Flowery Fence

This makes a change from normal wrought iron railings. I'm not sure about the colour but the detail and design is brilliant. It must have taken ages to create this fence, but the time was well worth it.

Don't forget tomorrow is Theme Day. This months theme is Paths and Passages. You don't need to sign up anymore, just post your photo and copy the code from the CDP site to be added to the list. Its easy! Join in tomorrow.

_

Yellow Fin

This is a photo from my trip to the London Aquarium last October. I know its supposed to be a Cheltenham Daily photo blog, and I have (for once) plenty of Cheltenham photos in reserve, but everything around here is so grey and cold and wintry that I just needed an injection of colour. And this photo delivers just that.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

_

Refit Required

There aren't many buildings in Cheltenham that have their original advertising boards but this ramshackled relic is one. This former shopfitters, on St Georges Place, must date back to the beginning of the last century and the building is really showing its age. Around the top half of the building you can make out wire mesh and bolts that I presume are there to stop it collapsing onto the street below. And the roof isn't in a very good condition, what with plants growing up there. At first I thought that the red brick wall had a doorway in it, but now I realise its a fireplace in a chimney breast, that must have belonged to a long since demolished neighbouring property. It really is in a sorry state. Not a very good advert for shopfitters.

_

Have You Seen My Nuts?

I couldn't resist today's title! Anyway, I was cutting through the churchyard of St Marys Church, in the heart of Cheltenham, when I spotted this little chap busy hunting for his buried treasure. I hope he found what he was looking for.

If you want to know more about St Marys Church then check out my past post 'There's Something About Mary' It is my only post that didn't receive any comments and I really like the photo. So be kind and make a Cheltonian happy!

_

Helping Hand

Who needs a van when you've got a group of willing friends? These guys were busy moving their possessions up Bennington Street, just off of the Lower High Street, yesterday. The person in charge of the large wicker chair was carrying it on their head, like an oversized 70's seat-come-hat!

_

Bridging The Gap

You don't often see this sort of thing between buildings around here, a corridor in the air. And a grand walkway at that. This links two of the buildings that make up the Ladies College. The college site is made up of lots of different buildings that are all linked together, making a courtyard garden in the middle. A few years ago it was remodeled and reopened by the Queen, although its not open to the public.

Sorry for all the short posts of late, all on the same theme, normal service will resume tomorrow.

_

Windows

Another photo of the Ladies College. Sorry its a short post again. I'll be glad when things get back to normal on Monday.

_

Recession

Well, its official. The UK is in recession. We've had two quarters of negative economic growth. Its been said on the news today that it could continue well into 2010. Empty shops like these will be soon be common place.

I'm working all weekend, so think of me as you all enjoy yourselves. Actually I suppose I should be pleased I've still got a job!
_

Sky Watch Friday

Gargoyle And Blue Sky

This is another one from the Ladies College. The gargoyle was keeping a watchful eye on the passersby below. (And the sky really was that blue on Monday!)

To join in with Sky Watch, and to check out other skies all over the world, head over to the Sky Watch Friday Blog.
_

Learning Curve

Over the next few days I've got a lot going on workwise so I'll be doing brief posts and my comments will probably be few and far between. Its one of those times when work gets in the way of what you enjoy. I guess that's life though!

Today's photo is from high up on the side of the Ladies College. This person is hard at work learning. It looks like the pigeon is overseeing operations!

_

In At Number 5...

This busker was good, really good. I'm not sure what the instrument was (Jackie at Glasgow DP will fill us in I'm sure) but the sound was jazz/blues and was lovely. As I lined up to take the photo I noticed the sign behind and it just seemed to finish the photo off perfectly.

That's it for today apart from adding that this post is my 400th post! I can't believe how the time has flown by, and I can't wait for the next 400. I hope you will all be with me.

_

Monkeying Around

Some more graffiti. Although Cheltenham has that horrible, inartistic graffiti in some parts the above style doesn't bother me. I think its quite creative (like the bored heart the other week) When I first spotted this I thought it was an owl but then I realised it's a monkey. Not sure what the two A's are about. How about A Monkeys Arse!

I know lets have a quiz, I haven't done one for ages! So what are the two A's? You must include the word 'monkey' between them. The best answer gets a Cheltenham postcard. Have fun!

