St Georges Day #review
It’s St George’s Day on Thursday and will be celebrated as St George is the patron saint of England. There is an event at West Bromwich Manor House today and it’s the Stone Cross St George’s Day parade tomorrow.
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…)
Remember summer? #weather
The weather has got colder in the UK, but so far we have had little snow. I thought I would use a photo from summer to cheer everyone up. There are colds and flu going around now, so many of us are taking paracetamol and eating chicken soup in a bid to survive winter. (more…)
The Review: perspective
Perspective is the way we see things, such as the pictures on the wall in this photograph. They seem to get smaller as they go away from us, but we can still tell that the one on the far wall is the largest one. The boards on the ceiling and floor add to the perspective of the picture too. (more…)
The review: Manor House vintage fair this weekend
I’ve used a photo from the summer today, but Autumn is still quite mild. This weekend at West Bromwich Manor House they have a Vintage Fair with 40 stalls from 11am until 4pm. I still have flu, but if I feel better tomorrow I’ll go to that. (more…)
The Review: getting close to nature
Mental illnesses have been in the news this week, particularly anxiety and depression. The economic problems of the last few years seems to have made the rat race even more stressful. I think we often need to get back to nature. (more…)
Online job applications
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Applying for a job online can be quite a complicated process. You are often asked to upload documents such as a C.V. (resume) and a covering letter. (more…)
The Review: Black Country Festival
Here in the Black Country events are being held on the run up to Black Country Day. Today there will be an event at West Bromwich Manor House and they have stocked the bar! They have even gorra Ukulele Band! Dow miss that! (more…)
The Review: Birmingham floating market
Birmingham
Last weekend I photographed the narrow-boats at Waterside Place in Walsall. This weekend they are in Birmingham doing a floating market. Try to take a look at that this weekend, you could even take your camera! (more…)
The Review: Life is so complicated
Today’s picture is of the River Tame. Those flowers are dying off now, but it always looks good in May. The Tame is the subject of a heritage project now and they need a volunteer to help.The application seemed a bit too complicated for a job where you don’t actually get paid. (more…)
The review: honesty
No one seems to tell the truth these days do they? Look at today’s picture. Asda saves us money every day? Yeah right… That’s why people are flocking to Aldi and Lidl while the big supermarkets lose trade. (more…)
The Review: a green and pleasant land
The political parties have been asking voters to choose who should control local councils in the UK this week. I usually post nice photos of the Black Country, but much of it is ugly dereliction. Caused by a dereliction of duty by local politicians and council officials. This is England’s ‘green and pleasant land’. (more…)
The review: We are yamyams!
The weather forecast for this Bank Holiday weekend is good. I’m hoping to get out in the garden today and finish my runner bean trench. Gardening is popular in the Black Country. I’ll also be out taking photographs, watch out for me!
The Review: Spring – day 3
Spring is finally here and we have got the budget out of the way. What a damp squid that was. It seems our national debt as a percentage of GDP is higher than ever and still climbing. (more…)
The review: Local community and events
I’ve had a strange week. I did finally manage to get to the hospital for my blood test. I was in and out in 10 minutes, which left 20 minutes on my 30 minutes parking. At a pound for 30 minutes, it seemed a shame to waste it. The car park was quite full though and so I decided not to join the Costa Coffee crowd, although the Taste Cafe was a little tempting. (more…)
The Review: A week of floods
We haven’t been affected much by the floods here in the Black Country. The River Tame flooded a little and I managed to get a photo. It probably flooded a bit in Sandwell Valley Countryside Park too, but the excess would go into Forge Mill Lake. Maybe they need a balancing lake on the Thames?
The Review: Subjects for bloggers
Today’s picture is the Birmingham canal at Tipton. I’m hoping this photo will win the waterways calendar competition. Tipton isn’t the prettiest place in the country. In fact the whole of the Black Country can’t be described as pretty. I do take some good photos though, I just wish the planners could see views like this. (more…)
The Review: Another week of writing and photography
Today’s photo was taken on the Walsall canal at Ocker Hill. I do try to show the Black Country in a good light; that’s when I get a good light to take the photo. This is one of the pictures I’ve entered for the waterways calendar competition.
Living life in a balanced way
The present and the future are connected to the past and partly determined by it. If we have prepared for the future, we will have a better future. That might mean guarding against the bad things that might happen in the future by driving carefully, taking precautions and saving for the future. We just have to find a good balance between our present and future needs, so we can enjoy both. (more…)
Britain needs a little luck
Another week ends as a New Year begins. We are still at the beginning of winter in Britain and some parts of the country are on severe weather warnings; there has already been flooding. We need a little luck with the weather now, less rain and we need the rest of the winter to be mild. No snow like last winter please! (more…)
Christmas is coming
Christmas is coming and it’s getting colder in the UK. The energy companies are increasing the prices of gas and electricity as usual. If the people running these companies or the regulators had any morality at all they would at least increase prices in the spring or summer. Like the government they are immoral.
Fags, faggots and Facebook
My local readers will recognise the shop in today’s picture. Teddy Grays is famous in the Black Country. They sell a delicious selection of sweets. When an International student visited me last Christmas, I gave her mice made of sugar from Teddy Grays, Cadbury’s miniatures and a few other delights that we used to find in our Christmas stockings as children. We’re never too old for Teddy Grays…
Barclaycard: Could do better
I have finally ordered myself a new mobile phone, complete with car charger. I might be able to get a signal now. I will be able to update Facebook, tweet and maybe even Skype too. I used my Barclaycard, because I get the legal protection on a purchase over £100.
Remember when the British invaded America?
I watched a few programmes on TV last night about the British rock bands that invaded America in the 1960’s and since. The onslaught was led by the Beatles and then the ‘ugly’ band; the Rolling Stones. That was a great export and Sweden took on the world with Abba too. America used Hollywood to take on the world with movies. Now the Chinese have taken on the world with consumer goods, maybe we need a new cultural revolution in both Britain and America.
