Category Archives: photography

Friday Five: The only nasty thing I like

1. What’s the last movie you saw?
At the cinema: probably Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s Pictures at an Exhibition in 1973. On TV probably some Lord of the Rings-ish thing last Christmas. See, I keep telling you I don’t do films.

2. Are you gentle?
Me? Gentle? Oh do be realistic, I’m about as gentle as a clumsy hippo!

3. Do you sleep with your bedroom door shut?
Nope, not at home, not usually even when we have people staying; we both hate shut doors. Tend to shut the door at other peoples’ (except my mother’s) but really only ‘cos most of them do. And when I was a student, although I shut my room door at night it was never locked, and often left ajar when I was in during the day. In this house shut doors are really only for one thing: to keep a cat penned in – and even so most of the doors can’t shut ‘cos there are things (like a pile of books) in the way.

4. What’s your middle name?
Cullingworth — my mother’s maiden name. Not many around and none now in my line of the family as my mother was one of four sisters. Cullingworth is a small village in Yorkshire, so the family come from there originally.

5. Friday fill-in:
I could learn to like
not having to work to eat.

[Brought to you courtesy of Friday Fiver]

Our Cats – Happy Furry Friday

As it’s furry Friday I thought I ought to upload pictures of our current two cats. So here they are: Harry above; Sally below …

They are now about nine. And no, Harry and Sally weren’t our choices of names; they’re rescues which we acquired some 8 years ago when they were about a year old; they’d been dumped on the doorstep of our local Blue Cross centre (in Hammersmith, London) with Sally heavily pregnant; the staff chose their names. Sally’s six kittens were spoken for almost before they were born, but no-one wanted these two really lovely friendly young adults. Harry greeted us for the first time by rolling on his back and demanding attention; he’d obviosuly said to Sally “It’s alright dear, you look after the kids and I’ll do the PR stuff”! The staff at Blue Cross were so glad we wanted them that they wouldn’t even let us see any other cats!

Rauf the Taxi


Rauf, originally uploaded by kcm76.

One of my friendly local cab drivers. Totally unposed; he had no idea I was going to take it when he next turned towards me. Luckily we were sitting in stationary traffic at the time!

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)


Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), originally uploaded by kcm76.

I found this today on a rose bush in the garden; the first one I’ve seen; I’m pretty well certain of the ID. Not the best of pictures I’ve ever taken.

The Harlequin Ladybird is a recent arrival in the UK and it is spreading from the SE. It is a pest: it is aggressive, spreads quickly and predates other ladybirds rather than following their example and eating aphid. More information at www.harlequin-survey.org and www.ladybird-survey.org. Yes, I have submitted a report to the survey.

And now one has a dilemma. Do I destroy the beasticle on the basis that it is a pest, or do I let it go free rather than risk damaging my karma?