Here’s one from years ago (like 2008) when I went to London Zoo — and yes, for some unknown reason they let me out again!
No story to this, just a pretty picture!

Birch Tree
June 2008, London Zoo
As regular readers will have noticed we were in Oxford yesterday where I spotted this mega cup. It was in the window of Alice’s Shop in St Aldate’s, almost opposite Christ Church. It is absolutely magnificent and I reckon probably holds at least a gallon (4.5 litres) because, yes, that is a normal sized cake stand next to it!

Meet Tilly … the latest addition to the household. She arrived last Friday evening. She is about 12 weeks old, the last remaining kitten of one of our neighbour’s two cats’ recent litters. Although they aren’t brilliant pix, these are two of the first photos of her.


Talking a few minutes ago to a friend at Eton I was reminded of this photograph. It is an old one, from 2001, and was in the foyer of the Farrer Theatre at Eton College — clearly a student piece! Everyone found it rather amusing and admirable. Enjoy!

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’ve blogged this “yard” before in Buggered Britain #13.

Early yesterday (Sunday) morning I went photographing in central London. It was a glorious bright, warm, sunny morning in which the Albert Memorial, in Kensington Gardens looked absolutely stunning.


Blimey it’s over five years since I went to London Zoo. It was an interesting, if not eactly cheap, day out. And I couldn’t resist wandering off to see the meercats.
Meercats are just so comic. I’m sure they know they’re being photographed! This one was looking away, heard my shutter and immediately turned its head and looked hard straight at me with an almost Roland Rat questioning look as much as to say “‘Ere, was that you taking my picture then?”. I almost expected it to follow up with “You can’t do that, ya’ know, I’m an international licensed character, I am!”

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.


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.