_

Oriel Lodge

Just look at all that detail. Spikes, turrets, arches, gargoyles and other things with architectural names that I don't know! This is Oriel Lodge on Oriel Road, just off of Bath Road. This amazing looking building sits between two rather modern, unattractive cubes and the Lodge just puts them to shame. I can't tell you much about the place other than it houses lots of different office based companies including accountants, web developers and recruitment agencies. It must be quite old as I found a reference on the net to some bloke called William Nicolay dying there on May 3rd 1842. I'm just a fountain of knowledge today!

_

Two Things Challenge - Paper / Plastic

Sunday is now Two Things Challenge day for me. It's nice to have to think about what to photograph (if you know what I mean!) and how best to come up with something original for the subject. Basically, I'm enjoying the challenge!

As you can see today's two photos aren't that attractive but they show an important part of life. These recycling skips are at my local supermarket. Most of the big stores have these in their car parks, even though Cheltenham Borough Council do fortnightly kerbside collections of recyclable waste. As well as skips for paper and plastic they also have skips for tin foil, cans, shoes, clothes, books, cardboard and drink cartons. At the moment cardboard and plastic aren't collected so we take ours to the skips. Well, you've got to do your bit!

If you want to join in head over to the Two Things Challenge blog.

These photos were taken on my camera phone.
_

On Time?

Is this bloom early or late? I'm not sure, but is very pretty with its soft, delicate flowers.

Enjoy your weekend.
_

Little Britain

Well, its 'Little England' really but it doesn't sound as good! I spotted this customised Smart Car at a local Garden Centre and it looked very patriotic. At a first look you would think the owner supported the England football team but that's not the case. He doesn't even like football! The chap that owns it wanted something a bit different, something that would stand out from the crowd, and he certainly got it. He said that he once stayed overnight in Wales and found the car vandalised the next morning!

These photos were taken on my camera phone.
_

Ice Ice Baby

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Today's title - sorry! Anyway, last week I said I'd shown my last cold weather photo but I'm short on photos, and I really like this one, so here's another snowy shot. This is Montpellier Gardens again and it was slippery underfoot last week. The white stuff has long gone but we could get more. Someone told me yesterday that the long range forecast is for a very cold snap in February, as low as -18c! That is bloody cold for us!

_

Kitchen Magpie

The reason I first took this photo was because of the black and white window display matching the awning. But when I loaded it on to the computer I realised that the display was magpie themed - black and white and all things shiny. If you click to enlarge the photo you can make out the following written in the window - '1 for sorrow, 2 for joy, 3 for a girl, 4 for a boy, 5 for silver, 6 for gold and 7 for a secret never told.' This is a traditional children's nursery rhyme about magpies. According to an old superstition, the number of magpies one sees determines if one will have bad luck or not. I'm quite superstitious and if I see a loan magpie I salute and say "Morning Mr. Magpie." That does away with the bad luck (sorrow)! Anyway.... if you need something for your kitchen, this is the place to find it. They have everything - pots, pans, baking trays, knives, egg cups - the lot!

Do you have any superstitions?

_

School Girl

Just a quick one today. On the side of one of the buildings that makes up Cheltenham College (known locally as the Boys College) I spotted this elegant looking lady. In one hand she is holding a plate with what looks like grapes on it and in the other she is holding a mask. I'm not sure what she might represent (ideas anybody?) but she looks very grand. If you want to know more about the college check out my previous post here.

Thanks to everyone for their kind comments about my macro photo yesterday. If you'd like to see more of my macro photography head over to my other blog - Macro World.

_

Snowberries

I thought I'd start the week with a macro photo. The Snowberries are a common sight around town at this time of year, these ones are planted around the tennis courts at Montpellier Gardens. I found the following about the plant at Wikipedia "Symphoricarpos is a small genus of about 15 species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae. All but one are natives of North America and Central America; the one remaining is from western China. Its common names in English are Snowberry and Waxberry. It is a member of the Honeysuckle Family, the Caprifoliaceae." So there you go! If you split the berry open the inside is like granules of snow, very cool. But they are poisonous - no making Snowberry Pie people!
_