CHRISTMAS LIGHTS...

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Spotted these great Christmas lights as I wandered along the High Street yesterday. They are outside Sumo, the sushi restaurant. I know I have probably said it before but I just love Christmas lights...and I haven't forgotten the Christmas tree on George Green it will appear a little later..

COLOURS...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I came across this leaf trapped in the bare branches of a bush this morning as I crossed Nightingale Green. I just like the way it had landed there, kind of on display showing itself off rather than floating to the floor. The contrast of colours is nice too.

HEADS UP..

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Many people pass the war memorial on the High Street every day including myself. It's a part of Wanstead, I have always wondered though what the head on the memorial looks like close up. I shot this portrait earlier this morning in less that ideal conditions but at least now I know.

A NICE CHANGE...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Great sunset on Monday evening, what a lovely sight after all the rain and grey skies. I took this picture as I passed through Whips Cross during the early evening, lovely.

MORE RAIN..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I know I said a few days ago that I didn't mind taking pictures in the rain but yesterday, really where did it all come from. Anyway I did find this lovely rain covered rose in the garden, I'm not sure that it should be in bloom in November but hey ho....

A DIFFICULTY..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I know I have published several leaf related pictures of late, I apologise. I can't help it, maybe I'm addicted to Autumn leaves. I just find it so difficult to walk past all those gorgeous shapes and colours. I took this picture on Christchurch Green, I have always liked the uniformity of the fence around  Christ  Church. Both leaves and fence just seem to come together for me in this picture.

WINDOW..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

At first glance when you look at this picture you will probably think that at last I have slipped of the edge. It looks like a very poor quality photograph indeed. I however like it. The story is, there's always a story, one of our three local Wanstead garages is closing to make way for a housing development. Sadly it's located in a really great old building on Church Path which will have to go as I understand it. Fortunately I have photographed the exterior, which you can see here.  As I passed by the other day, the doors were firmly shut although I am not sure if they have finally closed. I noticed through the rain splattered windows these two old fashioned oil cans crying out to be pictured. So here you are, garage oil cans through a dirty, rain splattered window. I still like it. I & K Brown, a Wanstead institution, you will be sorely missed by many residents.

...and on a different subject don't forget that there is a free craft demo day at Craft Boutique 84 in Nightingale Lane this coming Sunday the 23rd. There will be demonstration's of several products and techniques between 12 and 2.30pm and of course a cup of tea.

WHO'S A PRETTY BOY THEN...

                       World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

As I think I have said before, one of the best things about our Gallery is that you never know who's going to come through the door next, hold that thought. For the past two years we have donated the photographs that I take for the Wanstead Daily Photo to The Wanstead Society for use in their calendar. Anyway on the January page of this years there is a lovely picture of the twisted tree on Christ Church Green in the snow. So far so good, if you look closely you will see a small dog almost up to his tummy in snow. That's who came through the door yesterday, Paddy brought his owner Lisa in to see us, he was thrilled at being in this years calendar. Paddy was more than happy to pose with the calendar, there was a fee of course, a sausage.

Don't forget we have copies of the calendar for sale in the Gallery at 84 Nightingale Lane, Wanstead, E11 2EZ. It's only £6 and makes a great Christmas present and all proceeds go to The Wanstead Society.

SECRET SPOT...

                        World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

You might think that I took this picture in Wanstead Park or off some little used track in Epping Forest. You'd be wrong, but forgiven for thinking so. I could hardly believe my luck when I stumbled across this little cameo, the light coloured leaves just leapt out from the rest of the foliage, it was like some enchanted spot in the wood. Am I going to tell you where it is? Well......ok then, its actually next to an electricity sub station in Nelson Road, I had to shoot the picture through the fence. Beauty is where you find it.

...and on a different subject don't forget that there is a free craft demo day at Craft Boutique 84 in Nightingale Lane this coming Sunday the 23rd. There will be demonstration's of several products and techniques between 12 and 2.30pm and of course a cup of tea.

SPIKEY..

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

You probably know that the old hospital building on Herman Hill has for some time been really smart apartments. In a previous life it was built to house the orphan children of merchant seaman, The Merchant Seamans Orphan Asylum. I'm just not sure why they needed these spikes on the wall ?

   World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

UNSETTLING...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

As you can see these trees in Nelson Road have had a bit of a 'haircut'. Although it give's a different view of The Clock Tower in the old hospital building the scene unsettled me a little. It was early evening, raining and the street was deserted when I took this picture. The solitary remaining branch reaching out into the overcast sky reminded me of an illustration in very scary childrens book. I can't remember which one, it was a very long time ago, but it definitely looks like an old witches claw..... note to self 'stay out of empty streets at night'...

JUST BECAUSE..

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I was locking up at the Gallery the other evening when I came across this scene. Nothing remarkable, but I do really like the way the warm light spilling through the window meets the cold colour outside.

HURRYING...

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

As I mentioned the other day I really don't mind taking pictures when it's raining. Combine that with evening light and you quite often have a recipe for success. So when it rained yesterday I grabbed my camera and shot out of the Gallery. I didn't have to go very far, coming along Nightingale Lane was this mother pushing her baby in a buggy, I thought it made a lovely rainy night picture.

LIGHTS IN THE SKY...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Mysterious lights in the night sky...  not really. It's just the lights on the wall around the garden of The Duke pub in Nightingale Lane. They do look very attractive at night, a nice touch as part of the refurbishment.

