...they have certainly come into their own, after a very slow start.
They are providing a lovely pool of colour...

...in amongst the tower blocks and building sites...

...especially as only 4 years ago, where you can see this crane at the side of the new tower block under construction, there was a row of beautiful trees and flower beds.
The planting in the 'flower trees' may not be as vibrant as the planting in 2012...

 ...but it is looking lovely and is a much better site to see than all the concrete & construction.
Our little oasis of colour...

...at the entrance to Stratford City......................................................................

The Flower Trees...

...are back!!!

However, they are looking a little lonely and sorry for themselves...

...and not the wonderful display that we had back in 2012 for the London Olympics.

The following photos were taken at the start of July 2012...

...as Stratford in East London was putting on its finery...

 ...getting ready to welcome the nations of the World...

...each flower tree sporting a different colour and variety of planting. Stratford looked wonderful with its masses of flowers and banners everywhere.

2012 was the first year we had the flower trees at this crossing by the office. Each year since, they have returned but each year there have been less of them and the planting has been less impressive.

This year we are down to three flower trees (although I could only get two in my photo) and the red/white/blue planting scheme is taking a while to 'do' anything. Hopefully with a bit more sunshine they may yet burst forth.

Today is exactly one month before the 2016 Olympics open in Rio - gosh those four years have flown........................................................................