What a shower!

It has been a really active week at the craft centre, firstly the sculpture trail launch and then yesterday an evening wedding party.  I heard it said that this was our first "American Bride" and later, when the party were in the garden before dinner, I found out that this was the "English bit" of their nuptials. The Bride and Groom had married in America last week in a garden ceremony with blazing sunshine.  Yesterday they had their second celebration in real English style - everyone was in their finest regalia (they all looked great, especially the Bride) - dodging the raindrops.  In fact during the evening we probably had more rainfall in the garden than we have in the entire month, including some thunder and lightening.    The weather did not appear to worry anyone - they ate dinner and partied in really good spirits, while we ducks danced in the rain - gosh we did enjoy it!

Dodging raindrops - Nick and Lindsey with family

We have the courtyard marquee at the centre until after the bank holiday and I understand that there is a wedding and special event display on show until it goes, so people can see what goes on here, or what could go on here!

The courtyard marquee display

A bit of sad news today - the mother of the ducklings on the pond is now down to two left on the water (four are still being brought up by the humans), one of the ducklings just disappeared (the crows we think) and the other just keeled over, although we have a suspicion he may have got under someone's foot as he had been getting far to close to people!

Lots of Art!

Art pieces have been arriving in the garden for a week or so now but yesterday there was a real hive of activity with all the pieces being finally put in place and numbered stones being placed by each one (I don't really get this as we don't read that well!).  There are lots of different pieces - some I like and some I am not that sure about but as I hear said often "that's what art is about" .

Artist Joe Floyd with his copper rose sculpture

Last night was the launch of the trail but sadly after no rain for ages the skies darkened at about 5pm therefore many of the expected visitors did not show, great shame as it turned into a lovely evening and there was a brilliant choir -- we all really appreciated it.  

The Bel Canto Choir from Redditch - Sang beautifully

A real treat was seeing "art in action" - we ducks seldom see this - Paul Michael Langford is building his sculpture live in the gardens -- it is a horse in motion.  Floss, Molly and Roxy, the horses in the field are most interested in this, he is sculpting close to the edge of the garden so they can see him (and he can see them!).

Paul Michael Langford - happy to chat while he works.

Josie - she has her camera again!

Finally, on preview night we had one of our very special guests visit - Josie has come to many events, especially the sculptures before and is a great photographer - we do have a lark though - she is trying to get a picture of us with our wings out and we are all having such fun teasing her, we open our wings just long enough for her to get her camera out and then we pretend we have no wings!  -- this is just so that she keeps coming back!   

The sculpture trail is on everyday until 18th September and is free entry - don't miss it!

August on the pond

Do you remember the tiny ducklings incubated by Hanbury First School,"Rosie and Jim"?  They are now nearly fully grown now and are jolly big ducks!  Here they are (left) with their friends "Bubble and Squeak" (right) who are not quite as old but quite a lot smaller -  "Bubble" is the same bred of duck (Pekin) as Rosie and Jim but we don't think he will ever catch them up - the only explanation we have come up with is the extremely good care that they had at school!  ("Squeak" is a Mini -Appleyard and he/she will never be large).  They are all still going back into their pen every night - but methinks that this is just because they have a ready supply of food rather than for safety!

During the week 4 new ducklings were spotted on the top pond - they appeared to be on their own with no mum offering protection.  They asked for help from many of my colleagues but none were that interested. Eventually they got cold and just sat on the edge of the pond shivering, fortunately one of the humans spotted them and has now put them in the pen under a hot lamp and they are all fine. It was all a bit of a puzzle though - as to where they came from.  The mystery was solved two days later when another 4 ducklings appeared - very similar in colour to the first batch, this time however the mum was with them.  The poor mum must have hatched one batch of ducklings early and, knowing the others were still incubating, had to decide which batch to look after.  The next four out are being very well looked after as you can see below!  Happily the first four should survive too, with a little human intervention.  I wonder if mum will recognise them when she see them again?

Proud mum with 4 multicoloured ducklings

It has been quite a busy week in the gardens again this week with lots of visitors.  On Tuesday Jets Crafts were here doing decopatch and pottery painting for children in the courses room and Mark from Marksman leisure was here with what looked like giant pods.  It tuns out that the children went inside to shoot each other with laser guns - looked great fun - he is coming back!. On Wednesday and Friday the garden was full of lovely music from violin busker Jo Lucas.

The laser "pods"

Blue it was not!

