Starling being fed in old Rayburn solid fuel cooker

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Picture of a Starling chick being fed in an old, disused Rayburn solid fuel cooker which a pair of Starlings were using as a nest.  This was the second time Starlings have done this, the previous time being two years ago.  I managed to grab a few pictures of the chick being fed.  The next day it had fledged and gone.  The pictures were taken through an open window on a Canon EOS7D Mk2.  The lens was a 100 – 400 Canon.

Both parents were feeding one chick.  At least, I believe there was only one chick.  This was the same as the previous nesting two years before.

 

 

Botswana and Victoria Falls

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A Botswana SafariI have published my complete set of pictures from our trip to Botswana and Zambia.  Any spelling mistakes, please refer to Rosemary, she sense read the diary, correcting, unbelievably, stalks to storks (it spellchecked, so must have been ok, I thought). We were away 23rd April – 7th May 2016.

The pages to view are here at Botswana and Zambia Safari.

Waddesdon Manor Christmas Lights 2015.

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Waddesdon Manor Christmas Lights 2015. Bruce Munro’s installation of lights at Waddesdon Manor called SOS, This is his final year of three years at Waddesdon Manor. The lights on Waddesdon manor were by Woodroffe Bassett design.  We visited with Ian and Julie.  Lovely warm evening for December.  You must watch the video to hear the sound track associated with the lights in the tent.

The Amazing World of M.C. Escher at Dulwich Picture Gallery

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Rosemary and I ventured into London to see The Amazing World of M.C. Escher exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery.  His graphics were truly amazing, from his original portraits and drawings, onto metamorphosis, and tessellations.  There was also the iconic waterfall.  He worked with British mathematicians, like Roger Penrose who gave Escher the idea for the stairs picture.  Exhibitions of his work are very rare in the UK, and this one is well worth visiting.  It is on until  the 17th January.  We also ate lunch at the gallery restaurant, tad expensive, but very nice meal.

Back in Central London we visited the Chris Beetle gallery.  They are the gallery that sell the original Matt cartoons which are published in the Telegraph. I have an original Matt which Rosemary bought me for my birthday, its of Cyber Crime. Sorry Guv I had to taser the computer. R had tried to buy me a Glastonbury Matt, but it was sold in minutes of being published. The gallery staff were in fact setting up an exhibition of Matt Cartoons, presumably the ones which did not sell.  They also sell originals from many other cartoonists and etchings from a variety of books.

A coffee in a Cafe Nero, then a stare at some of the shop windows as we walked our way to Piccadilly Circus and back home.

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Crystal Palace from West Dulwich

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Fortnum and Mason

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Fortnum and Mason and Selfie

Mars, Venus and Jupiter

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I have been meaning to see Mars, Venus and Jupiter for the last few days, but been thwarted by not waking up and the clouds.  First saw them at 2.00am on Saturday morning, saw two bright objects in the sky, low to the horizon.  I thought the other object must still be below the  horizon.  So went back to sleep, to wake at 4.45 am to find cloud.

After the Kingswood fireworks, I set the alarm for 4.45, prepared the camera and went to bed.  Woke and it was misty, but the stars were still visible.  This time I saw the two bright objects high in the sky?  Where was the third.  Puzzled, fired up google Night Sky and searched for Mars, Venus and Jupiter.  Duh, of course Mars was not as bright as Venus and Jupiter. The red planet was easily spotted with binoculars.  Here is a photograph of the planets, from left to right they are Mars (red), Venus (the brightest) and Jupiter.

Mars, Venus and Jupiter on 1st November 2015 a 5.42 EDT, Kingswood, Bucks, UK

Mars, Venus and Jupiter on 1st November 2015 a 5.42 EDT, Kingswood, Bucks, UK

Kingswood Firework Display

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Saturday we went to our local firework display at Kingswood organised by Ian and Julie and kindly hosted by George and Annie. Ian put on the display. Burgers and sausages cooked and serverd by Duncan, Keith, Karin and Charlotte.  Good time as we get to meet and chat with others from the village we might not meet every day.  Selina, Phil and Julian came over as well.  Selina caught up with  Julie and Smeg.

Lovely still evening, no wind and remarkably warm for the end of October.  The bonfire included some of the stuff we had been collecting for years, including old doors and our “thermometer” which was placed on the crossways years ago when we were trying to get people to sign up for broadband.

 

 

 

Kingswood Bonfire 2015

Kingswood Bonfire

Land Rover Defender

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imageWednesday a group of us went to Land Rover Solihull factory to have a look around the factory and see the last of the Land Rover Defenders coming off the production line. We started the day at a nearby pub for lunch, then arrived at the factory at 1.00 for the Land Rover Experience day.

First we saw the body shop where the components of the body are manufactured and were put together ready for painting. This seemed quite a manual process, with the occasional robot doing a spot of welding.

We missed seeing the paint shop, apparently not practical for a tour.

The next stop was the production line, where the chassis, wheels, transmission, engine all met with the body. It all was a complicated process as each Defender is made to order, and there are many variations in body and style. Apparently around 110 Defenders are manufactured per day.

We were taken around by an Australian, and predictably were not allowed to take photographs. It was a fabulous day out, seeing the last of a great British iconic vehicle coming to the end of its life. What will its replacement be like? Did you know the biggest export market is Germany, and that a door made for today’s vehicle can be fitted to a 25 year old Land Rover? The factory building where the vehicles are assembled in are the same buildings as Maurice Wilks used when he started building Land Rovers after the war.

King Crimson at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

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King Crimson at the Aylesbury Waterside TheatreKing Crimson at the Aylesbury Waterside TheatreMonths ago I ordered a ticket to see King Crimson at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.  This was the start of their tour where they are playing their music from the 70s  The first two dates were at Aylesbury, put on by the Friars Club. (There was an earlier private event at the Waterside the day before.) The reason for the first UK tour dates being hosted by Friars was Kings Crimson’s long association with them.

Well the day came, and I remembered the gig, still sitting at home, almost an hour after it had started.  I was gutted.  Luckily there were still a few good tickets available the next day, and more importantly I was given permission to go and see King Crimson.   Arrived at Aylesbury in plenty of time, time to have a pint at the Farmers Bar in the Kings Head where there were some drinkers waiting to see King Crimson, and others who had been the day before.

Back to the theatre, King Crimson merchandise purchased and then into the theatre.  What a sight – three drum sets at the front of the stage.

What an evening.  The set of three drums was phenomenal, the way they interacted.  The encore, brought tears to my eyes.  All the music was familiar King Crimson.  The encore of  The Court of the Crimson King and 21st Century Schizoid Man sealed a great evening.

The Play List

Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part One
One More Red Nightmare
VROOOM
Suitable Grounds for the Blues
Radical Action (To Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind)
Meltdown
Hell Hounds of Krim
Easy Money
The ConstruKction of Light
(Part One only, no vocals)
Level Five
Epitaph
Interlude
The Talking Drum
Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
Starless
Encore
Devil Dogs Of Tessellation Row
The Court of the Crimson King
21st Century Schizoid Man

My T shirt

King Crimson Tee Shirt, The Back

King Crimson Tee Shirt, The Back


King Crimson Tee Shirt, The Front

King Crimson Tee Shirt, The Front