My Blog - Member - John and Valhttp://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/MyBlog.aspxThese Blogs are available to all members of ExplorOz. This blog space belongs to Member - John and Val.en-au240//cdn.exploroz.com/uploads/Members/61493.375/1__TN100.jpgMy Blog - Member - John and Valhttp://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/MyBlog.aspxExploring England 2015, Part 9 – Surprises, Odds and Endshttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/1/2017/Exploring_England_2015__Part_9___Surprises__Odds_and_Ends.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/1/2017/Exploring_England_2015__Part_9___Surprises__Odds_and_Ends.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/7329_0__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" />Perhaps the most enjoyable parts of any trip are the happy surprises that just pop out at you, unplanned and unforeseen. Unprepared as you are, they have the capacity to astonish and delight. Mind you,...N/AFri, 20 Jan 2017 02:40:00 GMTExploring England 2015, Part 8 – Museumshttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2016/Exploring_England_2015__Part_8___Museums.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2016/Exploring_England_2015__Part_8___Museums.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/3939_18__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" />With such a long and varied history there are plenty of museums to enjoy in England. They come in a variety of forms – many of the castles, grand house, churches and cathedrals do double duty as a museum, preserving and displaying their treasured items....N/ASat, 03 Sep 2016 05:13:00 GMTExploring England 2015, Part 7 – A taste of Archaeology.https://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/6/2016/Exploring_England_2015__Part_7___A_taste_of_Archaeology_.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/6/2016/Exploring_England_2015__Part_7___A_taste_of_Archaeology_.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/7248_46__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" />England has multiple layers of history lurking underfoot. Our eldest son Rob works as an archaeologist so it was inevitable that our visit would include a number of archaeological sites. Not that we minded of course, as - parental pride aside,...N/ASat, 25 Jun 2016 11:53:00 GMTExploring England 2015, Part 6 – Churches, Cathedrals and Abbeys.https://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/3/2016/Exploring_England_2015__Part_6___Churches__Cathedrals_and_Abbeys_.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/3/2016/Exploring_England_2015__Part_6___Churches__Cathedrals_and_Abbeys_.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/7161_0__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" />There are few sights that evoke "Englishness" more than that of a parish church, its steeple pointing aloft above sheltering trees. The humble parish church has been an integral part of English social life and culture for some 1500 years. For visitors like us,...N/AWed, 16 Mar 2016 13:28:00 GMTExploring England 2015, Part 5 – Castles and Grand Houseshttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/12/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_5___Castles_and_Grand_Houses.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/12/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_5___Castles_and_Grand_Houses.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/3939_13__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" />England is awash with castles and grand houses. They have simply accumulated over the past 10 centuries, built and rebuilt over the years. Some are small and functional, while others are lavish beyond imagination. Many are in ruins but many too are still occupied,...N/ASat, 19 Dec 2015 05:08:00 GMTExploring England 2015, Part 4 – Gardens big and small.https://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/10/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_4___Gardens_big_and_small_.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/10/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_4___Gardens_big_and_small_.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/7030_89__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" /> What better time to explore English gardens than in spring and early summer? In the countryside, along roadsides and lanes, bluebells and wildflowers are putting on colourful displays. In the more ordered environment of lovingly tended gardens there is a veritable riot of colour as trees,...N/ASun, 25 Oct 2015 05:04:00 GMTExploring England 2015, Part 3 – Landscapes.https://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_3___Landscapes_.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_3___Landscapes_.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/7008_0__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" />For a small and densely populated country the UK boasts some wonderful landscape scenery. In the summer when we were there, green is the dominant colour, but there is a rich variety spread across agricultural land and national parks,...N/AWed, 23 Sep 2015 06:08:00 GMTExploring England 2015, Part 2 – Around the Edge.https://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_2___Around_the_Edge_.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_2___Around_the_Edge_.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/6989_27__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" />The edge of the island that is the UK seems as good a place as any to start this account of our adventures. We had only had fleeting glimpses of English beaches before, enough to know that comparisons with our sundrenched Aussie versions were entirely misplaced....N/AThu, 10 Sep 2015 07:00:00 GMTExploring England 2015. Part 1 Introduction.https://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_1_Introduction_.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/9/2015/Exploring_England_2015__Part_1_Introduction_.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/3939_0__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" /> “When are you coming to visit again?” Rob, our eldest son who is an archaeologist in the UK, asked us well before Christmas. The idea was certainly tempting … but we had had a few health issues since our previous UK trip. Were we really up to it?...N/AWed, 09 Sep 2015 07:13:00 GMTHow to make a wildflower post.https://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/11/2014/How_to_make_a_wildflower_post_.aspxhttps://www.exploroz.com/Members/61493.375/11/2014/How_to_make_a_wildflower_post_.aspx<img src="//cdn.exploroz.com/images/blogs/m1869_29__TN130.jpg" border="0" align="left" hspace="5" /> Now that you are home from your trip, you are going through your photos, reliving the memories. You find that you have some good photos of wildflowers. Maybe you could add them to the EO Wildflowers database and share them with other wildflower enthusiasts....N/ASun, 30 Nov 2014 05:23:00 GMT