It's that time of year - # 46/2011

February high tides flooding the banks at Ham as usual.

Holiday postcard - Richmond Hill viewed from Ham - # 51/10

I originally thought that the famous "squatter's river-pontoon dwelling" could be seen on the right of the river - BUT see "rob's uncle" comment below.    I must take the telephoto lens and study it closer. (I've posted the photo full-size, so you can enlarge it with a couple of clicks to view what I thought was the enlarged squatter's pontoon at your leisure).

Done and dusted - Baroque style - # 09/162

The toil of the last couple of weeks is done, and the great baroque house (1610) by the Thames is illuminated and decorated,  ready for its Christmas programme.  The Emperors around the wall seem to look satisfied with the treatment we've given them.

Here's a quick shot of the finished result, lights on for testing the effect, and last a minute check for correct alignment of the spot lamps, early this evening. Guests for the first evening programme will soon arrive.

Who's hiding in here then? - # 09/159

I know that you enjoy the Ham House moments. 

Here the House has been "put to bed" for the winter and the conservation work continues while the visitors are kept firmly outside! 

The "conservation cleaner" is hunting for signs of the insect world who may have decided to try to move in and eat the house for dinner when no-one is watching.

The working man- # 09/148

.....I'm still hard at it but unable to leave you totally abandoned without a nice cliche-ridden B&W: hope you like it.  (FYI.....the workman (not me) is replacing the anti-UV filters on the Ham House windows.  The House is a very strictly controlled to prevent destructive UV rays getting at the collection).

1/15sec #2 - # 09/118

It's not so speedy here! The rule is: Just snap randomly at 1/15th second. Having stowed the bike I dive into Ham House and snap randomly (honest; it's random) as I enter the "dungeon" where those of us who are too horrible to be seen in full daylight toil and strive to repair the unrepairable.

This is a random shot of a striving colleague.

The trompe l'oeil painter - # 09/20

It's always nice to see someone working. At Ham House we are boxing-in a delicate table marble-topped table piece that needs to be protected at certain times and in certain conditions.

Tim and I painted and prepared the wood with an ultra smooth finish, laying on about 5 coats of paint to very precise instructions, each coat being a different type of paint and smoothing down each layer to a mirror-smooth finish before the next one was applied.

This work prepared the base for the trompe l'oeil painter who created a realistic marble top that matches the original hidden underneath the box, and now she is applying a design that will match the surrounding wall panels, which you can see at the back.

It looks great! I tweaked the contrast a bit to emphasise the shadows, but you can already see the realistic effect emerging on the flat surface.

See other "At work in Ham House scenes" in posts # 10, 12, 33, 49, 296, 08/06, 08/73, 08/78, 08/158, 08/167, 08/259, 08/265.

The Hardware Store - # 08/282

It all goes out first thing in the morning and it all goes back in last thing at night. What would we do without this shop and its dedicated owner?

This photo is a tribute to http://cergipontin.blogspot.com/2008/11/paris-14eme-western-affaires.html showing us a similar mainstay of society in Paris. Thank you "Cergie" for your frequent visits to that bane of La Belle France: L'Angleterre. ;-)

Tactical conference - # 08/270

Two conservators discussing the removal of the tapestry.

Completely off the wall - # 08/268

So: the tapestry is removed from the wall, held on the cross beam, and the scaffold is wheeled back. The helpers on the top lower the tapestry slowly and those below drag it gently back and lay it face down on the specially prepared extra soft, acid free bedding before rolling it into a kind of Swiss Roll with lots of protective layers (like the jam) inside each turn.

Inside the roll will be a special tube to stiffen it and hold it firm. Dead easy, really! All you need is an army of helpers and many, many hours of planning and preparation, and a certificate in conservation and several other crafts.

Going to bed - # 08/265

It's a bit difficult to do a daily photo at the moment, and here's one reason why. Putting Ham House to bed is quite a busy activity and the whole staff plus many skilled volunteers are involved.

Over the last several days we have been preparing to take down a tapestry that is magnificent and hundreds of years old. It will go for restoration which will take at least a year.

Over the last 3 days we actually took it down........imagine taking three days to take down your curtains to send to the cleaners.

Removal included making a special box to precise measurements and specifications to allow safe transport to the restoration factory. The Handy-Man Team including me made up the box according to instructions.

