From Spitalfield to the beginning of Brick Lane.

Another update on my Tribe gathering of e-course members in London, last Saturday! I have to admit l seemed to be the one lagging behind everyone else because guess what? I was too busy taking images!  This entry will be just before we get to Brick Lane....there was so much to see and take in! I could have spent hours and hours here, must come here again soon! I had forgotten how much l used to enjoy coming here, just to browse!

I love taking Street Photography and this lady wearing such a beautiful scarf, had to be in this image! Lots of people ask me, am l not afraid of being yelled at or hurt when l take these images? No not really. Street photography is a type of documentary photography that catches situations in public places. It is pure vision of something or like holding a mirror up to society. As you can see from the image below, some people even look straight at me and still say nothing or do anything about it. If someone is very upset and approach me, then l will normally delete the image and show them l have.  I was once approached by a policeman, who asked if l was under-cover and did l need any assistence?... as he had not been notified l would be in the area? Very funny situation!

This next image is of an amazing wall painting l found, on the way to Brick Lane. The original painting has been painted over and there are other people's work on it too. It is painted on the wall side of a shop called Behave.  I love the way the shop sign seems to apply to the painting too. As if to say behave painters!

At the bottom of the painting, is the image of a man in full buisness suit and sitting in a Budda position. The person that drank and then put their bottles next to it may have had a sense of humour or there was no bin near by! In any case, it is rather funny!

Next to this wall drawing, were some designs printed on the pavement. They looked at first, as if they were normal signs like No parking ect... then if you look closer, it will make you laugh!

At the bottom of this building is a row of some square, shaped windows and they run the whole length of the building. On the inside of the windows, runs a ledge,  and on that ledge is a sculpture, which l think is made of metal. The way it curves and turns, looks so fluid and yet is made of heavy solid material!

I couldn't see the name of the building but l think, after looking through the windows, it may be an Art School or Art studio.

Sometimes a drawing or a printed image just takes my breath away. This next image did just that to me, l just had to stop and really look at it.  It was printed onto an office glass door, set back off  the pavement slightly. As l worked past, the sun suddenly shone on it and seemed to set it on fire. Even though it was a glass door, the things on the inside, which you could see, didn't seem to interfer with the design at all. The gold signature was just in the right place and to me, seemed to be the finishing touch to this patterned image. 

Do you, like me, love looking down side alleyways, to see what's hiding along or down there? Sometimes it is dissapointing as it is just a place for dustins but just occasionally you find a beautiful decorate wall, an interesting spiral staircase or an amazing hidden garden. Sometimes it a place for dustbins, disguarded plants or packing cases and general rubbish dump. This is image was taken through locked metal gates and looked as if it was a boring find. BUT...not to me! Look closely and you will see, rust, one of my favorite things to photograph, in a beautiful orange/yellow rust. It has balconies...why when it is an alleyway and there is nothing to see? Ha!Then you will see a sign written large on the garage door...FIRE EXIT....oops!...Fire exit blocked with a tree in plant pot, a bike and loads of other stuff and then a locked and padlocked gate.  Health and Safety haven't been around here lately have they? I admit not a beautiful hidden place but definetly interesting, wouldn't you say?

The last image for today is a strange one! I saw it from across the road and it really shouted to me. I couldn't go and look at it, as the traffic was hectic and friends were waiting! Wish l had though because when l uploaded this image, l found a surprise. I had assumed from a distance, it was a poster made of paper. I will have to go back and look at it again. It appears from this image, it may be a mat of some sort or maybe the fringe is just cut paper. I really will have to go and have another look, l am now hooked!

Night folksx

Tales of a Rutland Adventure continued..Day 2.

Melton Mowbray Saga continues......!

If you read yesturday's blog, you will know that we are or were up in Rutland for a few days. On one of those days, we decided to go and visit Melton Mowbray, the home of the Pork Pie.it is meant to be Foodie Heaven, not today it wasn't. Perhaps you have to be there on the days they hold the Farmer's Market, to achieve that statement! We were very disappointed by the town it'self but l discovered they have some interesting Art/Sculpture Work. The first is a mosiac, which is advertising a Night Club would you believe?! I don't suppose the happy faces really represent e-tablets but...!

Further along into town, we discovered  King street. There is an arch over the start of the street, which ties in with the silver coloured metal sculpture, which covers a portion of the right hand side wall.

