Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean

You may have noticed that it's been pretty quiet on the blog and social media lately.  That's because I'm in Texas bonding with my grandbabies and enjoying time with family and friends.  It seems wrong to spend much time doing anything but that.  But I have a quiet moment so I wanted to share some photos from a recent adventure back home in England.  These photos are from the most fascinating place.  This is Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean. 

Saatchi Gallery - London

One of my favorite things about London is the free museums.  The Saatchi Gallery is right on our doorstep so I wandered over recently to see what I could see.  The current exhibition is called Champagne Life.  If you live in London and haven't seen it yet, stop reading and go now.  The exhibition will be over in a few days.  If you aren't in London then keep reading and I'll show you some of the artwork.  

Victoria & Albert Museum

When I first got my new Nikon I decided to take it to the V& A Museum for a little practice run.  The V&A is one of the first museums that I visited in London and one of my favorites.  I also love that you can take photographs.

Happy Mother's Day, Love!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers and mothering souls out there.  Mother's Day is one of those days with the potential to bring up some of the harder emotions, isn't it?  There is love, happiness and joy, but sometimes loss or sadness. 

I'm experiencing a whole range of emotions today, but the primary one is love. Absolute love for my wonderful mother, pure love for my beautiful daughter, excitement and joy that she will now know the joy of motherhood, and a new fierce love for a grandson that I will soon meet. And for my husband who loves me enough to know just what I need on a day like today when I'm far from home. Today I'm celebrating all of the love. So whatever emotions you are dealing with today, I wish you love.

A Prickly Life Lately

I thought it was time for a Life Lately update, just to catch up on the day to day stuff.  I started to make a list of the things that I would mention and quickly realized that my update was turning into a "proper moan," a "whinge" even.  Two very British expressions but they certainly fit.  In truth, I don't have a thing to whine about.  Life if really good.  So what did I manage to come up with?  Well...

My tips for visiting the Tower of London

Like anyone who's lived in London for a few years I have my own list of things you Must Do if you're visiting.  You should do a walking tour, visit a museum and a park, take a boat trip down the Thames, check out the views from on high at the Shard or London Eye, enjoy afternoon tea, see a show in the West End, visit a market and walk the South Bank.  

Also on that list is the number 1 tourist attraction in London.  Many people will suggest that you avoid the tourist spots and focus on seeing the "real" London.  But, tourist spots are tourist spots for a reason and the Tower of London is the epicenter of London and British history, it is real London. 

Lilypads at Kew Gardens

Founded in 1840, Kew Gardens in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is the world's larges collection of live plants.  It's also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.  It's a massive park and needs many trips to actually see everything there is to see.  I've mentioned before that is a magical place for a camera lens.  We spent a leisurely afternoon there last fall capturing all of the colors and textures. 

The Waterlilly House had to be my favorite place in Kew Gardens.  It's a warm and humid iron and glass building with a large shallow pond as the centerpiece.  I loved the way the iron work reflected on the water, the perfect circles and straight lines of the ironwork were mimicked romantically and softly by the circular lilypads and the stalks of the plants. 

I've said that in everyone of these photo essays from Kew, but these are some of my favorite.

 

We're back from the most amazing week in Egypt.  Probably one of our top three trips.  I can't wait to tell you all about it.  But, first I have some catching up to do with Norway and Nice.  No more trips on the near horizon so I'll have plenty of time for blogging and editing photos.  

Have you been to Kew Gardens with your camera yet?

 

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Green at Kew Gardens (and grandbaby news)

Do you remember this post that I wrote about Jessica and John's beautiful wedding?  All of the emotions.  It's the most special post that I've ever shared on this blog. It was an incredible day.

Today marked another milestone in my sweet baby girl's dreams coming true.  It's a boy!  Jessica and John are going to have a sweet baby boy.  At 14 weeks it is early to know, but they had the Panoramic genetic test done and everything came back perfect. Jess told me a week ago it was a boy.  A momma just knows.

Obviously, I cried when I found out.  Nothing brings tears to my eyes quicker these days then thoughts of my grandbaby.  Knowing the gender just clicks everything into a bit sharper focus.  I can picture him more clearly now.  I can almost smell that intoxicating baby smell.  I can't wait to kiss his feet.  I'm madly in love already. 

Now that I'm pledging into the Nana Gigi Grandma Sorority, I have a whole new insight into the women I know who are grandmas.   Wow.  How do you ever utter a sentence that is not about your grandbaby?  This is going to be a thrill!  I wonder if GrandMummy blogs will be the new thing.  I'll try to refrain, although it will be difficult.  

In other, much less important news, we are packing for another adventure.  I'm packing bright colors and dangly earrings, flip flops and maxi-dresses and even a swimsuit.  Goodbye, London!  We're off to a Red Sea resort in Hurghada, Eygypt.  But, it won't be just lazing about in the sun, although mostly.  We're taking an excursion to Cairo and Luxor.  I'm actually going to see the great pyramids.  Pinch me.

I'm a bit giddy today, I must admit.  So with thoughts of babies and beaches rolling around in my head, I'm going to share a few more photos from our day in the Kew Gardens.  If you have a camera, run don't walk to Kew Gardens.  It's a feast for the lens.  

These are some of my favorite photos from that day, because green is my favorite color.  Although I say that about all the photos I've edited from that day.  Oh, there are more.  

I hope to be instagraming from Egypt if you like to follow along.   And a huge thank you to everyone who's sent such sweet words and thoughts about the new addition to our family.  We're obviously over the moon already.  

What's got you over the moon lately?

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Macro at Kew Gardens

So, how are you?  I'm doing good.

Very busy with work, but counting the days until half-term.

Matt's home from a guy's trip to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Don't ask my why they pick these freezing cold places to visit in the dead of winter,

but I've convinced him that he needs to write a blog post.

It's been too long since he's written a guest post, don't you agree?

Jessica is now in her second trimester and doing great.

The nausea has eased up a bit and she seems to be sleeping better.

We're having so much fun dreaming of the future with this little baby!

It's difficult being so far away when I'm just dying to touch her and that adorable bump.

She's been so sweet about keeping me up-to-date on everything.

The shopping helps, too!

We're home from a lovely weekend away from London.

My instagram feed is now full of some of my favorite photos from picturesque Cambridge.

Today I'm sharing some of my favorite DSLR photos. 

Late last year we spent a relaxing day at Kew Gardens.

I even took the macro lens which hasn't been out in way too long.

Matt is so patient with me.  I was all wrapped up in the colors and textures.

Here are some Macro shots from the day.

 

I'd love to know which one is your favorite.

I'll have several mores posts in this series.

Have you ever experimented with a Macro lens?

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