It was time today for the monthly staff development workshop that I organise. Why the Lego? Well, ask the speaker… but the talk was about creative innovation, so always good to have some toys to spark interest. I always try to do something creative each day — the proof has played out over the last five-and-three-quarter years on here.
This swan ain’t having anyone mess with its brood of cygnets this year. The coot high-tails it out of there under the frosty stare of the big white mother with the orange beak. Well, I probably would too.
This is full-on urban nature — taken in the centre of London, Hyde Park specifically.
Well, here we are again. And as usual – just for a quick visit. Things to do, then I’m off home again. This is how London has become the fourth most-depicted place on this blog. A place to come to and depart from…
After last weekend’s semi-final victory over Salford, Halifax Town duly beat Chorley 2-1 (after extra time) to get promoted back to the fifth tier of English professional football. 7,920 people were there to see it, an amazing crowd for the level of football (and a record for the National League North apparently). Sam Johnson, Halifax keeper, here clears a flare off the pitch. I’m telling you it was all happening at The Shay this afternoon….
Carlton Street in Hebden Bridge, named for Carlton Chambers, the building with the clock tower, and distinguished by the walkway connecting it with the premises over the road, long unused except as a vantage point for pigeons to dump on the heads of pedestrians below.
This old guy walks down our street at pretty much the same time every day and I know is the one who leaves these crusts out on the wall for the birds every day. And most days the bounty is accepted (see this shot for example). Maybe the crows, rooks, jackdaws, whatever they are, see him as some kind of divine benefactor.
Normally, litter bins of various kinds are the bane of photographic composition (along with cars, telegraph wires and lamp-posts). But just occasionally one flowers into attractiveness, as here, I hope. Another beautiful spring day with excellent light, I hope this lasts a while.
Ah, the joys of the 06:59 Hebden Bridge to Manchester Victoria service…. its cruddy carriages, standing room only by Todmorden, and then there’s that ‘6’ at the start of the time, which firmly puts it in the realm of ‘too early’. I dislike it, as you’ve probably gathered. Then again I doubt anyone has reached retirement age and fondly reminisced about the good old days on the 06:59.
Impossible to be sure whether this is the same heron that has (possibly) had a few appearances on this blog over the last 18 months — including this one for instance. Comparing the photos I think this one may be a different, and younger, one. To me it looks a bit like a very thin person who has just been reluctantly dipped in a swimming pool and is now standing by the side of the water, shivering, knock-kneed and wrapped in a grey bathrobe. But it was a sunny spot to dry out this morning, either way,
A benign one I can assure you. FC Halifax Town fans express their feelings about the scoring of the winning penalty in the shoot out in the (take a deep breath) National League North Play-off Semi-Final 2nd leg at home to Salford City (whose players really should practice penalties more). Second trip to the Shay stadium this season, after New Year’s Day, and there’ll probably be another one next Saturday seeing as we might as well go to the play-off final now they’ve made it.
Being 42 