In 2007 an Artist named Coode Addams designed a piece of Art to celebrate the different crafts and industries of the town of Melton Mowbray. The work is situated on a wall as you go into the narrow street, in my opion, totally the wrong place for it. Why?... because you can't stand far enough away from it, so as to see it in all its glory. Shame really! 

Below is a close-up of one of the five panels, just to show you the amazing detail in this artist's work. He has put so much  information and detail into each panel of work, that it can keep your attention for ages. I  think putting it on a red background is also a very clever idea, as it seems to make the 3D work really stand out.

After a disappointing lunch, we came ot of the coffee shop and noticed the shop next door and burst out laughing! It is a fdance,theatrical and  bridal accessories shop. In their window, just under the words "bridal accessories" is a striped prisoner's uniform!!You have to ask yourself, do they have a wicked sense of humour or is it just a mistake and no-one has made the connection yet? Made our day anyway!

Another thing l noticed while walking round this town, is l feel as though l am in a time warp! It is a long time since l have seen this sort of net curtain hanging in people's windows. 

Also saw many people dressed in shell suits, loads of make-up and 1950's hair styles..very creepy!

To cheer ourselves up, we decided to go and re-visit a place called Burley Estate. We found it last time on our travels here in Rutland.(l think it is March 2009 time). The stately home and stables have been turned into luxery apartments. This time though, we just went to see the area before the buildings, where last time there were hundreds of fungi growing all over the grass. We wanted to see what was growing there now and how the pond was getting along. We were not disappointed in what we found.

The drive leading up to the Main gate, was covered in snowdrops and flowers that look like buttercups but are called something else, which for the life of me l can't remember!

The image above and below are two of my favorite reflection photographs, that l have taken in the last few months.

The pond has a dilapidated old duck house in the centre and doesn't look as if any ducks have visited it for a while, which is a shame.

So as it is late, l will finish this journay tomorrow. Night folks.

Unravelling tribe get together!

On Saturday, l spent the day up in a part of London called Spitalfields, which is by Liverpool Street Station. The reason was to meet up with some of the girls from an e-course called Unravelling, which l have just finished. I had a great time. we eat, talked, drank coffee, eat, talked, took images and talked more and did some walking..very slow walking. Well you can't talk, walk and take images at a fst speed..now be sensible!!! Some came early and left after a while for other engasgements, as then others arrived and we even had one person come from New York. Actually, she came with her husband, who was over here on buisness but she still came to our Little Tribe meeting.

Some of the group had to go, so the rest of use went walking round the market. The area has been totally re-vamped in the past 2 years or so and l have to admit, for me the place has lost its charm but for people coming to it fresh, they seem love it!

Where as before, it was just the bare shell of a building with metal rafters and each artists made their own sort of area, now it is very formal. I suppose it is warmer and looks smart but it has also become more expensive, l suppose they have to pay for the refurbishment some how!

There were a lot of people crowding around a large fenced off area and there were bikes every where. It turned out that they were playing bike polo! never seen or heard of this before but seemed great fun.

There seemed to be quite a few teams playing against each other in a competion of some sort. I loved all the weird looking wheels and quirky decorated helmets. i watched it for a while but still couyldn't work out the rules! but who cares, they all seemed to be having a whale of a time and that's all that matters in the end..isn't it?!

 

 The guy in the image below, had a huge black plug in each ear lope and a stud just above his top lip. I would love to be able to wear some of the decorative plugs but feel l am too old now, so l will just stick with my pieced ears, which with please my husband no-end!Ha!....he is not a big fan of piecings or tattoos!

Just love these guys cheerful expresstions and the fact l was able to have them against this amazing purple background was a plus! 

The image below also makes me smile because of the guy's pedal-pusher type jeans but also for the very worn seat area!..well l hope it is just a worn seat area??? Also like the two children on the left of the image. Either sitting on dad's shoulders or just about to be placed there and they were giggling their heads off. They also had orange balloons, which is a sign they had just had lunch at a Giraffe's Resturant..so full tummies too! Oh..shows how strong the branding is, if l see an orange balloon and instantly Giraffe's come to mind!

There are a few stalls here today, selling cloths, belts and jewellry, as well as the permanent cloths and ornament type shops. 

