DADDY: “Paddy! Scout! Everybear and fox! Can you please stop your playing and come here for a moment!”
PADDY: “Hullo Daddy!”
SCOUT: “Here I am Daddy!”
JAGO: “Hullo Daddy, are you alright?”
DAISY-MAUD: “Do we need the first aid kit, to mend your paw, Daddy?”
ROSIE: “I’m here Daddy!”
BOGART: “I’ve come as quickly as my little legs can carry me, Daddy!”
ORSON: “I’m right here, Daddy!”
FREDDY: “Hullo Daddy! Here I am!”
CORNELIA: “Goodness Daddy, is everything alright?”
DADDY: “Oh yes, everything is fine everybear and fox. It’s just that we will be going home soon.”
SCOUT and ROSIE: “What? Already?”
BOGART: “But it feels like we just got here!”
DADDY: “I know little ones. I know. We aren’t going just yet. There is still plenty of time for playing hide-and-seek in amongst the flowers, but it’s so pretty here that I wanted to take a family photo of you all, as a memory of our visit today.”
CORNELIA: “Oh that’s a good idea, Daddy! Then I can share it with Moesje, Punky and Percy!”
SCOUT: “And I can share it with my twice removed and once added nephew, Marvin, and with mijn beste vriend Peter!”
ROSIE: “Who also happens to be mijn prins Peter! He would love our photograph!”
PADDY: “And I will share it with mijn best vriend Oleg!”
JAGO and DAISY-MAUD: “Oh, and our best friend Benny!”
FREDDY: “And Caddie, Little Freddy, and my best friends Pedlar, Bernus and Hakus!”
BOGART: “And my best friends Fuzzy and Danbo!”
DADDY: “Yes, don’t worry, I will share your photo with all your wonderful Flickr friends everybear and fox!”
SCOUT: “Can we come back here and play another day, Daddy?”
DADDY: “Oh of course we can come back, Scout, but when we do, the flowers may not be here.”
CORNELIA: “What? Not be here? But they are so pretty, Daddy!”
DADDY: “I know Cornelia, but flowers don’t last forever.”
PADDY: “Ahem!” *Clears throat.* “I hate to correct you, but everlasting flowers last forever.”
DADDY: “Well that is true, Paddy, but primulas and tulips, pansies and lollipop primulas do not last forever, and so Cornelia, the gardeners come and take these away after a while.”
ROSIE: “Will they plant new flowers, Daddy?”
DADDY: “Oh of course they will, Rosie, but these spring plantings are by far the most beautiful of all the gardener’s plantings throughout the year, and that is why I want to take a photo of you now. You all look so beautiful against the wonderful floral backdrop of pansies.”
PADDY, SCOUT, JAGO, DAISY-MAUD, ORSON, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDY and CORNELIA: “Oh thank you, Daddy!”
DADDY: “Now, let me fetch out my camera. Whilst I do, can you please organise yourselves into a nice arrangement, everybear and fox?”
PADDY, SCOUT, JAGO, DAISY-MAUD, ORSON, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDY and CORNELIA: “Yes Daddy!”
SCOUT: “May I have Dolly, Daddy? She is in the pocket of your bag to keep her safe whilst I’ve been playing.”
DADDY: “Of course you can, Scout. I’ll fetch her out.”
SCOUT: “Oh thank you, Daddy!”
PADDY, SCOUT, JAGO, DAISY-MAUD, ORSON, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDY and CORNELIA: *Begin to arrange themselves.*
DADDY: “Oh, splendid my little ones! You have all arranged yourself so beautifully. Scout, here is Dolly.”
SCOUT: “Oh thank you, Daddy!” *Grasps Dolly and cuddles her.*
DADDY: “Alright, now on the count of three, say ‘grumbly tummies’! One… two… three…”
PADDY, SCOUT, JAGO, DAISY-MAUD, ORSON, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDY and CORNELIA: “Grumbly tummies, Daddy!”
*Camera goes click and whir.*
SCOUT: “Thinking of grumbly tummies, Daddy, I have a grumbly tummy right now! Grumbly tummy, Daddy! Grumbly tummy!” *Rubs tummy voigorously.*
PADDY, JAGO, DAISY-MAUD, ORSON, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDY and CORNELIA: “We all do, Daddy! Grumbly tummies Daddy! Grumbly tummies!” *Rub tummies vigorously.*
DADDY: “Alright then, come along everybear and fox! Let’s go and have a lovely cream tea at the café over there!”
PADDY, SCOUT, JAGO, DAISY-MAUD, ORSON, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDY and CORNELIA: “Hoorah!” *Jump up and down with excitement.* “Oh thank you, Daddy!”
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.
Rosie is Scout's cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, including the one who gave Scout to Paddy.
Jago was a gift from a dear friend in England. He is made of English mohair with suede paw pads and glass eyes. He is a gentle bear, kind and patient who carries an air of calm about him. He is already fitting in with everyone else very nicely.
Daisy Maud is Jago's little sister and was made by the same friend in England who made him. She is made of German mohair with floral fabric cotton paw pads that match her pretty sunhat, and glass eyes. A sweet and loving little girl bear, she is happy to be reunited with her big brother, Jago, and enjoys being spoiled by her new Daddy.
Orson, named after the little bear constellation, was made by the same friend who made Jago and Daisy-Maud. He comes ready dressed in 'trousers' made of German mohair accessorised with embroidered braces. His paws are ultra suede and his eyes are glass. He is described as being a little bit serious minded but very friendly. He's fine once he gets to know you.
Cornelia, I found in an antique and vintage market quite recently. She is a vintage edition Russ Bear from their Mohair Collection. She is made of deliberately mottled mohair to give her that vintage look. One of a limited edition of 10,000, she was designed by artist Carol Hosfstad and is completely handmade.
Freddy Fox is made by Merrythought in England. I bought him, of all places, from a men’s accessory shop in Melbourne’s Block Arcade, called Mr. Wares. Freddy Fox is made of English Mohair with felt paws and glass bead eyes. He has so much charm and charisma that already he is winning hearts with anyone whom he meets, and he is kind and sweet, which makes him an ideal member of our family.
Just on the edge of the Melbourne Central Business District's formal grid of streets, you will find the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens. A haven of green with avenues of elms, lush rolling lawns and beautiful seasonal plantings the gardens are populated with various buildings and points of interest.
In spring 2023 the gardeners of the Fitzroy Gardens excelled themselves with several annual and perennial borders in the area around the Model Tudor Village Planted with beautiful pink petunias, pink lollipop primulas, cinerarias in pink, white, purple and blue and rows of pink tulips they are a roar of colour! I have never seen these beds look so beautiful!
The Fitzroy Gardens was named after Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy (1796-1858), Governor of New South Wales (1846-1851) and Governor-General of the Australian Colonies (1851-1855). The Gardens have a long history of over 150 years, few other capital cities can boast such a significant garden so close to the City's centre. As crown land the City of Melbourne are the custodians to preserve and oversee this magnificent garden, visited by over 2 million local, interstate and international visitors each year, it is one of the major attractions in Melbourne. It features many beautiful statues, a bandstand, the Temple of the Winds, a conservatory and Captain Cook's Cottage.