Community events #Sunday #ramble
Welcome to my Sunday ramble, when I ramble on about whatever happens to be on my mind. I was out at the local church hall taking photos for a charity event last night and so I’m struggling to stay awake today. (more…)
American civil war re-enactment #photography
My first picture today sets the scene, you can see the soldiers and their tents, but you want to see more. This was an American civil war re-enactment that I photographed on Sunday. It was hard to get close to the action, but I tried to zoom in as much as I could, despite the explosions! (more…)
Changing light
As we move through spring, everything changes for landscape photography. There are amazing floral displays as the trees blossom and the light seems to change every day. There is now a better chance of getting good light and dramatic effects in the evening now the days are longer as we approach the spring equinox. For some photos you need the morning light. (more…)
St Georges day parade #photography
It’s St George’s Day on Thursday, but the events were last weekend. This is the Stone Cross St George’s day parade in West Bromwich. When I’m photographing an event, I try to tell a story in pictures and then add words to the story. (more…)
Memories #Sunday #ramble
This is Wednesbury Market, my local market. In the past the council have tried stopping other markets and car boot sales setting up too close, by claiming that this market has a royal charter. It is generally accepted that the market does have a royal charter, but the truth is the royal charter was given to the lord of the manor and not the council, for two fairs a year; not two markets a week! (more…)
Heritage, art and culture #Blackcountry
In the Black Country the culture has an eclectic range of influences. People have come from many countries and brought their cultures to influence ours. The main source of influence though is the industrial past. (more…)
Happy Easter #review
I’ve been writing this blog for a few years now, so when I want a picture to start the post or a bit of inspiration I just look in my media library on WordPress. I just caught these two geese flying over Hydes Pool last April. I named them Maverick and Goose, because they were flying in formation! (more…)
Wednesbury: born and bred #photography
I live in Wednesbury, the town that Jeremy Clarkson, formerly of Top Gear, hates. It is well known for it’s two churches, St Bartholomew’s and St Mary’s, that stand on the hill overlooking the town. St Bartholomew is the patron saint of Wednesbury. St Bartholomew’s day is the 24th of August, we should celebrate! (more…)
Wednesbury History #Sunday #ramble
We have a local history page for Wednesbury on Facebook and yesterday I was made an admin. I have a feeling I might be doing all the work! The other admin hasn’t been able to do anything for a while, but won an award for her efforts and so it will be a hard act to follow. I have already posted on the Facebook Page. (more…)
Principle centred leadership?
I was sent a book this week. It’s called Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen R. Covey. It’s 200 pages long. A hundred years ago it would have had to be parcelled up and sent by ship. These days we have eBooks and it can be sent in an instant, electronically over the internet. I haven’t read all of it. (more…)
Photography: Autumn events
Now it’s Autumn there are fewer events to photograph and the weather is even more unsettled. This was a vintage fair at West Bromwich Manor House at the weekend and was partly outside and partly inside. (more…)
The Sunday Ramble: they are among us
This week Walsall Healthcare NHS trust was fined £120,000 for delays in A & E and long waiting times. When we are sick, we expect to be seen fairly quickly and although 88% were seen within 4 hours, that still means some people waiting over 4 hours. (more…)
Heritage weekend
It’s heritage weekend and lots of museums will be open and have special events. We all have different ideas of what our heritage is. I had an appointment at the hospital this week and the remainder of the old workhouse is still at the end of the car park. It’s derelict, but that’s an important reminder of the past. (more…)
The Sunday Ramble: Black Country Day
I thought I would mention Black Country Day, which will last about a fortnight… It’s on Monday the 14th of July. We’ll be having the Carnival in Wednesbury, on the 12th… Darlo will have it’s Party in the Park between the 11th and the 13th. That starts about 10am to 4pm. They’re going to have a boating pool… (more…)
The Sunday Ramble: from rivers to runner beans
Today’s photo is of the River Tame. It’s the subject of some research now into it’s industrial history. Here you can see it running through Sandwell Valley Country Park towards Forge Mill Lake. There’s a bridleway to the left where you can ride your horse , cycle or walk. (more…)
Easter Sunday reflections
I’ve visited a few art galleries in the past year. This is our Victorian art gallery and museum here in Wednesbury. I’ve also visited Bilston Craft Gallery where I was impressed with an exhibition there. I was less impressed when I went to West Bromwich and went in the ‘Public’ with it’s pink neon lights. (more…)
Photography: Images to treasure
Imagine medieval knights trying to find their way through the English countryside. They might follow the river. This photo might not look too much like the river, I think it been made deeper here and canalised. I can now reveal that beyond those trees, ‘treasure’ was found once! (more…)
Touching the world via Skype and social media
I use Skype and social media a lot. I get to know people in exotic places and chat via Skype and we share snippets of our lives through the social media of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. I think it gives me a broader outlook on life; a valuable diversity… (more…)
Money is no object
We have seen people lose their homes or be subject to the insecurity of having their homes under threat in recent years. Changes to Housing Benefit rules meant many people with a spare bedroom had the choice to pay more rent or move to a smaller home. It was a cruel policy. (more…)
Black Country Canals
There is a lot of interest in fishing in the Black Country and I’m starting with this photo today. This lad caught this pike in the Walsall canal on Sunday. This post should be syndicated by the YamYam. Fame at last aer kid! Locals might want to know where this is on the map so check it out on Google maps. (more…)
Will this sunshine last all day?
It’s Sunday and so my thoughts today are with photography. I can see a blue sky and sunshine! I have to do some shopping though, I’m running out of food and essentials. I have a busy week planned too, so it would help if I could get the shopping out of the way. I tried yesterday but there was a queue of cars not only trying to get into the supermarket car park, but trying to get out too. (more…)
Wednesbury Historians Christmas Party
Yes, it was the History of Wednesbury Christmas Party last night. I can’t remember how long the Facebook Community page has been running now. It does have over 3,000 ‘likes’ and is organised by Tia-Marie Byrne who just had her name added to the Wednesbury page on Wikipedia as ‘notable native/resident’. She does the research and the rest of us try to rely on our memories.
Working Class? Who me?
The majority of people in the UK saw themselves as ‘working class’ at one time. The class structure of society was clear, the doctors, teachers and administrators were middle class, the aristocracy was upper class and the people who did the real work were working class. Now it’s more confused.
Photography | Victorian buildings
There are still a lot of Victorian buildings in this area and they are worth photographing. I remember walking down this street many years ago on Christmas Eve. I could hear the Salvation Army band playing Christmas carols around the corner. It felt like I was travelling through time to the England of Charles Dickens. Darlaston is still quite Dickensian… (more…)
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