Dogs, Trees and Blowy Dresses!

At the start of the week we had a new tree "installed" into our gardens.  This one is the work of Artist Steve Webb and is our new "Memory Tree".    Over the years we have had such a lot of visitors who have loved the gardens, the views and us ducks that we get requests for benches to be installed or trees planted, so much so that the memory tree idea was born to help!

The plan is that leaves will be made by glass blower Stuart Fletcher and his team at Topglass and the they can be engraved with a personal message as a memory to install onto the tree.  There will be more details on our website in about 2 weeks time.  In the meanwhile here is our Maintenance Manager Mick and Artist Steve installing the tree.

New Memory Tree 

It has been a fantastic week weather-wise and we are delighted to see so many children outside in the gardens visiting us with their parents and grandparents.  Dayel, the gardener, was also out this week with the mower - first time this year but we have been telling him for a week now that the grass was getting a bit long for us!  It was also the first time this year that Wagon House Plant/Shrub man Karl Strawbridge got hie legs out - they definitely need a bit of colour!  He had a good start to the season too with many people now thinking about their own gardens - he has lots of new plants in stock.

White legs -- sunglasses needed!

Look who came to tea in the week .... This is guide dog puppy Dixie - she is only 7 weeks old and can only come out if she is carried until she has had her jabs.  The guide dog trainers leike them to get out and about early though as it starts them off getting used to people.  She was in a great position to check out the cakes - she wont be doing that when she is older.  Jessica who is carrying her will also find her muscles tone up as she grows too!  Dixie will be too young to participate in the forthcoming DogsUnite sponsored walk for the Guide Dog Association but Jessica and her Mum are coming along with their other guide dog trainee.

We welcome dogs in the gardens and as long as they don't get free and chase us, are happy to see them.  One of the regular dogs who visits is Connie - another Guide Dog, She was specially chosen to be a brood bitch and we have just heard that she has had a litter of 6 pups.  We hope to see them soon,

Connie and 6 pups - exhausting work!

And finally -- after the great weather all week it got a bit windy this weekend which was a shame as Sophie Wynne Owen the Centre's new Bridal Couture artist was doing a fashion shoot of her works - in the gardens and around the Centre.  Everyone got a bit blown about but I think they will have some great pictures!

Pottering about

This weekend we have had some very different pots here for ervyone to see (and buy).

The exhibition is by the Midlands Potters Association.

Here are Barry Lockwood and Christine Curnow with their work

There are some unique and beautiful pieces of art, some functional and some just beautiful to look at.
All work is for sale and there is one more day to go of the exhibition.

Out in the gardens the weather was so nice and warm today that we decided to take it easy and have a bit of a snooze whilst admiring the daffodils - they really cheer up the gardens!

Cameras, Music, Action!

Well actually no music but plenty of camera and action this week in the Centre....

Firstly we had Sherlock Holmes here on Friday night - in the guise of the "Don't go into the Cellar' company.  A cosy supper in the conservatory was followed by a one man performance taking guests through the "Singular exploits " of Sherlock's life, it included cameo performances from his brother Mycroft and also the dreaded Moriarty!  The acting was marvelous, facial expressions and mannerisms that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have been proud of!

We followed this performance through the windows but could see that it went down very well.  The next bit of "action" was some filming for an Edgar Allen Poe film by Big Frog Productions.  The filming was in the area that the local school children use for their Forest School which is in the small woodland at the end of the site.  We are looking forward to seeing the film and hope it is a blockbuster!

Aside from this is has been a relatively quiet week in the gardens, lots of my friends are pairing up now and the mallards that fly are disappearing to find new nesting sites where they can 'be alone'. Two of my female friends have been struck down with swollen ankles which is making them limp quite badly.  They are resting in the pen by the pond and are being given antibiotics - it seems to be doing the trick even though they both hate having the syringe put down their throats each day.  Hope to see them back on the pond soon.

St Patrick's Day!

It was Irish Stew and Soda bread on the menu for this last week on the menu in the restaurant to celebrate St Patrick's Day, also Team leader Mandy got creative and decided to decorate the counter a bit - we were short of leprechauns but we do have a fair selection of green Gnomes so they just had to do....

The weather this week was so lovely that Dayel the Centre Gardener worked hard with us all week putting homemade compost on the gardens and digging it in - we all pecked in to help...he was thrilled (well I think that is what he shouted....!).

Dayel the Garden with diligent helpers!

With the nice weather we also saw the return of "Little Black Pig" Farm Stall at the front of the site - they are selling all sorts of farm meats, including home made (award winning) sausages, hand made pies, vegetables from the farm as well as milk, cheese and other bits and bobs.  It is great to have them back - they will be here for at least 6 months on weekends and possibly a bit more too.

Dragging my webbed feet!

