Images from my wanderings this week. 16-20 of November 2009

London never seems to sleep and that is one of the many reasons l love it. Apart from St. Ives in Cornwall, there is no where else l would want to live. I have travelled all over the world and loved every minute of it but l am glad l live here in London now. Never thought l would say that when l was travelling, but the older l have got, the more l wanted to settle in London. You can get anything you want...different foods, clothes, foreign books, films and so on. I enjoy just getting on a bus or train and just wandering for the day. So here are some images from my travels this week. Enjoy!

This reflection of a security camera made me giggle...not only are you being watched, so is your reflection....!! Mine you, in Papua New Guinea, where l lived for 3 years, some of the natives would have thought it was watching your soul. Now there is an image to conjure with!

This is a pisture of an empty, well almost empty gas container.When you think that this tank holds highly flammable gas...does it fill you with confidence? Also it is right in the centre of town....l have always felt uncomfortable around them. Apparently, or so my mother tells me, l was frightened of them as a child, even before l was told what they were! The only thing l like about them is the colours of the rust!

I was in a traffic jam in Wandsworth and in the car next to me was this guy smoking. He had all the windows closed and the car was foggy with smoke. My roof was down on my mini and l could smell the smoke coming from his enclosed car!ugh! I hate the smell. I was very pleased that this image came out as clear as it has, as l had to take it through his window.

Still talking about smoking, which incidently l have never done, thanks to my dad. He made me smoke the one l pinched from him all the way to the end...and l was VERY sick and have not touched another one since!! clever Dad!. Anyway, we were walking along the street in town and outside a Health Food shop l saw this bin with an ash tray on top!!!! Good advert for healthy living l thought! This is just a days worth as l was there yesterday and it was empty!

From there we went to our local tip t to get dispose of some household rubbish. I dealt with plastic stuff, books and mags and tony got rid of an old electric shredder in another part of the tip. Just as l got back to the car, this guy was shouting and waving at the fork lift /digger guy. Apparently the driver had not realised our mini was so close to the containner..(as we are so small!!!) and nearly started dropping stuff over our car and into the big yellow container!!!!! You should have seen Tony's face when he realised his precious "pocket rocket "was in danger!Ha.If you look carefully you will see the bucket just over the yellow container on the top left hand side of imahe. Unfortunatly the bucket and the spiral staircase, of the flats run into each other and so the image is a bit confused. I took it very quickly, so as not to miss the actiont but didn't really have time to compose the shot properly..sorry!

My daughter has a flat in East Sheen, which she is just about to rent out. It is a beautiful flat and in a lovely location. I love planes, properbly because my dad was in the R.A.F, so l enjoy watching the planes go over her flat from her lounge window...one every 2 mins! Good job she has double glazing!Ha.  Today the sky was blue, there were a few white fluffy clouds around and the planes were desending just at the right high and angle and...Bingo, l got the shot l had been waiting to achieve for months. Not just blue sky but a cloud to make it more interesting. Hope you think so too.

AND ON THAT HAPPY NOTE, I WILL SAY GOODNIGHT AND HAVE A HAPPY SUNDAY.
Lyndaxx

back on track with images.

I have been unable for nearly a week, to download my images from my camera to my laptop!! Very frustrating and l don't seem to be having much luck with Apple either. Anyway, found a long way round but have now been able to download my images and l am back up to scratch!
It has been quite windy and rainy for the last few weeks and so l took a few dramatic images on Putney Bridge.

There were people trying hard to walk across the bridge but were finding it extremly hard work!

The clouds was amazing and the clouds were moving so fast across the sky line. Then when we reached the village of Lenham, the weather was so different and bright sunshine. In the front garden of my aunt's block of flats, we could hear a beautiful sound coming from a tree. We looked everywhere and then suddenly... realised the sound was coming from a tiny robin high up in the tree. His red breast eventually was how we found the "song"!

Then on the way back home, we went via the outskirts of the centre of London to take our son home. Below are some of the images l took on that journey.

A bit bright!!!!!

I really laughted when l saw this graffiti on some boarding! l wonder if the spelling was on purpose or the person just couldn't spell!!? Either way l think still think its great!

This is not a very good image but l have put it up because of the story that goes with it! We caught up to this motor bike by the traffic lights and my son suddenly said, "For goodness sake look at that guy. He really is posing" I repied, " What do you mean, he has all the right kit on and looks very safe, whats wrong"? "Yeh l know! he has all the right kit on but look at his feet. Would an enthusiast or safety freak... be so stupid to wear..plimsols!"? He is right of course!

Once you have looked at this image....can you see the red door? I made up all sorts of reasons why it might be there. For example it could be the doorway to an amazing garden, like the Secret garden maybe? Or it leads into another universe where there are no adults! what would your story be?
Right..thats enough for today..off to bed. night allx

A walk that was stopped early when the heavens opened and down came the rain!

Just a few images of a days walk..through the woods and down to Putney! I am always amazed that l do this walk at least 4 times a week and still see lots of things each day that l didn't notice the day before.  T hats because they were not there..!!..but also l could have over- looked them or they had not grown big enough until today to appear over the leaves!. My Life is so full of wonder! Today l saw loads of fungi..some in clear view and others l moved the carpet of leaves and there they were.

This delicate pink fungi really was hidden well under a covering of leaves. I only found it because l dropped my lens cap and had to move some leaves to find it. I was so glad l did because there were so many of these pink wonders all over the area. They are very difficult to see..but once you have seen one..my eyes seemed then see loads of them! All slightly a different shade of pink and some seemed to have a lot more detail to them. The fungi below was upright yesterday but must have been investigated by an animal l think because they had been dug up and half eaten.

Now all you see is the hundreds of wet leaves on the floor of the woods but if you stop and wait till your eyes get accustomed to the light and leaves..you see fungi all over the place!