The guy in the image below, was making belt buckles and sells these amazing beans. The bean has the word say "Love" or "sorry" or  "Chelsea" for example pressed into both sides and when put in soil and watered, the leaves that grow, have that word written into their leaves!!!! Amazing or what? I will grow one and put the results on here! Still can't work out how it happens but ....watch this space.

This last image is of the British flag, even though it is a doormat ( no nasty comments please!) and a Britsh bulldog..how patriotic is that!!!

More tomorrow on my day in Spitalfields and the surrounding area...Brick Lane and so on. Nightx

Sorry l have not written for a few days.....been in Rutland checking up on my son's new rented house. When we arrived we realised..no internet!gulp! withdraw symptoms ...so we set out to find an inter-net cafe...none! I wonder when Rutland will join the world of technology? Beautiful place but frustrating. Also, the only place we could get a decent signal for the phone ..was in the upstairs loo!Hax Tony found the stairs a little tiring but managed them.

One of the reasons we went, was because part of their lease states, that the house must not be left empty for more than 30 days at a stretch! The Estate checks up on it too! We had quite a few people ask who we were and why we were there? Not quite the Mafia or up to Luxembourgh style of questioning but definitely the Archer's ( Story of village folk on radio 4!) sort of questioning! Ha

The front garden is showing beautiful purple crocus in the grass and around the front door, while the back garden is beginning to show what is there and the snowdrops are amazing to behold.

The journey down from Putney was very easy and l drove all the way, as it is still tiring for Tony to drive for very long. We started off watching the TV and then decided to go to the local pub, as we found the house too cold. Sorry Andrew, he is getting more and more like his dad every day! We have got soft in our old age.

The pub, which is called The Fox and Hounds is an old Coaching inn, you can see the large curved entrance, to the left of the main building, which is where the coaches would have driven through.

Once inside, it feels like someones front room rather than a pub and resturant, very welcoming. On this particular evening, it was full of woman, mainly because all the men were at home, watching the football or so l was told by an elderly gentleman, who informed us, he was part of the village council ( every village needs one!) !!! Sensible women is all l can say.
The village is oh so picture perfect. Full of thatched cottages, beautiful gardens and a green with large elderly trees all round it. Chocolate box pretty actually but then most of Rutland seems to me to be like this. A very well kept secret! The image below is an example of the beautiful thatched cottages which are all around their village and it is so quiet...that is unless the Harriers ( as in vertical take off planes..gorgeous things!) fly over!

Ok..it is late and after driving for most of to-day...wandering, so took longer than usual...l need to sleep! so night allx

Daily ramblings

Sorry about not posting last night but l was shattered, l had a busy day. Some of you will know, tht l have always had trouble sleeping but just recently oit has got much worse. Yesterday l went to a Sleep Clinic at Guy's Hospital up in London. Having left London Bridge Station, l made my way to Guy's Hospital via a walkway. In front of me was this guy in Plus Fours! Very striking image! Mine you, the girl coming towards me, made her own bright fashion statement as well!

Once l got the hospital and found my way to the Chest Centre, I sa a really nice Consultant, who put me right at easy, asked all these question and said to me.."OK..he is what you have Lynda?" Bated breath.."You have what we call Delayed Sleep Faze disorder ..you tick all the boxes and it is hereditary. It occures because of some thing called a clock gene which is malfuntioning. We discovered the gene here at Guy's." Apparently, l would have been one of those, that guarded the cave at night. thousand of years ago...doesn't help in this world, as l need to go to work!Ha. Does make me feel better, now that l know what's wrong with me and Tony knows that l am not lazy and it isn't all to do with my depresstion.

The treatment is, l have to wear a special watch for a while, which will record my sleep pattern. Then l have to take Melartonin and use a Light Box. At least l know something is happening at last! 

This sculture was one of the many pieces of Art work through out the hospital. Two others pieces caught my eye, they were a wing hanging in the air and a metal scultpure hung on a wall.

The glass mosquic wing is hanging from the ceiling from wires, so moves ever so gently. beautiful. 

The serenity of the hospital, its glass walk ways and Atriums are a great contrast to the outside word. Guys is next to London Bridge Station but not only that, but a huge building site. This is because they are building The Glass Shard, which is either the tallest build in UK or the World, can't remember. So the noise, the dust and the chaos is huge...especially when you consider there is a hospital right next door to it!

