Bright City - # 109/2011

Yes, it's real.  While America was suffering from the severe storm that wrecked the east coast all the way up beyond NYC, I went down to the mouth of the Thames to photograph the views around the Thames Barrier - the massive defensive system built decades ago to defend London from rising sea levels.  We need it and, it is regularly deployed, several times a year, to block the incoming waters that would under certain conditions devastate London all the way up to Richmond. 

Looking west towards London and the Barrier we were confronted with the sight of this massive rain storm appoaching fast.  The grey clouds above us were shedding a surprising amount of light that, unexpededly, illuminated the huge towers of the Canary Wharf financial area. In the left corner of the photo you can see that one of the massive grey walls of the Barrier has actually been raised, although all the other passages remained open.

The photo was taken at about 17.30 hrs.  By 18.30 London was once again rejoicing under brilliant blue, rain-washed-clean, sun-blessed skies. Amazing!

Wet day in Richmond - # 95/10

It's Sunday, but everything is open except for the specialist and second hand book shop (there's more than one small flourishing private book shop in Richmond - some of the rare surviving miracles of 21st Century "developed world" commerce).

The damp weather is keeping customers away from the stainless steel imported Italian-style cafe tables.

Enlarge the picture and enjoy the green moss on the tiny tower-top beneath the cross on the church which was "renewed" in the 18th century. Admire also the original late Victorian white painted window frame on the Alhambra Cafe.

Suburban sundown - Stop messing about! - # 09/12

What are you doing?!

Well, it's raining hard outside.

I know that!! Now answer the question!

Well it's something for Jilly, http://menton-daily-photo.blogspot.com/2009/01/ride-on-big-wheel-matchstick-men.html Richard, http://zurich.dailyphoto.forthmedia.com/index.cfm
Peter, http://peter-pho2.blogspot.com/2009/01/rue-du-faubourg-saint-antoine.html
a chap called Blognote in Arona http://aronaeveryday.blogspot.com/2009/01/another-sunrise.html
and a lady in Birmingham http://birminghamalabamadailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Birmingham, for heaven's sake?? !!!!!!

Yes, in Alabama.

Birmingham, Alabama! That's even worse than our own Birmingham!

Yes, but..................well, not only those. Also some other blogger friends.

Hmmmm. But, answer the question! And......what's all that beeping?

It's the camera.

Why? What are you doing, exactly?

The rest you can imagine...................the above is a photo of an excellent Stilton Cheese from an artisan workshop "Cropwell Bishop". The cheese is unique and, in the right context, delicious.

Camera: Olympus E3. Lens set at 400mm equiv., telephoto. Minimum focus range about 1.2 meters. Settings all Manual at F8. Available light. Tripod.

In Suburbia, when it's wet, things get really nerdy.

Expression of disgust - # 08/236

Recent observation on a wet day.

Unseasonal gifts from America - # 316

Until this year my garden fence always blew out in October, and the leaves always fell in October, and it was generally dry and quieter in December.

This year we don't know where we are. The fence stayed up until last week before the gales blew it out, and the wind finally stripped the leaves and dumped them on the lawn for me to clear up.

The weather forecast shows massive swathes of rain (I mean, really massive) sweeping in off the Atlantic.

At the same time the American "sub-prime mortgage" scandal upsets our own financial markets and it all goes pear shaped. My advisor rings to suggest that we re-jig the investments and batten down for rough financial weather.

Street cafe trading opportunity - England 6th December 07- # 314

Climate change (a modern term for "it's sunnier and warmer than it used to be") has brought to England the benefits of the street cafe open air life style. However, there are still some limitations. In part, these limitations are related to the fact that this year "it's a great deal less sunny and far much wetter than it used to be".