T Stands For.. time for a new month and a couple of gardens

Hi all, what a strange week it's been - from heatwave to shivering. 

First my Calendar Journal which I am linking to Art Journal Journey and Neet's 'Type' theme.

I used some stencils with different size letters on over my page with Faded Jeans, Shaded Lilac and Blueprint Sketch Distress inks.

I used a number stamp by Aall and Create and Blueprint sketch and then added some spritzed stencil to make some texture. I also stamped another with black ink.

It was only when I started to fill in the first square that I realised that I had stamped July.

It's fixed now!!

Now for the gardens.

Great excitement last week as we arranged to visit a garden with my son and two of our grandchildren.

On the arranged day - we had to prebook - it was raining, so with umbrellas and raincoats we set off to meet them.

We went to Houghton Tower in Lancashire. We hadn't booked for the Tower as we didn't think it would be what the teens would want, but when we were offered the chance ( folk had cancelled) we all said yes!

The Guided tour was very interesting, the teens asked questions and commented afterwards too! By the time we came out the rain had stopped, although still windy and a bit chilly.

We decided to take a short walk in the gardens, which was just as well as that is all it could be!

Not very aptly named unless they were referring to the woodland (private) around the edges,

a small rose garden,

and finally a terraced garden with a strange maze.

The redeeming feature here was a look over the walls towards the Lancashire coast - I bet it's great when it's not rainy

We learnt that the standard is one of the oldest in England and that the white cow was once wild in the area

So, off we went, the guide on the door kindly opened both gates for me to take a photo - I think he surprised hubby.

Oh! The other garden!

Before we went shopping last week we called into a park we have driven past hundreds of times - the access was up a side road.

A bowling green and a Wildflower patch

It has a nice looking cafe...but not today Thank you!

An amusing bench - dedicated to tortoises

Some bee friendly plants

A gated area to enjoy watching the birds, there are feeding stations..

....although these are the only birds we saw

This is the best thing I've seen in ages, free bags to collect later in - no excuses about not being able to carry everything leftover from a picnic to the bin.

On the way back to the car we saw these..

..and the largest head of Hydrangea flowers I have ever seen

As I kept forgetting to take photos when we went out here are some cappuccinos we made with our coffee machine with a pot of Cantuccini biscuits 

It is after all still T Day - so I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T stands for Tuesday.

I apologise for being late - we can only use one device at a time on our internet and hubby has been booking a holiday!!!!

Thanks for looking, Chris