This week I thought we’d have a couple of photos from our visit to Kew Gardens last week. For me one of the delights of Kew at this time of year is the Water Lily House which houses a collection of spectacular tropical water lilies. On a hot day, as it was when we visited, the Water Lily House has to be one of the best saunas in London. So this year it is also being used to grow a super display of chilli plants, some with enormous red fruits up to 6 inches long! But it is always the water lilies which I love; they are just so spectacular.
Click images for larger views on Flickr Two of the many Water Lilies on show
Water Lily House (Montage) Kew Gardens, 8 July 2013
Although by Kew greenhouse standards the Water Lily House is small (that pond is just 36 feet in diameter) it is a delightful Victorian purpose-built greenhouse (it was completed in 1852). And that pond is also teeming with small fish which keep the algae and the mosquitoes at bay.
Another instalment in my occasional series documenting some of the underbelly of Britain. Britain which we wouldn’t like visitors to see and which we wish wasn’t there. The trash, abused, decaying, destitute and otherwise buggered parts of our environment. Those parts which symbolise the current economic malaise; parts which, were the country flourishing, wouldn’t be there, would be better cared for, or made less inconvenient.
I found these two feathers from a Rose-Ringed Parakeet (aka. Ring-necked Parakeet, Psittacula krameri) in the garden on Saturday. Considering that we have these birds around the garden almost continually it is surprising that these are the first such feathers I’ve found.
The larger is about 11 cm from tip to tip and given the curvature on it (which the photo doesn’t show) it is almost certainly a primary (probably P4) — you can see the black on the wings feathers (probably P1/P2) of the bird shown below. For a naturally moulted feather it is in remarkable condition, and the green is wonderfully iridescent.
The smaller feather is about 4 cm from tip to tip so is probably a breast feather. It really is that very lemony yellow. There were a couple of parakeets sitting in the top of our silver birch tree while we were sitting outside eating tea and I actually saw this feather floating gently onto the lawn.
My randomiser for choosing this week’s photograph has fallen again on something from our break in Rye with our friend Katy (and her lovely kids) at the end of summer 2010. There’s no special story about this shot; it was just a sheep grazing peacefully near Old Romney church.
A long overdue instalment in my occasional series documenting some of the underbelly of Britain. Britain which we wouldn’t like visitors to see and which we wish wasn’t there. The trash, abused, decaying, destitute and otherwise buggered parts of our environment. Those parts which symbolise the current economic malaise; parts which, were the country flourishing, wouldn’t be there, would be better cared for, or made less inconvenient.
These delightful properties are in the parade of shops next to Greenford underground station. Apparently the boarded up shop has been acquired by Tesco and will be opening as a Tesco Express store — although it’s anyone’s guess as to when this might be as it has already been in this state for most of this year.
One of my photographic interests is just sitting somewhere and quietly photography the people who go by.
Yes, before you ask, this is perfectly legal in the UK — you may legally photograph anything or anybody in public or on a railway station (and this includes children) without asking permission — the only exception is if a police officer considers you are photographing something pursuant to an act of terrorism. Moreover no-one except a police officer with a search warrant has the right to confiscate images or equipment or demand you delete images.
Surprisingly in all the years I’ve been quite openly taking photographs in the street and on stations I have only twice been harangued by a member of the public (both of whom thought I was doing something illegal — I wasn’t) and twice approached by a police officer. Both officers agreed that I was doing nothing illegal, although one (who was armed) wasn’t very happy as I was taking photographs near (but not of) some Arab embassies.
A few days ago I was sitting drinking coffee on London’s Paddington Station and was close to the YO! Sushi bar so I couldn’t resist photographing the chefs …
Click images for larger views on Flickr Sushi Girl (left) and Sushi Boy Paddingtom Station, London; June 2013
This week’s photo is a new one … A young House Sparrow sitting in our front hedge one day last week. Sensibly it was sitting dozing in the sun, probably waiting for its parents to return with food — typical teenager really!
This week’s photo should appeal to some of my more geeky friends. It was taken at New Romney station on the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. The RH&DR is a 15 inch gauge light railway running along the Kent coast. The 13½ mile line runs from the Cinque Port of Hythe via Dymchurch, St Mary’s Bay and New Romney all the way south to Dungeness, close to Dungeness nuclear power station and Dungeness lighthouse. Constructed during the 1920s the RH&DR was the dream of millionaire racing drivers Captain JEP Howey and Count Louis Zborowski. It now provides a valuable service to the otherwise relatively isolated communities, especially south of New Romney, as well as being a tourist attraction.
In the photo we see a gleaming 4-6-2 Pacific, No. 8, Hurricane, receiving loving attention from her driver while simmering between duties at New Romney station, the line’s HQ.
There’s lots more information on the RH&DR on their website, www.rhdr.org.uk, and on Wikipedia. If you’re in that bit of the UK it is well worth a visit for a really fun ride and some great photo opportunities.
This week’s photo is a demonstration of just what one can do with an unpromising subject. This was taken one evening while sitting in traffic in central London (actually on the approach to Hyde Park Corner). The combination of the dusk sky, the lights, the shapes and then the ability to skew the photo in the processing make this (for me, anyway) an interesting shot.
