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"Waterloo sunsets (I am in paradise)" is a famous song by the Kinks. French impressionists (I think I'm right) have painted it.
This is "Waterloo lunchtime" - at noon.
Many will recognise it and love it. Those of you who have no idea about London will now see. This is London in March. On sunny days London's nice, but on grey days it's, well, just Grey! London has enormous amounts of culture and entertainment to offer the tourist, but the overall sense of London is "Business and Commerce"; "world Business"; and that's how I like it.
I am standing on Hungerford Bridge looking East towards Waterloo Bridge and the City of London in the distance. St.Paul's Cathedral, with its distinctive dome, is more or less in the centre and the towers of the city are clear on the right of it. On the extreme right we see the rising central core of the new "Shard" - the skyscraper going up at London Bridge.
I'm not going to bore you with endless naff shots of Spring flowers. Unless something really super materialises, this narcissus will be the last one. But, it is indeed wonderful to be enjoying a very pleasant Spring. It's mild, the sun is shining: dare we hope that this will be an end to three years in a row of very bad doses of "eternal grey cloud". (At least that's how it has seemed to me).
Spring! I started a few weeks ago by announcing a little series aimed at showing the transition from Winter to Spring. Suddenly Spring is here! It is magnificently manifest in the "go-faster" red stripes of this tulip which survived the attacks launched by slugs in February.
I enjoy "Stand-up". It's often a bit crude (and sometimes it's unnecessarilly crude). It's certainly not "politically correct" and that's good in a world where political correctness has got out of hand and needs a rap on the nuckles.
I have to thank the comedians at the Ram Jam Club at the Grey Horse in Kingston for kindly allowing me to photograph them in action, using only "available light" . This is the most charismatic image I captured during a laughter-filled Friday night.
I regularly walk past this doorway which is typical of the calming, elegant style of 1930s Britain. It's hard to imagine that at the same time the industrial towns of Britain and continental Europe were still, by today's standards, quite horrible.
Pen Ponds, Richmond Park, winter.
I am greatly attracted to rooflines in towns. Living high up in an attic also has a similar attraction. You can gaze out over the roof tops like a falcon, spotting your prey. (This photo also treats you to a good view of that "Great British Institution", the Surviellance Camera. There's an absolute masterpiece of the art on the pole, looking out for it's victim in all directions and angles at one quick glance of its multiple eyes.)
The grey and the damp are still with us but the Spring is definitely in the air. The days are getting longer and the sun is breaking through. On the plus side the cool air is envigourating and provided you are well wrapped up and assured of a warm home and a good hot tea on the table when you arrive back, it's OK! (Oh, and don't you just love that flat grey sky?)
Some mud, some leaf compost, water to reflect clouds and sky, damp grass, waiting for warm sun to liven it up. Some grey, some blue, some green, brown, yellow and tones in between.
February high tides flooding the banks at Ham as usual.
The other day I counted about eight serious amateur photographers within about 200 sq meters. They were almost tipping over each other. I nearly tripped over this one!
It's rude to stick out your tongue! (This one didn't quite come out as I intended, but it's colourful and fun). Anyway, it's a spectacular flower inhabiting the Winter Border around Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park.
It's rude to stick out your tongue! (This one didn't quite come out as I intended, but it's colourful and fun). Anyway, it's a spectacular flower inhabiting the Winter Border around Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park.