After much activity in the garden late last week, we found out what was going on on Saturday - it was time for the, now annual, music "Blues" festival -- and, amazingly, it was not even raining!

The garden gradually filled up and so did the field next door (with tents and cars), then the smell of home-made burgers cooking on the BBQ and real ale being poured pervaded the garden.  Oddly, we beginning to think that we were not to be the centre of attention in the garden for the large amount of visitors arriving, but fortunately we were not left out - two lovely little lads,  who must have spent all their pocket money on duck food for us, arrived just in time (we were very grateful and kept them company for most of the day!)

The music started playing at around 2pm, very gently with Maz Mitrenko. It gradually increased in tempo as styles changed, from the moody Mumbo Jumbo through the Cohen Brothers (who moved on to play at the Worcester Beer Festival after being here!). Then The Outwoods County Riders with their country feel and raunchy sound.  The Trevor Burton band started to play as it was getting dark - brilliant, and finally, our old favourites, The Big Blues Tribe finished the evening on a high -  the music as all terrific (even for us ducks - although the ducklings did give up early and went back to their pen!).

The event had been billed a a "chilled out" day - have a look at some of the sights we saw and see what you think!

The Spice of Life!

Saturday night we had quite a hoot with a private party "Polyenesian night".  Guests of SPICE "a social, activity and adventure group" came along, ate Polyenesian food and played some silly games including some limbo dancing, and something quite curious with a pineapple!   The Jinney Ring staff dressed for the occasion too !

Head Waiter Chris -- getting ready to relax??  I don't think so!

Waiters - Louise and Joel - they limbo'd!

and we had some strange creatures along too.....

Out on the pond - New ducklings Rosie & Jim and Bubble & Squeak were 'thrown out' of their pen today -- they were getting much too comfortable and were hard to persuade out, but when they got on the pond they loved it!  It was such a hot day they stayed there for a long time so will probably sleep well tonight (back in their pen of course!!)

Lots of people about at the moment including children - some pottery classes start this week as well as some other children's activities, should keep them busy -- also the restaurant are serving children's lunch boxes this year, they do look good!

What a Garden Party!

Children making dragon scales for the potters sculpture

It felt like the first day of summer today and what could be nicer than swimming around the ponds quietly in the sun -- but no, it was not to be!  The garden was an absolute hive of activity today, partially with the potters who were in the middle of the garden firing with a smoking kiln and children making scales for a dragon (very appropriate with the smoke and fire we felt -- and the dragon is going to be featured in this years garden sculpture trail in starting on 24th August).

As well as this we had music playing most of the afternoon from The Ragtime Jug Orchestra who have visited us before but not in such good weather!  They were excellent once again and had some really quirky songs.

The Ragtime Jug Orchestra -  Fab!

The highlight for us was the garden games which were all being run for charity, skittles, coconut shy, horseshoes and ye olde stocks. The best bit was when the owner, Malcolm, was put in the stocks and got very wet indeed, we did quack!!.

Malcolm in the Stocks (which came from Avoncroft Museum)

It was not quite the day we had in mind but it was fun having so many people visiting - lots of them fed us as they enjoyed lunch, pimms, ice cream etc.  I guess we need to get acclimatised as I hear it is the Blues festival soon - now that is a lot of music!

Rosie and Jim settle in

Rosie and Jim in the big pen

As rumoured the new ducklings turned up a two days ago - 2 of them had been born at Hanbury First School and have been living a life of luxury between the warm school class room and class teachers Miss Thorne  home.  They have been very well fed and watered and are now quite big ducklings.  The children have named them "Rosie and Jim" .

About a week later than Rosie and Jim were hatched, another smaller duckling hatched on its own at the Jinney Ring- this is a mini Silver Appleyard. Rather than keep the duckling on its own it went off to join Rosie and Jim at school, but because they were so big and rowdy they frightened the smaller duckling. This duckling was named "Squeak" due the the noise it was making!.

Squeak has some black in his feathers

The final arrival was a very late and unexpected duckling again hatched at the Jinney Ring. Because this one is so new it is not much bigger than Squeak and at the moment and they have been put together for company in a smaller pen -- he/she will grow to be like Rosie and Jim eventually, but hopefully the ducks will be firm friends by then so size will not matter!    The children have very aptly named this new one "Bubble".

Hanbury First school Reception class came over with teacher Miss Thorne to see the ducklings had settled in OK.  I think they went away happy that they were comfortable.   The children fed us bigger ducks too so we hope they visit regularly!