20 June 2015 - V and A Museum, Squirrels and the rain comes down

We finally set off for our Saturday discovery time after attempting include all in our decision making and pleasing two out of three kids. We bought some morning tea to have en route and sat by the canal admiring the waterbirds and canal barges to eat our treats.  Although our accommodation isn't perfect, the location is quite good and being able to walk along the tranquil canal to "town" is really a bonus. Trying to appease the reluctant one, we walked through the gardens to feed the squirrels some nuts.  Such a fun and calming thing to do!  They are delightful every time!

Who can fail to be charmed by a squirrel?

 Tim and Luke had decided to go to the Natural History Museum again.  Well, Tim had never been and Luke can't get enough of it, so it was perfect.  Luke was delighted to show Tim around! They had an excellent time.  It is great for them to spend brother time together. As the V and A Museum is just over the road and has a lovely courtyard we planned to meet there for lunch.  It was great to be able to leave Tim and Luke together knowing they'd have a lovely time.  Tim is a reliable time keeper so we knew they would be at our rendezvous spot.

Edwin Landseer: The Stonebreaker and his daughter.  This painting served to remind me of the jobs of the day: stone breaking for making roads, hardly a well paid job or fun existence. 

Charles West Cope: The Young Mother

Angel at the window

St Michael's Mount, Cornwall.

John Constable: Trees at Hampstead (near to us in Kilburn!)

John Constable: Hampstead Heath

John Constable: Study of the Trunk of an Elm Tree - so amazing, looked like a photograph, along with many other sketches and studies which were then copied into his larger works

Nicholas Hilliard: Unknown Woman - painted on vellum stuck to a playing card! (1547-1609)

Edith Crapper: Bertha Maria Crapper, Mother of Artist, painted on ivory!  I liked this one as she was wife of Thomas Crapper ("Famous Victorian sanitary engineer" - as in "have a crap")

Samuel Shelley - Misses Annabella and Mary Crauford - seemed to go grey early!

Always look up!

...and down!

...and on the walls

Beautiful enamelled gold.  The Jewellery exhibition was delightful with exhibits from ancient Egypt, through the ages to the present.  Rubies, emeralds, diamonds, glittering and sparkling.

Karl and I had already visited the V and A Museum but missed out on lots so really wanted to go there again and were not disappointed!  There were Turners, Constables and Gainsboroughs which were all fantastic but my favourite exhibition today was the miniature portraits some painted on vellum stuck on to playing cards and some on ivory - very intricate work.  The Cast Courts was extraordinary with replicas of many well known statues and arch ways installed in 1800's for those who couldn't see the originals, including Michelangelo's David.  This collection is now very valuable as the originals of many of the exhibits  have  been destroyed.

The Cast Courts - Trajan's Column , Rome 113 AD

The other Trajan's Column - the original was in marble

David - well a copy of him, anyhow!

Lunch in the courtyard was relaxing and busy with weekend traffic. The centre of courtyard which had been filled with water with the fountains going  proved irresistible to Luke who was in the water in a flash and wetter than hoped.  The big kids opted to walk home as we wanted to stay a bit longer.

Soaking wet before we had a chance to stop him - at least he'd taken his shoes off!

V and A courtyard/wateryard!

In the Music Room, British Galleries

Time for tea?  Tea was so precious that it was locked away!

The Parlour Room at 11 Henrietta Street, London

Unfortunately not a good photo (through glass) but the Wilke Detector Lock (1680) was excellent with a great video explanation.  It displays how many times it has been opened and the key hole is hidden under the soldier's leg!

Luke finally came out of the water, somewhat chilly as the day wasn't warm!  He'd had fun and played with some other kids which is essential.  On our way out we spotted the British Galleries, thought we would have a quick look and spent ages there!  We were so glad not to have missed it!  The highlight was probably the Wilkes Detector Lock with its tricks and secrets.  We enjoyed the video presentations and the displays.  The V and A must be enormous and it is undergoing an extension as well!

Sir Thomas Moore and family

Heading to the exit

Figure of a king from Bristol High Cross 1400

Always look up...

Chestnut tree (I think) in bloom

We walked as far as our squirrel spot again and Luke and I spent ages coaxing the little guys on to our knees to fetch nuts.  Very cute.  By the time we made it to Paddington, the rain was pelting down and we took advantage of our new knowledge that the 332 Bus goes via Paddington to Kilburn and hopped on board.  Hooray for double decker buses!

Squirrel eating the nut he took from my knee!

Front seat at the top - again!

And the rain came down!

Being Saturday night, we opted for an easy dinner of toasted "pizza" sandwiches (in the absence of an oven) and a movie.  Luke was really keen to watch the original Jurassic Park, which we did.  He loved it more than the rest of us did but that's crossed off the list now!  We'll hear about it for ages, no doubt.