 The bus stop just outside my gates has had some new graffit added over night! It is now a "LOVE" bus stop. In this weather, you must be joking! And they did what most "children" enjoy doing..breath on the window and write!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Found another clump of these amazing orange fungi and l have not used Photoshop on them. They really are this amazing shape of orange!

Then l went further into the woods, off my normal foot path and found these

  They are so small and so cute. You can see how small they are if you compare them to the ivy leaves you can see in this image. L tried to pick up one that had been pulled out of the soil by an animal, l would think, and it just broke up. It was so tiny and oh so delicate. 

Then just as l went to stand up, something caught my eye on a near by rotting log. A very tiny white fungi, so delicate and tiny and some of it missing. I am amazing at how tiny some of these plants are. Then all of a sudden the heavens opened and down came the rain. I covered my camera and made a run for it. Arrived home 10mins later looking like a drown rat!! but a happy drown rat l have to say!!

An interesting day!

A day walking through london with no destination in mind. A bit frightening for me as l have no sense of direction! many a time l have had to ring one of my family and a) where am l and b) where is the nearest tube or railway station!Ha.so here goes. I took images that interested, amused me or just items or drawings that other people may not notice. Enjoy!

The usual warm welcome from London Underground !

One of a few really colouful posters advertising the future opening of a new store l think.

When l first saw this guy on his scooter, l thought he was asleep at the traffic lights! then when l really looked l thik he was actually ready a map book. Ha!

Two of the famous forms of transport in Central London..Red Doubledecker Bus and a London Duck!Adding colour to the London Scene.

Lilies laid on the new monument for the Royal tank Regiment. I love these flowers but the orange pollen just gets every where and also it stains!

I am so angry and confused.....in my viewfinder you could see the empty capsule..which was being repaired!! Why it hasnt come out on here is a mystery. will have to go back to original and find out what has gone wrong!!

One of my favorite buildings..Battersea Power Station...seen through the window of my train....going home. today l didnt get lost!

I go past this Siver Birch tree a couple of times a week and love watching these fugi grow on them. This is one that hasn't gone rotton or been chopped down like a lot of the Birchs in these woods. Such a beautiful tree...very peacefulx

These are the leaves just out side my front door. I dont like the dark nights of Autumn but l do love the colours!

An Amazing fungi find

The other day l was going down Putney Hill on a red double decker london bus. Normally l stay downstsirs because l have not got far to go. This day downstairs was packed, so l went up satirs.Halk way down the hill l looked out the window and so the most amazing site. In front of a new block of flats and a seven foot wall, a tree has been cut dow. Growing around, on and over this tree stup is the most amazing fungi. I would never see it normally because of the high brick wall.

There are parts that are deep brown and already dying and others are young and really fleshy.L am so glad l sat on the top of the bus that day

Rainy days and evenings in Putney!

These images of rainy days and evenings in Putney! Just thought l would warn you...l love snails!..so if you don't ..LOOK AWAY NOW!!

Just for 2 nights the grass in a small area by the cricket pitch was covered by hundreds of snails...then they were gone! Where do they go?

                                            

When we were in Cornwall we spend an hour or so watching two groups of children learning to dive and so do other other "sea" activities as well. They had great fun and l have recorded some of it here.

This wonderful viewing window in this persons gate, is the first view of the beach we were walking down too, to watch the divers.

And here is the beach..full of sailing boats, sailboards, tourists and divers. the sand is a beautiful golden sand, some people are walking, some sunbathing, a few using metal detectors and one or two children swimming.

What l enjoyed some much watching these children was the way that they" had" to help each other otherwise they couldn't get in or out of their wetsuits. Also they need help to put on and take off their oxygen tanks for example.

Exercise, fun and learning social skills at the same time..great activity!

Children helping each other..dive buddies.....and doing it quite happily!

This chart shows the names of the children in each group , how far they go down, how long their oxgyen will last for and when to come up. Then how long they have to wait before next dive and the same information about time, depth and oxygen for each group again. Each diver has a dive buddy and their instructors are down with them too.

This appears to be one of the instructors or just an older member of the group, waiting for his turn to dive. love his hair! Seems to be the right sort of hair to have , if you are being called a "Beach Bum". ..which is what a lady sitting near him, called him. Sitting on a bench, at the edge of the beach, were two elderly ladies with Welsh accents and wonderful straw hats on their perfectly permed blue rinse hair. Their conversation went something like this, from what l can remember!

Lady 1.  " I expect they come from one of those iner city schools...been given a holiday."

Lady 2. " Can't see why they should be treated so well..my Frankie never had things like that when he was at school "

Lady 1. " Well he wasn't a trouble was he? he only went to borsal once didn't he..only once?, he was a good boy wasn't he love?"

Lady 2. " Well you only had to look at that man there (pointing to the above diver) he's one of those beach bums isn't here maggie...long hair and properbly be out of work too. doesn't pay to be working does he, beach bum, yes that is what he is."

Then she light a cigarette , coughed and then said "um all the fault of the goverment these beach bums, l blame Blair". Then they both got up and wandered off arm in arm....it was a wonderful sight to see and l giggled about it for ages.

Here are some of the divers just going in for a dive. What an experience for these children. You will also be surprised how much you can see in these clear British waters.

When the children were not diving, they were playing on these boards. They seemed to be having a whale of a time. I think they actually came from a dive school in Plymouth. It may have been a summer school from what l could hear some of the adults that were sitting in and among the group were saying.

One very "put one foot in front of the other" sort of tired looking little boy! The sort of feeling only real exercise leaves you feeling..and from the look on this childs face, his shoulders and the way the teacher had to go and escort him back up the beach....l think he was very shattered!ha