A BIRD IN THE HAND etc..

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This is another picture from my Wanstead Park walk. A lady who was out with her friend kindly pointed this stork heron out to me. Unfortunatley I didn't have a telephoto lens with me to get a closeup, as it flew away however I managed to grab this shot of it flying across the lake. Not very conventional but I quite like the square composition of the picture.

Check out The Fringe page at the top for a list of my photo walks during The Fringe, any camera will do, just come along and enjoy!

A WALK IN THE PARK..

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I had a walk around the lake in Wanstead Park earlier today, the first time for quite long while. I was surprised to see that most of the surface of the water is cover in weed, I think it's green algea, looks the same to me as the stuff covering Alexandra Lake on Wanstead Flats. It was still as lovely as ever, just a little different. I came across this platform  protruding out into the water, at first I thought is was an observation deck but it turned out to be something to do with the lakes overflow system. I was however really struck by the brightly coloured padlocks that secured the safety chain, couldn't resist doing a close up.

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SPACESHIP..

         

                                                                                       

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I found this restaurant chimney at the back of a building in South Woodford earlier today. I was fascinated by all the different angles and shapes that make it up, squares, round bits a real hotchpot of design. It reminded me of spaceship that a child might draw, have a good weekend.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES..

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A lot better weather yesterday, I even ventured into the garden for weed clearing, hence I didn't have time to get out for any photography.  I took this photograph during a recent sunny spell a short while ago, a big contrast  from yesterdays picture!

ANOTHER SUMMER DAY..

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I don't know what more to say, I took this picture yesterday  morning, two days of more or less continuous rain. As my mum used to say 'it's good weather for ducks".

Also don't forget it's only nine days to go to the The Wanstead Fringe and The Wanstead Art Trail. Check out  the 'Fringe' and 'Art Trail' pages at the top of this blog for a list of great Wanstead photo walks. If you don't have a camera you can use the one on your 'phone, it's all about looking not technology.

I & K BROWN..

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If you live in Wanstead you will recognise this lovely old building on Church Path. I have photographed it before, it's I & K Brown one of Wanstead's garages. I was taking a fresh look at it because it's most likely to be knocked down and replaced with houses. The price of progress I suppose, I'm pleased with the picture anyway. 

A TASTE OF WINTER..

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Couldn't believe the weather today. Rain and cold, it felt more like October or November rather than August, even the leaves have started to fall. Still, being an optimist I'm sure September will be warm and sunny and of course we have the Wanstead Fringe and the Wanstead Art Trail to look forward to. 

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING...

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....completely different, from last weeks pictures which showed the lovely green and pleasant river Roding valley, here's a mass of concrete. Its actually an underpass with the A406 running over, I think it looks a bit like a nuclear bunker. It's worth the journey through however as it does lead to the river Roding which of course is a perfect stroll

JUST LOOKING..

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I thought I would end the week of river Roding photographs with this one. If you stop and look as you walk the river bank there is such a lot to see. So wherever you are take a little time from your day and just observe. Enjoy the weekend.

If you have enjoyed the pictures this week and fancy an amble along a stretch of the river Roding check out our Wanstead Fringe page for full details.

ARCHITECTURE..

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I have always admired the architecture of Victorian pumping stations. It's the first time I have seen the one in Roding Lane South from this point of view. The river in the picture is of course the Roding. I am not sure what the flower in the foreground is, I suspect it's a weed but in any case it looks good.

BRIDGE OVER..

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I came across this bridge over the river Roding, it just really appealed to me. The sunlight falling on it, the blue sky with the clouds, the clear waters of the river but most off all the rust coloured metalwork. It just appealed..

ON THE BANK..

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I discovered this lovely vine covered tree on my river Roding walk. It was high on the bank and it was easy to walk past without really noticing, I'm glad I spotted it.

WINDING THROUGH

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This is another photograph from my river Roding walk. It's a simple picture but I really like the way the river just winds between the reeds. It's taken from a bridge and that little bit height made all the difference. 

RIVER RODING..

     World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

We are so lucky, looking at this picture it's difficult to believe that we are only a few miles from central London. I took a little time at the weekend to walk part of the river Roding, the same stretch that we are having a photo walk along on Sunday Sept 7th. It was the first time I had walked this stretch and it was great, so many picture opportunities and you are going to see a few of the pictures this week. I do hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

If you enjoy a walk and fancy an amble along a stretch of the river Roding check out our Wanstead Fringe page for full details.