Here's the 17th Century "Long Gallery".........all quiet, early in the morning, waiting for the arrival of the team. Lying around is the equipment needed. Today is "Taking Down Day" - it took about 3 to 4 hours after many other hours of preparation and planning.

If you go way back to posts 9 - 12 in 2007 (plus a couple either side, or maybe not???) you will find a small set of posts about a previous project.

The weir at Teddington Lock - # 08/258

Straight, curved. Vertical, horizontal. Solid, fluid. Hard, soft. Static, moving. Fast, slow. Agitated, calm. Natural, man-made. Wild, tame. Dangerous, safe. Uncontrolled, controlled. Ordered, chaotic. Animal.

Reflection of marker-post in the water at Teddington lock - # 08/232

The 26th September brought us the last moments of hot and brilliant sunshine before the strong winds of Autumn fell upon us.

The Great River Race 2008 - My Pic - # 08/218

Yesterday the skies cleared and the "S.A.D" clouds disappeared. Many rowing enthusiasts
travelled from all over the world, carrying their boats, to take part in the annual Great River Race. http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/

"Whacky Racers" and tough cross-ocean competition rowing adventurers took part. Boats were handicapped and placed in numbered classes for the 22 mile row. Boats started from Ham House, Ham and rowed 22 miles down to Greenwich.

This main photo sums it all up. Every type of boat you can imagine and flags from around the world are getting ready for the Start. I'll show a few other shots later - from whacky to more serious.

Rough Nature - the whole story - # 08/65

Two years ago a dog killed the whole family of swans living on the pond. Last year a new swan took over the empty pond and this year found a mate. Canada geese arrived as usual in winter. This Spring the swans have mated and the Cob is now very aggressively defending "his" pond.

Most of the other Canadas have gone but these two remained. Naturally the powerful aggressive swan is keeping them off the small nesting island. Hour by hour he confronts the geese and refuses to let them onto the water.

I captured the goose as she started to lay and egg on the bank. The swan is keeping the two geese off the water. You can see the egg just starting to emerge. Yesterday you saw it two thirds out.

River god looking rather wet - # 311

.... terrible storms and rain yesterday and last night as a strong southwesterly storm blew in from the Atlantic.
Here's a picture of the "River God" who sits in front of Ham House beside the Thames. He's taken on a characteristically "DAMP" look.

Ham House - # 276

Regulars know they will find other views of Ham House on this site. Nevertheless I have decided to show this unconventional image. Unfortunately the sun caused a flare (no lens hood on my Olympus C7070 compact) but never mind. This shot was taken at about 09.00 hrs with the camera pointing due south.

I wanted to get the "bright side/dark side" effect and also to emphasise the windows against the black silhouette effect.

The house was built in 1610, and as some of you know, I spend time there helping to repair the unrepairable. (The right hand side bar has a link to Ham House which is now closed for the winter but will open over the Christmas period, enhanced by the Christmas fairy lights display I will have helped to design and lay out)

Great River madness- # 227

Contestants on the 22 miles (nearly 40 Km) run came in all shapes and sizes.

Crazy guys from Holland and mad, English, physically fit pensioners took part for fun and for their favourite charity:

Totally serious female Atlantic rowing ahtletes competed for pleasure!
......and strange dragon boats made the scene even more colourful.

See it all here and discover how the different classes got on: http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/

At the Start of the Great River Race- # 226

"Read all about it" http://www.greatriverrace.co.uk/

Every year crews from all over the world come to London to take part in the Great River Race, to celebrate the River Thames and London.

Fairies come (as above).

Glamourous ladies come and......
Serious Canadians come.

Tomorrow I'll show some more.

Described by many as "London's other Marathon", the Great River Race is London's most colourful and spectacular river event. Each year contestants compete in a 22 mile race between Richmond and Greenwich to find the UK Traditional Boat Champions. Up to 300 traditional boats, from wherries to war canoes, and from Cornish gigs to watermen's cutters, take part.
This year's race took place on Saturday 8th September with the first boats setting off from Richmond at approximately 12:55 pm.

Ferry for April of Cologne - # 191

This posting is for April in Cologne http://koelnjournal.blogspot.com/ who on 29 July showed a similar popular foot ferry crossing the great and magnificent River Rhine. Here you can see the ever popular Hammerton's Ferry with it's excellent ferryman crossing the tinier but no less magnificent Thames at Ham, near Richmond. You may like to refer back to my earlier posting
http://richmonduponthamesdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2007/02/500-yr-long-queue-5.html