I’ve lived within a few yards of this door for twenty-one years and have absolutely no idea what is behind it. It seems to simply go into nothing: on the other side, so far as one can tell, there is merely a large clump of undergrowth. I genuinely feel that this might be a portal into another dimension. Or perhaps a secret MI6 rendition chamber. (But probably it’s just an old coal cellar.)
A day to reacquaint myself with people, who, generally, have not been seen on here for the last few days. Not that there will be many visits to Manchester coming up; I’m trying to minimise the need for them. And. by the way — Japan, brilliant stuff guys.
Another day that can really only be epitomised by something fairly abstract and meaningless. The back of a road sign, warning of road works (the red lighting being the traffic light in question), seems to fit. I do like the swirl of reflected street light, caught in the window of a passing bus, and the reason why I chose this shot in particular.
I’ve said it before, but it’s days like today — spent entirely in my house, day 1 of the latest batch of marking — that will eventually do for this blog, will drain my creative juices dry and leave me with simply nothing to photograph. But there’s always the view. Same comments as yesterday re: the hours of darkness, only today, half an hour earlier. The car headlights coming up Birchcliffe Road, and about to turn behind the buildings, give the necessary additional touch.
It’s that time of year when everyone looked outside at a particular point and said to each other — is it really only a quarter to five? We won’t be seeing daylight at that time again until about February. The rain was added atmosphere, but it is still needed. I like the ‘eye’ effect suggested by the lamp.
While I did get an interesting photo of Clare today it was definitely a posed shot, and I try not to have such pictures on here. Call me a pedant but it’s always been the case (and stated on the About this Blog page) — so let’s stick with it. Instead, another picture from inside a pub, or more precisely, the bar at Brighouse Town FC. We drowned our sorrows in advance, as by half time the team were 4-1 down and it didn’t get any better after that.
Last day in Oxford on this trip. While having a cup of tea outside the museum (in the same place depicted on Tuesday), in more pleasant sunshine, my eye was caught by the profuse fruit on this horse chestnut tree. In my youth all these would have been harvested for the playing of conkers, but apparently Health & Safety has done for that tradition, at least officially. Mind you, all of these were some distance up in the air, so I guess they will come down in their own time.
A bit early for a working lunch perhaps, but if it’s good enough for Inspector Morse — a frequenter of the Turf Tavern, Oxford, in both the novels and the TV series — it’s good enough for me, and indeed for this gentleman. One thing about Oxford is that you do really feel the whole city centre, at this time of year at least, is engaged in some form of intellectual pursuit. The environment is wholly conducive to it.
Bolstered myself for a heavy day’s work in the library (yes, it was) with a necessary cup of tea on a sunny morning in Oxford. Behind, the Natural History Museum, which has not resisted the current trend for public buildings to be engaged in some major renovation project or other. [NOTE: thanks to follower John, who pointed out I had misidentified the building first time round.]
Back to Oxford, so I can perform an aspect of my job that still does bring pleasure, and sit in a library for at least two days. The walk to my accommodation took place partly along this stream, a branch of the Thames. Perhaps I did this shot, in spirit, on Saturday, but I’m doing it again. Note the heron hanging around inconspicuously in the centre, hoping that the prey won’t notice it.
Being 42 