IT'S BEGINNING TO....

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

......look a lot like Christmas, as they say in the 1951 song written by Meredith Wilson. I spotted this glorious window as I passed through Wellesley Road the other night. The first Christmas lights I have seen this year. Our lovely daughter reminded me last weekend that it's only another six Saturdays and a few days away, a hint perhaps?

SATURDAY MORNING..

                                           World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I took this picture back in October as I was walking across Christchurch Green. It was a Saturday morning and the scene just appealed to me. The fallen leaves, the avenue of trees, a child on a tricycle and her mum carrying the shopping home. A very Wanstead scene I thought...

NICE SET OF WHEELS...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Anyone remember the television series 'The Prisoner' ? It started in 1967 and ran for two years I think, the star was actor Patrick McGoohan who played a former secret agent exiled to a strange coastal village. I was a big fan and eagerly awaited each weekly episode. Anyway the opening scene of each episode was Patrick driving a Lotus 7 sports car, when I saw this car parked near our gallery I was taken aback. It turned out it's not actually a Lotus but a kit car, who cares it stirred memories and I would love to have taken it for a spin...

SMOKE SIGNALS..

                     World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

You probably know by now that I like to look up at the sky. I like to think of it as serious contemplation of world events on a higher level, that's all rubbish of course, really I'm just daydreaming. Anyway when I saw these dark clouds the other day against the rest of the sky I thought at first it was smoke from a fire. Remember those old black and white cowboy films where the Indians sent smoke signals well that what I was reminded of. Now back to world events....

RAINY NIGHTS....

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

What happened on Saturday evening, where did all that rain suddenly come from! It started just as I was leaving the gallery and by the time I got to the car it was torrential, very much like a tropical rain storm. Thankfully it didn't last too long.  Not that I'm complaining it did make this interesting photograph that I took through the car windscreen.

ARMISTICE DAY...

                   World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

11th hour, 11th day, 11th month, nothing more to say really...

I know it's a little early but in view of all services being held today it seemed fitting, please read the story of the picture at the bottom of the page.

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I took these photographs of the sandbag wall which rests in the front garden of Mike Edwards and Kathy Taylors house in Redbridge Lane West. The OTT installation was originally built as part of the Wanstead Art Trail where it was a great hit. Both Mike and Kathy's granddads served in the First World War and so they decided it would remain until armistice day, Wanstead folk are welcome to leave a poppy in this WW1 installation.

BY THE LIGHT...

                      World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Fabulous moon the other evening as I came out of the Gallery. It was bonfire night, November 5th, and the moon had just risen and was hovering over the houses in Grosvenor Road, not often it looks that perfect. I just couldn't make up my mind which picture to show you so here are all three, you can choose which one you like.

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

FORK HANDLES...

                            World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

One of the things I like about Marion Temple's approach to gardening is the way in which everyday objects appear in her landscapes. Marion,as you may know is Wanstead's guerrilla gardner. She is the lady who, with some help from Wanstead's other residents, takes care of all those odd spots of earth that would otherwise remain unloved. Remember the chair or the lavatory cistern in the Corner House garden? Well now it's the handles of old garden spades and forks supporting plants in a bed in the High Street. Brilliant.. 

I was going to use the Ronnie Barker/Ronnie Corbett joke about four candles, anyone remember that ?

   World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

SAD...

                            World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Discarded... I found this carved pumpkin on a street bin the other day. I'm sure it did sterling work on the night of Halloween and the days leading up to it, I just thought it looked very sad when I came across it. 

JUST A REMINDER...

Wanstead artist Wendy D' Souza Daniels ran a very successful drawing workshop during the The Wanstead Fringe at our gallery. As they say in show business 'back by popular demand' Wendy is running another on Sunday November 9th 12 till 2.30pm. It doesn't matter whether you are just starting out or you are more advanced come along for  two and a half hours of stimulating and interesting tuition. Pencils, paper, tea and cake will be provided so please ring the gallery on 0208 530 1244 to book your place, it's just £15 per person and places are limited.

IS THERE...

                           World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

....anyone out there ? Have you ever sat quietly at night, perhaps in your garden or while on holiday and just stared at the night sky? If so do you ever wonder if there is anyone out there looking at us? Who knows. Anyway I really like the way the moon lines up with this collection of aerials and satellite dishes just off Nightingale Lane. Is Wanstead being observed......

ANOTHER SUCCESS

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I can't quite remember who came up with the idea of planting at the base of trees in Wanstead. I think it started last year, as you go around  its easy to see what a success it has been. Sometimes it's flowering plants, sometimes its a little more unusual like these grasses in Grove Park. It's another little thing that makes Wanstead so great.

EARLY FIREWORKS..

                        World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

Great display of fireworks by Eaton Manor Rugby Club last night. A little early for November the 5th but well worth seeing. It was a mild evening so I ventured to one of my favourite spots, the footbridge over the A12 where I took this picture.

WATER FEATURE...

    World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

I know that I have published pictures of leaves with dew on before but I couldn't walk past this one. I spotted it yesterday morning  as I was leaving home and just couldn't resist it, enjoy the weekend.

Newsflash - Mrs W has just pointed out that this leaf bears  uncanny resemblance to a swimming fish! See the 'eye' about a third of the way along the leaf..