Richmond Roofline 1 - # 09/79

Looking up and taking time to slow down and look all around is always rewarding in Richmond upon Thames. I like the hint of "roof-top apartment" just entering the picture on the left. Why is it that most of us seem to find this an attractive idea: living high up, looking out across the town, in a cosy little place? The grouping of several styles and shapes begged to be photographed.

Cat's Cradle- # 09/78

I liked the way this mooring rope formed a sort of cat's cradle as it was reflected in the water.

Vespa! - # 09/77

Richmond is much favoured as a scene location by the world's film-makers (close proximity of major studios, a very photogenic environment, and all the skills).

The white Grip's van arrived and started to unload the huge tripods for the cameras, and then the "star prop" arrived - a VESPA SCOOTER, looking absolutely stunning: vintage 1965.

I've loaded the snap full size so that you can click to enlarge and see it in all its glory.

Watch the Birdie - # 09/76

Enjoying first sunny week-end of Summer down by the White Cross Inn, Richmond Riverside.

Blank menu - # 09/75

.....................another in the occasional Richmond upon Thames Bar Fly series.

Extremes of light and shadow can evoke powerful emotions.

Wild flowers for a speeding bike - # 09/74

I revisited the site of yesterday's speeding bike shot.

Speeding along - # 09/73

A really happy week-end to you all!

Boats to build - # 09/72

Skilled craftsman at work building a new, traditional design, wooden sailing vessel at Richmond Bridge. Go along and see this special boat. It's almost finished.

Boats for Hire - # 09/71

This week-end "the Season" begins in earnest. The Cricket, the Flat-Racing, the Tennis, the Open-Air Concerts, the Rowing Regattas, the Sailing, the Strawberries on the Lawn, the Broad-Brimmed Frilly Hats, "Sell in May and Go Away".

Boats ready and waiting down by Richmond Bridge, resting in the sunshine.

Five figures at Ham House - # 09/70

A brief glimpse of figures caught at Ham House. Time passes but the essence remains.

Hard and Soft - Angles and Curves - # 09/69

Cloudscape at Teddington Lock, Richmond upon Thames.

This year the May weather is offering some dramatic and rapidly changing scenes.

The Lock Keeper's House - # 09/68

Teddington Lock, Richmond upon Thames: built 1810, rebuilt 1857 and a few times thereafter.

We are standing in the porch of the delightful Arts and Crafts style Lock Keeper's house, looking across at what was once a busy boat building yard, and is now (like everywhere else) a development of new apartments.

How many people does it take to change a light bulb? - # 09/67

At Ham House it takes at least five (plus the photographer), and about one and three quarter hours.

The Fox - # 09/66

Walking through my favourite wood in Richmond Park a couple of weeks ago I saw six rabbits cantering along and diving into a thick bush. Then around the corner I met Mr. Fox, trotting along behind, confident that he was on the trail of some dinner.

We both stopped, I caught this quick snap before the fox turned away in disgust, and quickly disappeared. Just a normal day in Richmond Park.

Camera: Olympus E3. Telephoto lens 100-400mm set at 400mm. Image stabiliser on.

The world turned upside-down- # 09/65

One couldn't be further away from the sunshine of Menton than down around my favourite "mysterious pond" in Richmond Park. I've featured it several times and it is never the same. It is always highly evocative.

Those craving another look at my meeting with other PhotoBloggers during a week-end in the lovely town of Menton on the Cote d'Azur should click on the side bar links over on the right hand side and see Avignon in Photos by Nathalie, Menton and Monte Carlo by Jilly and Peter's Paris. Richard from Zurich also added his own special ingredients to the meeting.

Farewell to Menton - # 09/64

Please click on the Menton link in the righthand side bar to see other selected shots of the Menton trip, taken by my fellow bloggers. Here is my farewell shot, taken on the Olympus C7070 wz compact, as we had our last hours together in the hill-top village of Gorbio.

From now on, I must return to focus on addressing Richmond, and try not to go ranging around on the hunt for other locations.

However, it's quite clear why the British "took over" the Cote d'Azur after they discovered it when making their "Grand Tours" in the 18th and 19th Centuries. The climate is indeed delightful.

What you get when you go to Menton - # 09/63

I've been moving about and having a rest from featuring Richmond (naughty, but sometimes one needs a change of scene and the opportunity to experiment).

This week end I enjoyed the excellent hospitality of Jilly from Menton http://menton-daily-photo.blogspot.com/ , Richard from Zurich http://blog.richardtugwell.com/index.cfm , Nathalie from Avignon http://avignon-in-photos.blogspot.com/ and Peter from Paris http://peter-pho2.blogspot.com/ .

Lemon trees line the streets of Menton. This lemon was picked in a Menton garden on Saturday.

On a close reach - # 09/62

A typical scene on the Suffolk coast. This vessel looks to be a good 75 years old. Sailing fast, sails reefed; the stiff breeze from the North Sea is strong enough to lay her over to the rail. She's all wood and brass and full of style: captured sailing past the ancient Suffolk village of Orford, a place with more than 1,000 years of British history to tell.