Not this winter but the winter of the first lockdown. The ethereal winter light helps this image. Not my plot but a neighbour who had it all dug over and ready for action, sadly he made the mistake ( if there is such a thing in gardening ) of leaving quite a lot of weed root in his diggings and it has many weeds now. There are various schools of thought about how to get rid of couch grass which can be really difficult to eliminate. We don’t use weedkillers around here so it’s a choice of picking out every … Continue reading Winter Plottage

This shot of my neighbour plotter Steve, on his patch, was taken last winter. I like the way the green paths frame his immaculate plot. Steve used to be a road engineer and is fond of saying that “It’s not just tarmac, you know!” He seems to be digging a small road here for some planned planting. There’s evidence of spuds in the picture, so probably they are bound for the plot. He seems to have the ability to grow vegetables all at the same size, and his red cabbage this last year was just huge. Continue reading Digging Steve

This is Edward Wilson who died on the same ill-fated trip to Antarctica as the man who spoke the words: Titus Oats. I think it’s a rather wonderful statue, and with all the present debate on statues at least this one is not contentious. It’s in Cheltenham Town centre and he looks over the posh shoppers on the Promenade there. The phrase is spoken these days whenever I go out shopping and as I mostly do this on-line these days, perhaps it should be revised to ” I’m staying in, won’t be a minute” Spoken on an ill- fated trip … Continue reading “Just going out, I may be a some time…”

Orkney, where the washing might take longer to dry than Italy in the second picture. Both taken some time ago. I suspect the Orkney washing is still damp today. Continue reading Washing and drying.

This from some time ago now, an old van just beyond Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust area by the banks of the Severn. You can get to it by a little gate at the end of the grounds, and you’ll be away from the crowds. I heard a reed warbler down there, shy bird, so did not see him. Sounds a bit like an old Hewlett-Packard inkjet printer charging up after having an ink refill. And then this from just last week. A recently deceased exquisite tiny bird on a pavement in a huge shopping area near Barnsley in Yorkshire. … Continue reading Slimbridge old van and a tiny gem

This is a small detail in a window in Gloucester Cathedral and is about 3 inches square. Found on one of my frequent visits there. Not that I’m religious, I’m not. They were clients of mine when I worked at the print company, and very good clients too. Lovely people. If you are in this area go and visit, there’s lots to see and they have in recent years done a wonderful job on making what was a car park into a garden. There’s a permanent staff of masons there, constantly repairing and renewing. There are times, in what are … Continue reading Cathedral Window detail

As we come out of January, I’m sure we all look forward to warmer days and growth. This image was taken many years ago now on a holiday in Scotland. Loved it up there and found the Scots to be very welcoming. I have no idea what is growing from this tree, so feel free to tell me. Continue reading Scotland plant

Took this many years ago now when on a walk to the printers I worked for at the time. I’m keen on the odd ripped poster and this one was a real work of art….or at least I think so. Continue reading Ripping Yarn

Something to brighten the day, this taken on a trip to Orkney some years ago. Continue reading Orkney Orchid

When is say “ by the River” I mean by the Severn which runs through Gloucestershire. These two buildings have looked like this for years. The one at Leckhanpton Hill, from where on a clear day you can see the River. The other close by the River in Purton. Top photograph taken in 2008, bottom one around two years ago. What I like about these images and places is that they don’t seem to change much. The old farm buildings at the back of Leckhampton Hill have looked like that for years. The farmer uses them but has no need … Continue reading Leckhampton and by the River

Gloucester Cathedral gargoyle on a summer day. This is one of quite a few gargoyles that have been replaced over the last several years. The fine work of the modern masons. There objects look quite small when viewed from the ground but are really very large, and two thirds of the stone is the end balancing it on the roof. I think this one has perfect grace and charm. Perhaps even better viewed in the rain when she would be pouring fresh rainwater from her water vase. Continue reading Cathedral Gargoyle

Another little piece on the Cathedral in Gloucester. Some years ago they decided to give some space, both outside and in, to a modern sculpture exhibition. It took some organising on their part and the printers I worked for had the task of producing the catalogue. The idea was a great success in almost every respect and brought people into Gloucester who normally would not venture there. Dozens of sculptures arrived by heavy lorry and were strategically scattered around the grounds and the building. So successful was it they did it again a couple of years later. These two images … Continue reading Cathedral Sculpture