This next image is of a building, whichis  just opposite the hospital. l have no idea what it is or used for, except l think it is called Salomone Centre. Maybe it is a place to worship or a meeting place. I went to look at it but it doesn't appear to be in use or open. Very interestingly designed textured building though. Seems very out of place where it is though, crammed between tall buildings.

  

On the way home on the train, we go past Wandsworth and this structure in the middle of the road. I have several times tried to take an image of this structure from the train and failed! This time it worked perfectly. It is a very strange advertising structure but at least we can see it from many angles! ..which l suppose is its purpose.

Once l got back to the flat, l noticed in the patch of glass just round the corner from the front door are some iris"s. I hadn'gt seen any quite as beautiful as these before. I think the markings are exquisite.

Sunday and take-away coffee cups!

Today is Sunday and l always find it a strange day. For most of my lfe until late into my teens, Sunday was a day of Church and rest. No shops were NOT open and l remember it being very quiet and boring. Then when l got married and had children, Sunday was a family Day, until that is, we moved to Dubai at the beginning of the 80's and there Sunday was actually Friday..Muslim country. Most other countries we lived still concidered Sunday, as either a day of rest or a "quiet day". In Luxembourg, you were not allowed to mow the lawn or hang your washing out...if you did you got a visit from the "armed" village police men!! Quite a scary thing l can tell you. In Nassau in the Bahamas, Sunday is very much a church day, lavish show of religious services but things mainly stayed open because of the tourists. Coming back to live in England and seeing how Sunday had changed,  was quite a shock to us. I know there are places in Englad that still stay closed or partly closed on Sunday, but l have a feeling they are few and few between.  London, l admit is different from the rest of Uk, here almost everything stays open longer.

The only concession the Big Supermarkets make to Sunday,  is to close about 9pm on a Saturday evening, open at 11am  on Sunday and close at 4pm the same evening. Otherwise they are open 24hours a day, for the rest of the week!

Now to change the subject completly...........

I was reading an article the other day, in a daily newspaper, that commented on how much rubbish on the streets, was made up of Fast Food containers, cups and so on. This ties in with a book project l have been crafting for ages, it is almost finished, about Coffee. The images in the book are all take-away coffee cups photographed, their owner's have  disposed of them! He are a few that l think you may finding amusing, l hope!

 

Somebody had a sense of humour when disposing of their Christmas Coffee Cup! The snowman does actually looked pleased to have received it!

This next image l cam ine across in the middle of Wimbledon Common. I know l sound like an old woman but why can't people take their rubbish home with them or keep it until they can find a rubbish bin. Has the world got so lazy that even that is too much for us to do? Ok..off my soap box now!

One of the reasons most tube and train stations seem to be full of rubbish and especially with cups, is because of the threat of bombs! Terrorists hiding devises in metal or plastic waste bins, where they can't be seen before they go off and kill people! Gradually the waste containers are coming back, in the shape of transparent rubbish bins but not on every station yet and definetly not enough of them on big stations. Even so, people seem to drop them where ever they like. One enterprising mouse has even dragged one into his mouse hole on Clapham Station Underpass! Actually l think it more than likely rolled in but l did see a mouse in the hole last week..so you never know...l might be right!

 

When l was engaged a few weeks ago, in moving my son and his new wife up to Rutland, we stayed in a hotel in a small town! I have to admit the coffee in the morning was not good but l drank it, so it couldn't have been too bad but l am a zombie in the mornings.......! One hotel guest thought otherwise, he/she made an early morning called to Costa's for his morning fix. Bit much to rub it in the owner's face through, by throwing away where he did!Ha!

The next suspect, throw his coffee cup down where he finished it. How do l know this for a fact? I actually watched him do it, in full view of the Station Staff. He got off his train, take a mouth full of the coffee, look at the cup, shake it a bit, looked around him and throw it down on the station platform and walk away! The station staff did nothing, so l asked them why not? Typical me..open mouth and put two feet in and then think! Anyway, the guys looked at, laughted and told me, "that was what cleaners are for love" and walked off down the platform!  I give up!

The last image is of a disguarded coffee cup but when there are no rubbish bins on the station, within view, l suppose this is the second best place to put it!

Here ended the rant about take-away coffee cups!