Gilded Gage...

Inspired by many beautiful and ornate antique gilded bird cages, I decided that upon restoring an antique-styled birdcage, re-gilding it, and presenting it to Peter with a pair of Love Birds inside as an anniversary present.

Here are some examples of Victorian birdcages (many containing automatons)...

Here is my finished cage with it's pair of Lovebirds inside (not as ornate as the ones above, but still a little different from your run-of-the-mill budgie cage)...

Lovebirds are a sociable and affectionate small parrot native to the African continent which can live for up to 35 years! I chose masked Lovebirds as I thought that the white mask around their eyes made them very dramatic. They are a breeding pair. Any ideas for names?

New Zealand Diamond Jubilee Royal Portraits...

These are the official NZ Diamond Jubilee portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

They are shown wearing the New Zealand Honours - From Top to Bottom: The Order of New Zealand, The Queen's Service Medal, and the star of the NZ Order of Merit (with the Silver Fern broach securing her sash).

 Above: The Order of New Zealand (Sovereign's Medal)

Below: The Queen's Service Medal

Below: The Star of the NZ Order of Merit

  

Below is the Official UK Diamond Jubilee Portrait.

In it The Queen is shown wearing her blue Order of The Garter sash, and from top to bottom the insignia of the Royal Family Order of King George VI (pale pink ribbon), and King George V (pale blue ribbon). The most recent usually goes at the top, and of course she does not wear the medals of Her own Royal Family Order, which is by tradition bestowed on female family members by the reigning monarch). It is notable that marriage into the royal family does not automatically bestow the order. Although Diana, Princess of Wales was known to have received the Order, neither Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Michael of Kent or Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge have been seen to hold the order. As well, biological relation to the Monarch does not automatically bestow the order either. None of the current monarch's granddaughters have been seen to hold the order either. The Queen is also wearing the Garter Star.

 Above: Royal Family Order of King George V

Below: Royal Family Order of King George VI

Below: Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II

BTW, in case One forgot to send Her Majesty a telegram, One can send Her a personal congratulation here...

Diamond and Jubilee...

One of our Dorset Horn ewes has given birth early, to twins - a boy and a girl, which we have named Diamond and Jubilee respectively...

It seemed the appropriate thing to do given the circumstances.

Long Live The Queen.

Plant a Tree for the Jubilee...

Today at Willowbrook We planted an Oak on the estate to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It is the first tree in a copse that will be known as 'Badger's Wood'. 

We chose the tree at Wairere Nursery.

The planting is in support of  The Woodland Trust Jubilee Wood project. 

Earlier this year Her Majesty planted an Oak on her Sandringham Estate to mark the beginning of what is to become the Jubilee Wood...

We erected a temporary sign to commemorate the occasion too...

The Diamond Royal Jubillee...

In a fortnight the countries of the commonwealth will be formally celebrating 60 glorious years of the reign of ERII, which started on 6 February this year.

Last year Buckingham Palace released a set of souvenir gifts...

Peter gave me the Charger, Pill Box and Tankard...

Some items have since sold out, but several are still available - the perfect gift for the monarchists out there. 

We shall have a few more Anglocentric posts in the coming fortnight, as Willowbrook celebrates Her Majesty's jubilee in its own style.