Brugge

Brugge, Belgium.  I've never been here before, and am in love. 

I can't explain this but it stopped me in my tracks.  Good marketing?

A small canal with green water.  The locals said it was an algae bloom.

Jan Van Eyke statue

Across from the hotel

Young couple, old couple, woman on bike, horse and carriage, and...pregnant lady with...painted belly??

Salsa dancing down the street.  I watched for awhile.  That couple on the right was good.  Their kids kept wondering when they'd be done dancing.

You want to go to the local bar?  You ride your bike.

Dad at a small drawbridge

London

Queen Elizabeth greeted us at the airport.

The view from our hostel room.

The buildings bent WITH the road.

Albert Hall

Everyone that's performed at Albert Hall

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Met up with my friend, Antonia!!!  Met her in India on the last trip.

Kings Cross/St Pancras Station

The Tower.  Keep the tourists OFF of the old stuff, please.

The Tower.  The line to see the Crown Jewels.  Nope.

The Tower.  Oh, Henry VIII, you ended up being so unfaithful to your "K".  Preserved for all eternity.

The Tower.  One in a series of displays about the animals that they kept here as "royal gifts".  Ugh...can you believe they thought it was a good idea to send lions, monkeys, elephants, and polar bears to London?  Glad that's over.

The Tower

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge

Dad and the Tower Bridge

The Hill Garden

There's not much that makes me happier than flowers.  Especially when it's my own garden that I've been wanting for a really LONG time.  I've moved 8 times in 5 years (long story) and am now finally back in my own house.  There's a hillside that never did well with grass, and it was always just enough of a hill to make mowing a challenge.  So this year I ripped the grass out and threw wildflower seeds all over it.  I may have over seeded, but so far they're doing great.  I take photos every week or so (because I need a document trail, right?) and I water them daily even though I just found out I'm not supposed to do that (watering ban).

Removing the sod.  This was actually great fun.  With each clump I had anywhere from 1 to 5 grubs.  I quickly realized that the chickens would find the grubs faster than I could, so they were invited to join the party.  For several days, they turned the soil with me.  The neighbors were highly amused, and the neighbors kids even joined in to help find grubs for the chickens!

Seeded and just beginning to sprout.

Not bad, they're coming up nicely.

As of today this is what it looks like, with a few flowers and many more buds in the making.  I can't wait to see it in like 2 or 3 weeks!

The close up series...just sprouting.

Maybe a week later?

They're starting to look like plants now.

The cosmos are gaining ground fast.

Today.  Marigold, Zinnia, and Cosmos are starting to bloom.

Cosmos

I have no idea what they are but there's lots of white flowers.