Civil society #review
At one time, churches and pubs where at the heart of the community. They provided the venue for civil society to grow as small groups, independent of government, did things to bring the community together and make it better. Everything from boys scouts to the pub dart team provided community cohesion. (more…)
The truth is out there #review
My picture today is of a lock-keepers cottage. It looks like an old picture, but in fact it’s quite recent. I removed the satellite dish and television aerial. It looks quite picturesque, but demonstrates nicely, that you can’t trust your perceptions these days. The truth is out there, but buried in a pile of ONS statistics. (more…)
First day of spring #review
Yes, it’s the first day of spring. Yesterday it was the spring equinox, the solar eclipse and there was even a super-moon, I didn’t see the super-moon, it was a bit cloudy. These things are events like Christmas and birthdays. (more…)
The Saturday Review #Blackcountry
The sun came out a little bit on Tuesday, so we went out to take some photographs. This is Farley Park in Great Bridge. I’ll be using more pictures that I took on Tuesday for my weekly photography lesson on Wednesday. (more…)
21st century spivs
It’s my birthday tomorrow so in the post I get letters every day offering me insurance that I really need so my family will be ‘taken care of’. I would rather save and invest my money and leave that to my family, rather than get robbed blind by a bunch of 21st century spivs. Even National Savings is robbing people with lousy interest rates on their ‘pensioner bonds’. They think people are stupid. (more…)
The Review: Gareth Gates does Wednesbury
I went to the big switch-on of Wednesbury’s Christmas Lights yesterday with Gareth Gates doing the big switch-on. I froze last year and so I was well protected from the weather this time. (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: signs of autumn
It’s been quite a mild autumn in England this year, but the leaves are starting to fall from the trees and the seasonal illnesses are starting to appear. I have a horrible cold and although colds make us feel terrible with fever, there is no need to seek medical help. (more…)
The Review: Does art need to reach out?
I’ve started with one of my more artistic pictures today. I’m thinking of visiting an art gallery this weekend. I often talk to young people and they’re quite interested in photography and art, but never visit a gallery or get to handle a decent camera. Perhaps the galleries aren’t reaching out to young people? (more…)
The review: an interesting week
It was an interesting week. The warmongering in the middle east and Ukraine stifled the stock market again yesterday. The sanctions against Russia are getting more serious now. France is threatening to hold back the two warships they ordered. I wonder what they wanted those for? Humanitarian aid trips? (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…)
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: Spring weather
It looks like we are going to have some nice spring weather this weekend. The white flowers that you see in the foreground of this photo are all along the River Tame now. They are at Bentley Mill, through Wednesbury, at Sandwell Valley Country Park and at Sheepwash and many other places too. There is also a local project examining the history of the Tame; it contributed a lot to our industrial history. (more…)
The review: A nice little war?
As we live in our own little worlds we tend to forget what’s happening in the wider world. For as long as I can remember, the forces of capitalism and communism have fought it out; usually in someone else’s country. (more…)
The Review: heritage
Britain has a diverse heritage. We have culture, a industrial history, a history of commerce and of incredible architecture. This wealth is passed down from one generation to the next. Except that not everyone shared in that inherited wealth. (more…)
Clocks forward this weekend and a full moon…
You are probably wondering why today’s photo is of a electronic fly catcher. I decided to photograph the things I see, with my phone; just one a day. The patterns in this photo are interesting and you also get a glimpse of my garden. (more…)
The Review: Art Attack
I seem to be gaining more recognition for my interest in art just lately. Not just for trying to create art, but as an art critic. One of the things on my bucket list is to get a picture into an art gallery. I don’t think it will be a local gallery. (more…)
The Review: Appreciating the countryside
The photo today is one I took in Sandwell Valley last Sunday. The car park at Forge Mill Farm was quite full. Many of the visitors who visit the farm and lake aren’t British. Perhaps they appreciate the English Countryside more? (more…)
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 Christmas review
Are you thinking about making New Year resolutions? Setting goals in life, whether it’s to lose weight and keep fit or something even more challenging can be useful. Try writing some things down and thinking about what is achievable and how you might achieve it. I have a few goals that include more photography. (more…)
The weekend review
Today’s picture is of the canal bridge over to Moorcroft Wood. I am still looking for a suitable photo for the Waterways calendar competition. I might go back there tomorrow and take another shot of that bridge at a higher resolution. (more…)
Darlaston | preserving images of industrial history
I have started photographing old buildings so we have some nostalgic reminders in years to come of our industrial past. I suppose even modern buildings will be interesting, they don’t last like they used to. I found this factory interesting and there are other buildings, like the fire station, that are interesting too. This was in Darlaston in the West Midlands, otherwise affectionately known as Darlo!
The Saturday post
I used to go to the library every Saturday when I was a kid. I was allowed to take books from the adult section too. I read all the kids books. Do you remember the Saturday books? I wish I could get hold of some of those now, they were magical. Many of the writers that I know used the library as children…
Normal April showers?
I took this photo a year ago. I look at the sky a lot now in an attempt to predict the weather. The sky looked a paler blue last year, today it’s been a deep blue with white clouds and April showers. We had a very wet summer last year, are we back to normal now?