JUST SITTING..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

No particular reason for using this picture except I really like seats that go around trees. This one on Christ Church Green I have noticed is very popular at weekends. Sometimes it's people sitting with their dogs, other times it's couples just passing the time of day. I just like to sit there and observe.

OUT FOR THE DAY..

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I saw this car in Wanstead a few days ago, great collection of soft toys in the rear window, I wonder where they were off to. Teddy bears picnic perhaps.

MOONLIGHT 2

                             World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Sorry that the blog has been a bit haphazard this week, September is going to be a very busy month and we have been preparing for it. Both the Wanstead Fringe and the Wanstead Art Trail start on the 6th of the month and if you click on our pages you can see we have lots going on.

Todays picture, you may think that you saw it a few days ago but this one is different. I was undecided when I took them which one to publish. As I looked through them again last night I really liked this one as well, I think its because the flowers are more prominent. You don't see a lot of flower pictures taken at night. Let me know which one you prefer. 

MARKET..

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Great market in the High Street the other weekend, lot's of stalls, sunshine and most importantly loads of people out and about. There were stalls selling many different things, food, olives and of course beer from our own Wanstead Tap, so cheers lets hope there's more sunshine to come.

NEW LOCAL PHOTO WALKS..

I have just put a series of local photo walks plus a mid week photography Q & A for the first week of the Wanstead Fringe and the Wanstead Art Trail. Full details can be seen on The Fringe and Art Trail pages of Wanstead Daily Photo. Do take a look there's some really good stuff.

MOONLIGHT..

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A super moon last night I believe. It was great, so bright, unfortunately I didn't have lens to get just a close up of the moon. However I really like this picture of it nestled between the house and the trees, having the picket fence in the foreground was a bonus.

INTRIGUE..

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I came across this shop window that intrigued me, it's on  Aldersbrook Road. As I have mentioned quite a few of the shops appear to have closed down in this row, this one however had this pile of broomsticks in the window. Unfortunately the shop was closed for the night but I will go back and try to find out if there is a broom maker there. I just loved the soft evening light falling on on the wood and the old fashioned window, glad to see perhaps another cottage industry locally.

GATHERING DUST..

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If you read yesterdays post you will know that I paid a visit to Alexandra Lake on Wanstead Flats recently. Opposite the lake there is a small parade of shops, sadly many of them look as if they are permanently closed together with the hotel above. There is however a fish and chip shop, newsagent and office license that seem to be thriving. The last shop in the row appears to be a monumental mason and a few reminders of the trade are still in the window. To see them lying there covered in dust seemed very sad indeed.

ALEXANDRA LAKE

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The other evening I popped over to Alexandra Lake on Wanstead Flats, I haven't been there for some time. It was a bit of a surprise to see a great deal of it covered in a floating 'growth' of some sort. This poor lake does seem to suffer what with the flooding last year. Now that Jubilee pond has been regenerated and looks great perhaps Alexandra Lake could be next on the list when funds allow?

RAYMOND BLANC..

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I know there are quite a few 'foodies' who read this blog and also the number of French readers is growing. It seemed only fair to give both groups a look at this smashing article by my mate Holly Brooke-Smith, it's in the September issue of the excellent Good Food magazine. It's about chef Raymond Blanc and his organic vegetable garden at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, his restaurant and hotel in Oxfordshire. On page 127 is a great simple recipe for tomato salad 'Maman Blanc', enjoy! If you are wondering what this has got to do with Wanstead, well I took the pictures for the article and no I didn't stay for lunch...

IN MEMORY

                                World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Families were asked last night to burn a candle for those who fell in the First World War. I took these pictures at the War Memorial in Wanstead High Street, I'll leave it at that I think..

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WANSTEAD PARROT..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I was intrigue when I saw this sign on a door just off Cambridge Park the other afternoon. I know we have a population of parakeets in Wanstead Park, it occurred to me that perhaps this was their headquarters or club house? Of course not, its part of the Tree House Nursery School in Cambridge Park, it's a lovely idea though to brighten up the door.

*If you are interest in photography I have just posted an intermediate workshop on my workshop page, stop by and have a look. Just click on this link 'Intermediate Workshop'.

STAND OUT IN THE CROWD..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

A bit of a shock to my system this morning all that rain, I should have checked the weather forecast with Wanstead Meteo. However as I was walking to the Gallery I passed this fence on Eastway, on a dull, overcast morning it certainly brightened the start to my day.

I KNOW, I KNOW,

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Yes, your right I have posted sunsets before. However how can I walk past such amazing colours and not show them to you.