Saturday, October 29, 2016

Guernsey and Greenhouses

                            A lovely decorative floral display by the round-a-bout in St. Peter Port



        We came upon this herd of Guernsey cows one day while driving to an appointment.


In the grocery stores, this is the largest size of milk container available. 
Guernsey milk is the only kind allowed on the island.



There are hundreds of glass green houses on the island.  Most are not used any more.
I copied the following information about them from the internet: 
***
 "Some say it all began with the tomato…Guernsey’s horticultural origins go back over 200 years when the first greenhouses were erected. Locals dabbled in grape growing but it wasn’t until the advent of the humble tomato that things really took off. In the mid 19th Century Guernsey’s growers were quick to respond to news from medical practitioners that the decorative plant was not only edible but good for your health, and by the 1870s the tomato had overtaken the vine in the island’s glass houses.
The ”Guernsey Tom” dominated the island’s growing industry throughout the 20th Century, with special tomato trains laid on at Southampton and Weymouth during peak periods to cope with the influx. Guernsey became a “glass island”, with 7% of its total surface area under green house by 1950. By the 1970s hundreds of acres of glasshouses were dedicated to tomato growing, with nine million trays per annum exported.
 Sadly, increased competition from Dutch producers and changes in the British railway system eventually made the export of the tomato less profitable, and Guernsey growers were forced to diversify." 
                                                                               ***
    A majority of growers turned to growing flowers, which was a profitable export for many years; but eventually that too was effected by competition from European markets. Other than several plant nurseries, and for local floral shops, most green houses are not in use.  Some people still use theirs to grow fruits and vegetables and some sell their produce at small roadside stands; but most green houses are totally abandoned to the foliage - inside and out: 


Thursday, September 1, 2016

Guernsey activity

    The beach Regatta ....  fun on the sand at low tide.

 \

  E.Dame, E.Foster, E.Hardy...and Harrison -son of our friend James, who is being taught the gospel.                   



Some interesting fruit and veggie creations at the "Shows"...


A couple of cute tissue paper flower floats in the parade....



This is a real flower float, from movie Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang ......


It's small, but you see this one with real flowers is from the movie, "UP"....
.... frame built over a 4-wheeler :)






Island beauty

               We have seen many more unique flowers:


                                 Found out this one is an Agapanthus. Long stems, huge flower head.


        The buildings in downtown St. Peter Port are decked out with huge hanging flower baskets;


As well as most hotels ...

And in other places...


We saw some very interesting trees.....



beautiful creations everywhere !


  "... and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and
 all things that are upon the face of it..."   Alma 30:44























Wednesday, July 27, 2016

So many flowers

The variety of kinds and colors of flowers continue to amaze us.  Hydrangeas are breaking out in full                        bloom with their immense flower heads. We see so many different colors.




And there's huge lily's,



 roses,

and other unique beauties;  .... we haven't learned their names yet:






".... Flower buds are nodding, Swayed by gentle breeze..."

"...Everywhere is beauty; Life is at its morn.
Praise to God we offer For the new day born.

"In sky and land and river wide, The work of God I see.
Oh may my heart be full of thanks
For all he gives to me."

('Beauty Everywhere'-Children's Songbook)











Monday, June 27, 2016

The Island Walk

                                                 The Island Walk -  June 11th

The Rotary Club organizes an annual Island Walk for charity benefit in honor of the Queen's birthday celebration. We walked 12 miles; it was a nice sunny day; got sunburned but loved the heat and the beauty, and got to see more interesting parts of Guernsey.

                                                     A sandy beach near the trail. 

The first time seeing a field this big. 

A German bunker, from the Occupation. 

Ancient fortification.

Rocky shores


And gorgeous colored flowers

and more.





                              Flower clusters growing out of the cracks in a rock wall.  

                                 

                                                    The way we feel some days :)