It has been quite a while since I have written in the ducks diary and I have made a resolution to stop dragging my webbed feet and get back to keeping up to date with the comings and goings here more regularly. My excuse is somewhat feeble - we have just had an amazingly busy time since the last post back in summer 2014.

Early in the summer the Jinney Ring restaurant buildings became licensed to hold Civil Ceremonies (in lots of different ways) and during in august/September the first two were held in the barn building, these were both really lovely events and involved garden marquees so we saw everything that went on and were part of the wedding party (of course!).

A Civil Ceremony for the marriage of Geoff and Carolyn 

We had a garden full of weddings and some brilliant parties throughout the summer, I don't think there was one where we did not get corn provided and some pictures with the guests.  Here is is a picture of the last one celebrated here - it was a barn dance in a lovely marquee.  What do you think of this photo of the first dance? - pretty special we thing (it was taken by Frank Wood)!

Belinda and Michael our last wedding of the season in 2014

In the Autumn we also had our Annual Sculpture Trail to look at during its month long exhibition - we have lots of chance to review these pieces and unlike the children we even climb on the pieces occasionally (and no one shouts at us!).  We even had some pieces in the water so we were able to swim around them.  It was a great show and we love having these big pieces of art here.

At the end of the Sculpture Trail we had a day of Apples and Apple related things going on, this was run with Avoncroft Museum and the Transport Museum in Wythall. Visitors were able to travel between Avoncroft and Jinney Ring on a nostalgic old bus - we don't get many buses in Hanbury so this was a huge treat!  This day was so nice that it is being repeated again in 2015 on Oct 4th.

  

Christmas was then upon us with some super parties, lovey atmospheric decoration and village carol singing in the lead up.  The New Year Eve party was a 1940's theme and the staff dressed up as land girls for the occasion, the entertainment was provided by Sylvia Starlight who was a terrific singer. 

The 'Jinney Ring Land Army' with Sylvia Starlight

Since The start of the new year we have had Valentines Day with a fully booked breakfast and a smoochy romantic evening for couples in the evening, the first pudding night of the year and last Saturday all the  "Mum's" and their families came to see us.

Busy, busy - and now it is officially spring it is time to look around for a mate in the garden - I hardly have time to quack!!

Hedgehog and an umbrella Wedding

After a couple of dry weeks, yesterday saw some serious "weather for ducks" at the Jinney Ring, the forecast 'showers' translated into thunder, lightening and extremely heavy down pours.  All this did not manage to spoil Lucy and Andrews wedding we are happy to report, even though they had some outside activities planned into their day.  The gardens were set up for the event with an array of gazebos and they had skittles, horse-shoe throwing and coconut shy, just like a village fete!  The big garden marquee was also ready for them after they arrived (in their lovely Rolls Royce car) for their pre-dinner drinks and photos.

The highlight of the evening (from a ducks eye view) was watching bridegroom Andrew pick up his new bride and run up the garden to the restaurant to stop her dress getting too wet....wow, we were impressed!

Andrew and Lucy just wanted a really relaxed wedding breakfast with food that everyone likes so went for a "grazing" style BBQ meal - just as well it was cooked in side in the restaurant though as a BBQ outside would probably have made it a very damp affair, as it was everyone stayed warm and dry and had a really "chilled out" time with some lovely speeches at the end of the evening.

Behind the scenes making BBQ super

The Bride grooms father Mark was spotted in the children's activity area on his PC during the evening! -- no he had not got bored  - he was checking the couple in for their Honeymoon flight!

Aside from the wedding which was great to watch from the gardens, we also had a visitor in our duck pen - this hedgehog.  He had been found in the gardens rooting about and the gardener suspected he was not very well so gave him something to eat and drink before letting him back outside in the pen for a while.  There are so many slugs about at the moment in the garden it is difficult to think that we was just hungry, but he did seem to perk up a bit when he had been given some cat food!

 
Busy weekend ahead in the gardens - The Roving Crows on stage tonight we hear - surely not more birds!

Lots of celebrations

Gorgeous weekend for a sunbathing and splashing about, we have had a great time with tons of duck food, (although we will always make you think we are never fed!).  It was a good weekend for celebrations too - on Sunday we had three separate events going on at the dame time:

Firstly the Cain family came along for lunch and to plant a commemorative tree in memory of Christine Cain who was a regular visitor and loved the gardens.  They planted a lovely crimson decorative maple next to the bottom pond.

Second up was a "big birthday for Claire Parry - Claire and her husband have celebrated with us for other occasions as well so we were delighted when she asked us to look after her and the family for this "unmentionable" big birthday (she certainly does not look it!) Shirley also made a cake for the party - lovely summer colours!

Claire and her family

Having her cake and eating it!

The final party was held in our meeting room and started with Kir Royale in the gardens enjoying the lovely sunshine. This party was to celebrate the confirmation communion for Maud.  She looked pretty as a picture and the whole family turned out to celebrate with her.