EASTER SUNDAY..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

It's Easter Sunday and although I have photographed the church before, walking across Christchurch Green this morning I was struck by the clarity of the light. The newly refurbished Christ Church looked great in the early morning sun, everything was just right. I had to take the picture.

GOOD FRIDAY..

                             World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

When I bought these at a local shop in Wanstead, I decided to research the history of the hot cross bun on the internet. I could not find a definitive answer.  According to one source it was tradition in some countries to mark a new loaf of bread with the sign of the cross in order to bless it and to thank God for it.  To me this seems the most likely answer. 

GOLDEN WHEELS..

                             World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Wandering along Cambridge Park the other day past 'Biketrax' I  couldn't help but do a double take. The sign had gone and there in it's place was a wonderful golden cycle, what a great idea. The age of the bike is upon us and apart from selling, repairing and servicing bike's they also have a really creative way of drawing attention to cycling.

LONE SWAN

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

Saw this lone swan on the lake of Wanstead Golf Course, it just struck me as unusual as swan's are usually seen in pairs. I'm sure the partner was not very far away.

THE BIRDS......

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

During this cold spell it's great to see that people are putting out food for bird's. This photograph was taken at  the Jubilee Pond on Wanstead Flats, it used to be the Model Yatch Pond but now it's a wildlife pond and a hub for birds. I'm not sure who put out the food but it was much appreciated. Coincidentaly Alfred Hitchcock the director of the film version of 'The Birds' was born just down the road in Leytonstone.

ON AND ON IT GOES.

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

Camera in hand and no let up in the bad weather, I was taking pictures when these two hardy souls jogged past me on George Green seemingly oblivious to the cold. 

CRAZY WEATHER.

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

I did not think that I would take more snow pictures this year but this view of George Green yesterday obviously proved me wrong.  It looks more like the start of Winter rather than the first days of Spring.

AN INTERESTING BOOK..

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved 

I am lucky enough to have a copy of Baedeker's 1905 'London and it's Environs, it's full of fascinating facts. For instance you could get a room with bath at the Savoy Hotel for 9 shillings and 6 pence about £27:24 in today's money. Page 435 describes an excursion on Great Eastern Railway to Epping and beyond that passes through Snaresbrook and mentions the Infant Orphan Asylum 'with accommodation for 300 children' and Wanstead Park '(184 acres) in which is a heronry' and finally Wanstead Flats 'another public park'. It's so interesting, I wish the writer had lingered a little longer in Wanstead.

A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL...

                             World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I have always understood that post boxes had the initials of the reigning monarch on them according to their date of installation. This one on the corner of Wigram Road appears to be different. There is some lettering on the base which I can't read but I do not think it's what I'm looking for. It has a small posting slit which I understand was common in the Victorian era as envelopes were smaller but apart from that no clues. Any information welcome. 

I'VE BEEN GIVEN THE BOOT...

                               World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Apologies for missing a couple of days on the blog. However as you can now see I am now out of plaster and have 'a boot', hopefully this will make me a lot more mobile so I can get back to taking pictures !

OUT IN ALL WEATHERS...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Braving the rain on Saturday was Mark Easton collecting  on behalf of Marie Curie Cancer Charity. He was not difficult to spot outside the Co-Op in Wanstead High Street, I hope people dug deep into their pockets for this great cause.

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY.

                                World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I thought a symbol of Ireland was fitting for today. While Saint Patrick's Day is a religious day it's also a celebration around the world of everything Irish. The pint in the photograph was pulled by Noel, landlord of the The Nightingale pub just across  the green from the Gallery. Many will be celebrating the day there because he always does it in style. Have a great day. Slainte mhaith!

DIAMONDS IN THE ICE..

      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I took this photograph during the heavy frost. I had my macro lens on the camera so that I could get really close on the melting ice. The out of focus background reminds me of sparkling diamonds.

POOR DAF !

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

This picture is of our first flowering daffodil which looked great a few days ago but was decimated by the frost experienced earlier this week. Hopefully, others coming through will be luckier. 

MOSS ?

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

Spotted this moss growing on a garden wall in Wellesley Road and just had to capture it.  I thought it looked like a lilliputian forest.  If anyone knows what it is called I would be very pleased to know.  

LOOKING UP ONCE MORE...

                            World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Walking along Wanstead Place the other day I spotted these tiles. They are fixed to the front of a house opposite the church, I don't know the age of the house but the colour and workmanship of these tiles is great.

MOTHERING SUNDAY.

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

                                                World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

This wonderful array of flowers by Lillies of Wanstead caught my eye as I was driving past. They always have an interesting window and great flowers.  I took this picture as a tribute to mothers all over the world who do such a great job. Enjoy your day. 

Best wishes from Geoff.

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I seem to remember a nursery rhyme when I was a child, it was along the lines of 'rain, rain go away please come back another day'. That certainly applied to Wanstead today however, it did make for this lovely photograph that I took early this morning of rain dripping from the branch of a rose bush with the bud waiting for spring.

PROPERTY BOOM ?

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I spotted this van parked just off Overton Drive, as you can see it is full of estate agents boards. We are used to seeing a cluster of boards on property for sale but this is the first time I have seen a cluster en route. Is this the sign of another property boom?

A12 AT NIGHT>>

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I am still in plaster and on crutches so no driving for me, I am confined to the passenger seat. I have a camera with me all the time so I am taking lots of pictures through the windscreen, this is another of those slow shutter speed shots that I like. This is the A12 just before it ducks under Wanstead, tonight the tunnel is going to be the scene of an emergency services exercise so expect lots of action.

WANSTEAD TALENT.

                            World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

There is a lot of talent in Wanstead and this beautiful piece of jewellery is one of many made by Sarie Miell. This one has been sculptured in pewter but she also works magic with silver, glass and semi-precious stones. She gets a lot of inspiration from nature and our local open spaces.  You can see more of her work at our Gallery in Nightingale Lane.

LOVELY END TO THE DAY..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

I took this photograph on Saturday, it wasn't much of a day in terms of weather but at dusk there was a brief period of wonderful colour and light.

NOT A GREAT PHOTO BUT.....

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

It's easy to miss this brick building on Cambridge Park, it's near the junction with Highstone Avenue. It's not a really interesting photograph but it's what was below the structure that's interesting.

In 1940 the Plessey factory in Ilford producing aircraft components including wiring and wireless sets for aeroplanes was bombed. The solution for safer manufacturing was to move everything underground. The Central Line tunnel from Leytonstone to Gants Hill had been completed but was not yet in use so that became Plessey's new factory. At one time there were around 4000 people  working underground in the tunnel. The brick structure in the photograph was a ventilation shaft.

So next time you are on the Central Line at Wanstead, Redbridge of Gants Hill you'll know a little of the history.

ST DAVID'S DAY..

                            World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved.

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Very simple, just a lovely bunch of daff's...