Views of the City (including Millennium Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral)

Millennium Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral

 

Wanstead at night - December 2020 - Here's to a brighter new year

I could not resist trying a B&W version to highlight the street lighting starbursts.

 

Merry Christmas 2020 - Wanstead evening

A festive shot of the Wanstead tree given a twist by (unintended?) camera shake!

Long exposure produces street light 'starburst' and all three of the traffic lights - simultaneously.

Can't do a night time shoot without including tail-light trails.

Wanstead library looking forlorn at 5pm on a Thursday evening.

Those tail-lights again!

St Mary the Virgin, Wanstead is a Church of England church in Wanstead, east London. It is located on Overton Drive and now shares its parish with Christ Church, Wanstead. It is the only Grade I listed building in the London Borough of Redbridge.  According to Wikipedia,  The parish is first recorded in 1208, but its medieval church was replaced 70 foot to the north by the present building between 1787 and 1790,^[2] on a plot donated from his estate by James Tylney-Long.^[3] It was designed by architect Thomas Hardwick. Its foundation stone was laid on 13 July 1787, followed by a reception at Wanstead House, and it was completed on 24 June 1790

 

Lockdown - Hobbies - Gardening

I wasn't looking forward to spending a lot of time gardening this year - but I welcome the fresh air, exercise and sense of achievement now that our activities are curtailed by the lockdown.

Lockdown - Hobbies - Crosswords

Often a bit frustrating but perhaps it exercises the grey matter?

Lockdown Hobbies - Building a model airplane

The spitfire is finished in time for VE Day 75th anniversary.  Next up - a Corsair.  Both made of balsa and tissue ("Old School")

Rainy Day - Hobbies - Mecanno

It's a long time since I last built in Mecanno.  Really pleased with my hot-rod car.

RAF 100 years old

Spitfire ready for take-off

The end of winter?

   Ground cover at Branksome Dene Chine, Poole.

Corfe Castle and the Swanage Railway

The imposing ruins of Corfe Castle looks down upon the village and railway line.

Blow away dandelion

Spring daisies

It was time to cut the lawn but I hate decapitating the daisies………..at least I got a photo of them before the mower got them.

Could not resist publishing one more photo of the bluebells.

Bluebell Woods - Wanstead Park

Another glorious show of Bluebells in Wanstead Park near the Temple.  Get there soon if you want to see them - they won't last for long!  But do not pick any !

On cloud 9

Bright and blustery day saw great cloud formations above the Temple in Wanstead Park.  

Rained off

 The much needed rain finally arrived on Sunday.  Not that much fell but enough to form interesting patterns on our garden coffee table.

Colourful and busy Blue Tits

The blue tits have been a source of colour and activity in our back garden this spring.  I have been impressed by their fantastic work rate as they bring food to their young chicks.  I took these photos on Friday but today, Sunday, they appear to have gone.  I will miss them.

Wet and Windy May

I've been indoors for most of the day sheltering from the strong and unseasonal winds.  Took this photo a couple of days ago in my back garden.

The Darling Buds of May

Rough winds do shake the Darling Buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
(Shakespeare Sonnet 18)

Probably refers to a May Tree and not a rose.  However, we certainly have had the rough winds (and rain) this weekend.

Blow Away Dandelion

Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away Dandelion

Not sure what these Rolling Stones lyrics mean.

Also, I can't decide whether the Dandelion is a weed 

to be removed from my lawn.  I suppose the mower

will get it sooner or later.