Jean is in the Park

Sequoia National Forest

A family adventure with the Sequoias: 

Sean and Jean on the trail ….

On the road .. Jean, Heather, Jake, Sean .. Andrew and Robin up front.

Jean brews Flower Tea

Watching as the Blossoming Flower Tea Wrap opens

A Quick Study

Dominos while the water comes to the boil.

A Silver lining in Rio

Mark Cavendish wins silver medal in Rio Olympics cycling omnium event.

Cav with this son.

Tea mate on 13th. Aug.2016

Early morning, sun is up and Jean is helping with the 2nd. infusion.

Cav takes win #4

Brilliant timing combined with raw power & speed ….

No place for Whiners !!! (Marcel Kittel Etixx-Quick Step, gets 5th. place)Mark Cavendish gets his 30th career Tour de France stage victory.

A nice place to Pedal for a living

Winding through the Pyrenees from: Vielha Val d’Aron to the Andorra ski station in Arcolis.

Nothing Short of: Exciting last 15km, Froome explodes

Stage 8: Chris Froome wins with panache: An audacious attack on descent of Col de Peyresourde.……. Now he is in YELLOW !!!

Three is a Charm .. Cav., 3rd Stage win !!!

 

Stage 6 2016:       The race from Arpajon-sur-Cère to Montauban was destined to be a sprint finish.Cavendish now holds the second-most stage wins in Tour history, behind Eddy Merckx. Mark also snagged the lead in the points classification, to hold the green jersey.

J & J brew some Tea … July 4th. 2016

As we await a sprint finish on Stage 3 of the Tour, Jean heads for the Tea-Table…  Fingers work

Stage 3 .. another Win for Cav

Just for a Day .. But what a day!!

TdeF 2016 .. Mark Cavendish in YELLOW

Stage 1 winner and Race Leader: .. Well deserved ……

Buckets O' Fun

Croquet and Lawn Bowling ..passé.. Lawn Dice are hot

Eras End

Nostalgic reflections about Steam Trains and days of yesteryear:
(Pictures thx to China media:)
Modern locomotive power displaces steam locomotives as they gradually fade into history.
China's Liaoning province, the last few steamed trains will be out of service in June, ending an "Age of Steam"

 A final check before we "Engage"

A stoker's job is relentless, the Engineer enjoys an iPhone moment.

As in most places, steam fuels the tourist industry and small local branch-lines still can be found. 

An old passenger steam train chugs through the countryside near Jiayang, Sichuan province.

A Dicey Proposition

Lawn Dice: not your average dice set.
Custom; Solid Hardwood, 5 inch cubes. (1.96 lbs each)

As with all dice games you need a cup / tub to toss the dice: .. still in the build cycle, 1 of 2 .. traditionally the task of a "Cooper"

An alpha test run ...It's too heavy Papa:.... 6.76 lbs, that's with no dice !!!!

With dice:

Some of the building process: cutting Staves .. Angled - Tapered & Notched (the Croze) Made by reclaiming material from Jean's crib

"Make tea in the tea-room Papa."

Saturday morning .. early, Jean wants us to make tea: ...

A nice way to start any day....

Tea with Maw Broon (and pals)

Synonymous with "Oor Wullie" are "The Broons"

 Afternoon tea with Maw and her pals: ...

Pals, Tea and a Chinwag

 Serving only the "Best" 

Oor Wullie turns 80

First ever Oor Wullie panel. 

Oor Wullie complains he never gets any fun, in the way of boys everywhere.
This panel was the first in the very first Oor Wullie story, on March 8, 1936.
Now celebrating his 80th anniversary,as the iconic character.

Spiky hair, wears dungarees and often sits on an upturned bucket to sum up his situation for us.