Wednesday 29 July 2009

Witchcraft and Wizardry


The thought of Witches and Wizards taking over their church may not appeal to some Christians, but at St Paul's Church in Hammersmith, London, it's happened. Harry Potter has invaded. The church is swathed in a protective cover during renovations and sells the space for advertising, so even adverts for the latest Potter film, 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' are obviously welcome.

Friday 24 July 2009

Socks


Cameras are getting so small that Canon have started making knitted baby socks for them.

Tuesday 21 July 2009

Woodpecker

We thought it was injured at first, shuffling across the crazy paving in its red black and white plumage, but it was a fledgling, a baby woodpecker that had yet to learn to fly. Comical on the path on its short legs it went like a clockwork climbing toy straight from the ground up one of the Goat Willow's six trunks, probing cracks in the bark for food. Perhaps it might just survive.
In the evening it was settled three feet up the thick stem of a shrub, eyeing up the peanut feeder with its swarm of fledgling tits, but unable to get there without flight. I watched it for a long time, but it seemed to have settled for the night, and when I walked past a yard away, it watched me but stayed put in the foliage. Yes, it might just survive.
I looked out a few minutes later to see if it was OK. A sudden flurry under the bush and a black-as-night cat shot away through the hedge. The woodpecker was gone.

Thursday 9 July 2009

Nothing Changes.


I've often passed the fabulous Victorian gothic pile at Virginia Water and wondered what it was. Well now I know. It's a collection of beautifully restored grade one listed dwellings, where even the communal pool has a painted hammerbeam ceiling.
What was it? Thomas Holloway had it built in the 1870s as an "asylum for the mentally sick of the middle classes" with the enthusiastic backing of the 'Commissioners in Lunacy'
Now Foxton's estate agency has a four bedroom residence there up for rent at £25,000 a month (or £5,769.23 per week, they say). Not much has changed!

Tuesday 7 July 2009

NewburyBlueBadge


NewburyBlueBadge
Originally uploaded by jpequal1
Idling away a few moments in a Newbury retail park with the tiny Canon Ixus 100 IS

Sunday 5 July 2009

Ex Fork



So that's the end of gardening for today - where's that Claret?

Friday 3 July 2009

Matthew Warchus


Matthew Warchus won this year's Tony Award for 'Best Direction of a Play'. At a rehearsal room in Clapham we arranged two chairs in the light from the windows; he sat in one and I sat in the other, and we talked. While we talked I took some photographs. Nice chap - brilliant director.