Monday 4 January 2021

New Year in the park

 

My first walk of 2021 was in Greenwich Park. It is my closest large park and I make sure I visit it at least once a week. Here are a few of my favourite sights this week.  The large, dried hydrangea heads cry out to be noticed make a good display








There are red and fallow deer in the park but they have their own large enclosure and don't mix with the public.



The squirels were as inquisitive as ever.

Plenty of Canada Geese on the pond.

A pigeon strutting its stuff.


Lots of camelias providing colour.




Things are bad here in the UK with regard to Covid. This new strain is having a devastating effect on the numbers being admitted to hospital. As from tomorrow the whole of the UK will be in lockdown with schools and businesses closed again. We will not be coming out of it until at least mid February . Although over a million people have already been vaccinated and that number will be greatly increased now we have the Oxford vaccine being rolled out from today, it still takes a further 3 weeks for people to build up immunity after the vaccination. Walking is the only thing that keeps me sane!

25 comments:

  1. I'm excited to see the impressive antler on that deer. Happy New Year.

    Worth a Thousand Words

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  2. Wonderful pictures. I also love seeing that rack on the deer, amazing! The pink camellias are my favorites, though.

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  3. The flowers are so lovely. We are in winter mode, so your photos remind us of how amazing God's creation is.

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  4. I have never seen a squirrel. It is sooo cute.

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  5. Happy and healthy New Year! It must be nice to have such a pleasant park nearby. I was amazed to see the Rose of Sharon flowers ae still blooming. Stay safe at home and hopefully the virus numbers will go down by February.

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  6. That looks like a nice park. Thanks to my fellow bloggers I have come to appreciate dead dried hydrangea heads as being beautiful in their own right.
    This covid thing is fierce. We still have lots of deniers where I live. Only 56% of population says they will get vaccinated.

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  7. Finally there are beautiful things close to us the park looks beautiful. I have been there in 1999 (!) and of course don't remember !
    Yes I heard already yesterday on the German channel that it is very bad in the UK and there will be a total lockdown until March (?) The Belgian News said the same. I listen always to several News in different countries to try to find out the truth ! In Italy it's the same there you can only leave the house for food shopping with a limited distance !! I am very suspicious about this vaccin. Why do they start in all countries with retirement homes ? Of course a 100 year old has less years to loose than a 30 year old. As far as I know, only Biden has been vaccinated (and still people are not sure that it was the real vaccin), no politician has been vaccinated. I think they should start as an example. The Queen has volunteered but was refused. I'll wait and see, as nurses refuses the vaccin too (My former neighbor is a nurse and her sister too) Somewhere we are all manipulated ! I try to lead a "normal" life in all these restrictions, but honestly it is not easy for girls like us who love to discover things and travel !! I became so modest that my dream is to walk in a park visit a castle and HAVE A COFFEE or drink in a Pub or Restaurant still all closed. Poor owners ! I am very happy to be retired ! I only hope that this year will be better !

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  8. Hello,

    The dried hydrangea look beautiful. I love the deer, birds and cute squirrel photos. The flowers are beautiful. I think it is safe to be out walking, keeping a distance. My hubby is waiting to get the vaccine, it is not available here yet. Take care, enjoy your day! Have a happy new week!

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  9. Lovely. The deer are a delight.

    Terrible news about Covid in the UK!

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  10. Greenwich Park is lovely but I didn't know about the deer. I am relieved to know they are contained when they have horns like that. Camellias! I sign of Spring. Hope for the best as you suffer lockdown.

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  11. Hope you stay Covid free and can have the vaccine soon. we need some tougher measures here too. Biden will do his best I know.

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  12. That park looks like the perfect place to go to shed the Covid blues. So sorry however to hear about the complete lock down you are facing. We should do that also but probably won't. Hang in there and keep enjoying what is still available.

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  13. It takes a certain state of mind to stay sane at moment. Your approach to our predicament works so well. Wishing you a Happy and Picture Filled New Year.

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  14. Lucky to have a park like that to visit, all I have are open fields around the village, can't say the Thames path is where you can walk at the moment so I tend to walk around different route village daily

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  15. what a great park near you and awesome photos ~ amazing flowers ~ ~ love the deer too ~ I know walking is 'keeping me sane ~

    Try sauntering through the day ~ what do you notice?

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  16. Hang in there . I bet you’ll come out of it (as a country) better than we will because of the lockdown, We have no leadership and when it changes later this month I’m afraid it will be too late. I need to walk more because it is very hard to stay sane these days. (Might be too late ...only half-kidding!). ..... pretty sure I’ve told you way too often how much we loved Greenwich. So beautiful this time of yearbook, thank you for sharing!

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  17. Yes walks in the fresh air and lovely scenery are very much needed - again!

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  18. Wow ! Beautiful pics even after drying Hydrangeas are looking beautiful.The pink camellias are stunning glad you make up to park. It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to Gardening where you can share any information pertaining to nature, plant and animals here at http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2021/01/garden-affair-winter-annuals-for.html

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  19. It has not been very winterly here too, much rain and high temperatures...

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  20. Nice flowers. The only thing I see on my walks are brown trees and the sun has been noticeably absent since last year (the last time I saw it was on December 28th).

    Let's hope the vaccines do their work and do it soon. I will be waiting in line to get mine, I know that.

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  21. "Walking is the only thing that keeps me sane!"

    Yes, thank goodness we can still enjoy walks and I certainly enjoyed this one with you - lovely photographs.

    Stay safe and well.

    All the best Jan

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  22. Hydrangeas are one of my favourite flowers, they are such an old fashioned plant. I have friends on facebook who keep me up to date on how things are going there, 3rd time in lockdown I think, no wonder people are frustrated.

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  23. Walking keeps me sane, too. We aren’t locked down as a country or state but we ourselves along with anyone with any sense is going nowhere. Our state is not progressing well at all with the limited vaccine we have and the number soar, now because of all the Christmas travel people did against all advice.
    It was interesting to see that we are seeing similar things flourishing in nature at the same time. The camellias here are just getting into full bloom and we probably have 20 large old bushes around our house to enjoy.


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  24. We had a similar lock down in Melbourne - and I was also thankful to be able to walk.

    Hope all (else) is well.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  25. Regular walking during lockdown is essential, easier in summer but essential also in winter. And just think how happy the trees, gardens and animals will be, having a great water supply :) Your animals are gorgeous.

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