31 May 2011

Oh, how I love things as they used to be - Being a photographer of many years, and someone who still knows what E6 and C41 mean I find it bizarre to watch people taking photographs on their mobile phones. But watching people at a recent gig and seeing the results on YouTube I have to admit that for video at least an iPhone makes a great little camera!

30 May 2011

I don't care what they may know - Bank Holiday Monday and it's time for Margate Meltdown when thousands of bikers descend on the town. As you can see not all bikers worship Beelzebub (but I think that mostly we do!). I particularly like the patch in the centre at the bottom "These are my church clothes".

29 May 2011

I left a nervous little boy out on the trail today - Watching the Monaco Grand Prix this afternoon reminded me of the time my parents took me to Brands Hatch in 1976 to watch the British Grand Prix. To start with my Dad nearly passed out when he found out it was a tenner for adults to get in, he had to check his wallet to make sure he had enough cash to get us in. James Hunt won the race in his McLaren only to be later disqualified after Ferrari complained that McLaren cheated. Nothing much changes! James Hunt went on to win the world championship that year, and as you can see he is still one of Lin's pinups (even if he does have tobacco breath).

28 May 2011

Only shadows from the past I see - My friend Ruth Geldard had an exhibition of her work today in Canterbury. The ghostly figure in the photograph is Ruth herself. You can see more of Ruth's work here.

27 May 2011

We have climbed so high - After riding 450 miles in just over twenty four hours I couldn't wait to get my gloves and boots off. Yesterday we did get the rain storms that were promised. Today was better except for the standing traffic on the M25, M26, M20 and Detling Hill! Came home via Dover in the end.

26 May 2011

Head out on the highway - We have to ride to London later this afternoon to see Seasick Steve, and after weeks of dry weather the forecast is for high winds and rain storms!

25 May 2011

The passion lasted for an hour - Peonies, one of Lin's favourite flowers, sadly they don't last for a long time, the first wind or rain and they are ruined.

24 May 2011

San Francisco's fine, you sure get lots of sun - Close up of a Californian poppy on a sunny afternoon. Happy 70th birthday to Mr Dylan!

23 May 2011

I'm a lot like you were - Beautiful old gnarled tree. I wonder how many people see the face on the trunk?

22 May 2011

You get less time for stealing a car - Close up detail of a mosaic made for Lin and I by our friend Jo Letchford. To see more of Jo's work visit her here.

21 May 2011

The Halloween Jack is a real cool cat - This is Marley, he's staying with us for a while whilst his Mum and Dad look for a new home in America.

20 May 2011

You don't know what I can do with that axe - Doors have become a recurring theme and they always seem to be green. Jim Lowe would be proud.

19 May 2011

In the middle of your little world - Fire and a dessert - what more could a man ask for?

18 May 2001

I ain't ready to face the law - Looks to me as though someone is trying to harness the power of the sea!

17 May 2011

 

Four o’clock and they’re all asleep - Close up of a memorial to a young boy killed by a car between Margate and Broadstairs.

16 May 2011

What you say don't have to make sense - Broadstairs has a good selection of beautiful homes, but I'm guessing that most people looking at this photograph would be surprised to find out that this cottage is in the centre of the town and not, as you might expect in the middle of the Kent countryside.

15 May 2011

I'm gonna be your number one - High tide this morning at Ramsgate.

14 May 2011

Just one thing makes me forget - The best way to end an exhausting day!

13 May 2011

Cause I love to live so pleasantly - Late afternoon sunshine in King George VI Park.

12 May 2011

Think I'll get out of town - I can't remember the last time we had some decent rain, certainly not for five or six weeks. It looks as though the beach weather is here to stay for a bit longer yet, even if we have lost a few of our Blue Flags.

11 May 2011

Saw a falling star burning - Quite by accident whilst out cycling, I stopped at the Spitfire Museum at Manston and walked over to the memorial garden. It turns out that I was one day early for the 68th anniversary of the last flight of the Short Stirling Mk III - BF523. This photograph shows the tip of one of it's propeller blades. The text below is copied straight from the information board.


On the night of 12/13 May 1943 some 572 RAF bombers were dispatched to attack the city of Duisberg in the SW region of the Ruhr, Germany. The force consisted of 238 Avro Lancaster, 112 Vickers Wellington, 142 Handley-Page Halifax, 70 Short Stirling and 10 De Havilland Mosquito aircraft.


Amongst the bombers flying that night was Short Stirling MK III (Serial BF 253) of no 90 Squadron RAF (No 3 Group - Bomber Command) based at Ridgewell in Essex. The Stirling bore the Squadron code WP-G. Take off time was 00.30.


At 03.28 the aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt BF110G night fighter piloted by Uffz Emil Heinzelmann of III/NJG1 based in Eastern Holland. As a result of the attack the Stirling crashed into the Ijsselmeer off Nijkerk (Gelderland) and, sadly, no crew member survived. The crew members were:-


Pilot - R/120226 Flight Sergeant W Morel RCAF
Navigator - 13200220 Sergeant BA Bacon RAF
Bomb Aimer 658018 Sergeant W Murray RAF
Wireless Operator 1332191 Sergeant EW Elke RAF
Flight Engineer 575244 Sergeant RMS Shaw RAF
Air Gunner 785082 Sergeant AJ Buxton RAF
Air Gunner 614909 Sergeant C Green RAF


(33 other aircraft were lost that night involving the deaths of 206 aircrew, 27 became prisoners of war and 4 evaded capture).


1n June 1972 and following the drainage of a polder in South Flevoland in the SE region of Ijsselmeer, aircrew and aircraft remains were discovered and subsequently removed by a salvage team from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Several components were transferred to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon. These included the 3 propeller blades from one of the four Bristol Hercules engines. These blades were transferred in 1999 for restoration by Medway Aircraft Preservation Society at Rochester Airport. The two blades mounted here showed signs of damage by cannon fire. The third blade in in near perfect condition and is displayed in the Spitfire Memorial Building. There is every indication that the Hercules engine had stopped before the crash.

10 May 2011

Hospitality's thin there - This is on an old warehouse in Canterbury. I'm not sure if it was part of the old tannery, but it's in that general location.

9 May 2011

But we've something they'll never have - Another pair of LIn's gardening gloves bites the dust.

8 May 2011

Now the joint is jumping and everybody's shouting for more - Today I started reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest, the third book in the Millennium trilogy. The first two were great, I was unable to put them down so I've been looking forward to this instalment.

7 May 2011

Have you ever seen anyone do the back street boogie - Another beach and another discarded toy.

6 May 2011

Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes - Hidden away right in the middle of Canterbury is Greyfriars garden. Its not a place that's easy to stumble across but it's worth hunting out.

5 May 2011

He cocked back the hammer right on the spot - It looks as though the Minster Fishing Club could be sharing their land with the local gun club!

4 May 2011

It's burning through to my soul - The temperature in our allotment shed almost reached 100 today, that's 36 in new money.

3 May 2011

You know the place where nothing is real - I found this the other day whilst shopping, single clove garlic. I've never seen it before. It's easy to peel, quiet strong in flavour and smells great.

2 May 2011

Beneath these bones let these words be seen this is the bloody gears of a boppin' machine - Just got home from the Battle Of Hastings May Day Run, which is a bike run from Locksbottom near Orpington down to Hastings. It's always a great day out with thousands of bikers descending on the seafront including this chap who I spotted on the rear end of a trike.

1 May 2011

You are my candy girl - Looking through my shed whilst doing a little DIY in the garden I came across this bottle of sugar soap with an amazing reflection.