October2007London
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photos attached
1 Castle Donnington, north of Newbury, in the dawn
2 Putney pier from Putney bridge
3 old "new sandals"
4 22Sep misty Thames landscape
5 St Mary's parish church and the Bell Inn, Hampton from Hurst park on the other bank
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W15Oct07
Hello kind reader,.
Sorry for the slow answers to emails, the lack of comments on flickr, and the lack photos on flickr, blogger, and SPAMletters. I have had only minutes on the computer. I mean to do all these things sooner or later - later is more likely.
W19Sep07-09.40bst,Newbury library,cmpr22
The foxes are starting to bark in the night which must be something to do with the mating season. The tawny owl is making a lot of noise (waaah wu-u wo-o-o waaah) in the dark but they seem to do that all the time. I saw a rabbit thumping the ground with its hind left leg, as a warning. I seldom see them do this - mostly they head for their burrows. On the road from Bath to Chippenham, I walked by a dead fallow or Muntjac deer. It looked unharmed but seemed pretty dead. Most dead animals by the road are rabbits. There are also foxes, cats, the odd badger and dog. I see few hedgehogs. That's life! The rosebay willow herb is going to seed. I am still finding ripe juicy blackberries, but few blossom flowers. Most apples are ripe now, and I hope to go on finding them into October.
M24Sep07-09.30bst,Reading library,guest cmpr
I stayed in Newbury for a couple of days and made use of the computers in their library, where you can get two hours! Donnington castle is a little north of Newbury, built 1386 by a friend of Richard II, to guard the cross-roads. It was also besieged in the Civil War for 20 months, held by the Royalists, and not captured. Cannon did their worst, and there is only the gatehouse/keep/lord's quarters left. I took a few photos until my battery ran out.
The first battle of Newbury was at Wash common to the south, and so bloody that the lanes were filled with the bodies of the dead. I took a photo of the Falkland memorial - the secretary of Charles I, Falkland died in the battle. I wandered round round the lanes, some named after that battle, such as "Battery End", which had a gun battery at its end.
Today there has been quite a lot of rain, and it would seem to spell the end of the Indian summer. I walked down the Kennet to its mouth with the Thames as I am thinking of walking along the Thames path back to London. I think that should take a week or ten days.
Th27Sep07-11.00bst,Maidenhead library,cmpr6
This morning I walked along the Thames path from Marlow to Maidenhead. The Thames Path is well signposted and can be followed even at night. The moon is full so it was easy to get up and follow the path.
Yesterday, I saw something I have only read about in books - the skin left by the dragonfly nymph when the dragonfly (this one was a small damselfly,I think) climbs out of the water and starts to fly. The nymph's wings were small - ~5mm - and grow to full size in a few hours after the dragonfly has got out. The skin was in water but it clung to my finger, as I believe it clings to a stalk when it climbs out ot the water.
F28Sep07-09.40bst,Windsor library,cmpr11
I kipped on ground ivy in some woods, by Bray lock last night. The moon is very bright being almost full, and high in the sky in the spring constellations. There followed a moonlit night walk along the Thames path to Windsor. Near Windsor I passed the 13th century chapel, St Mary Magdalene's, which stands on its own by the river. Noone seems to know why it's there. It may have been a parish church with a belltower and 3 bells.
Being on the Eton bank of the Thames, I first walked along the High Street of Eton as far as Eton College, founded I believe by Henry VI, 1440? The college chapel would then be perpendicular gothic, which it looks like to me. Windsor, across the old town bridge, now for walkers only, has a big castle. I couldn't see the flagpole, so I don't know if the queen is there. The High Street is next to the castle, but the main shops seem to be in Peascod Street, which is a walkway - I'm all for walkways! The library is hidden away and a bit awkward to find, but I did, as you can see!
W3Oct07-10.19bst,Mybn lby,cmpr7
I got back to Marylebone yesterday. I spent the night in Canbury park, Kingston, and walked along the south bank to Putney bridge. The District line runs straight from there to Edgware Road without even changing, so I was back in time for Gordon's Spirituality Group in the afternoon.
The south bank seems more green than the north and I walked by Hurst park, Ham common, and the Old Deer Park, Kew Gardens, and the Barnes wetlands. Even beyond there, it all seems pretty green, with some houses around Barnes, while the north bank is built up.
Best wishes to all, Robert
diary http://sdapp.blogspot.com/
flickr photos http://flickr.com/photos/the-reindeer
M1 Kingston,rain
Tu2 Putney bridge,London
Teddington lock downstream gates, taken with the tripod
St Mary's parish church and the Bell Inn, Hampton on the Thames, from Hurst Park on the other bank
looking across the Thames
W3 Wednesday club
Th4 London
F5 WLDC,Workshop
Sa6 new backpack, Backpackers
Su7Oct07new sandals
W10 Tate Modern with WLDC,Mark Rothko,Argentinian,Doris Salcedo
Th11 Nomads to Temple Inn
Camel Corps in WWI, in the Temple Gardens on the Embankment
reflection shot in the Middle Temple,windows,leaves,yellow line
F12 WLDC,Vista computer
Books being read:-
New Testament,Qu'ran,A Distant Mirror,Kristin Lavransdatter - Kransen
Sa13 ASLAN,"Amazing Grace",Rugger semifinal,England14-France9
Su14Oct07sketching by the canal
M15
meal with Gordon at Pizza Express
Win a Great Weekend in Newcastle
Newcastle weekend - Johnny Wilkinson.
Australia, France at home, unhappy gone.
"Come and look at the pictures on my mobile phone!"
Australia's best known shape in Sydney'port,
Computer stitched from mobile phone, is caught.
Prinses Maxima Oranje Nassau - Zorreguieta
Slovenia trip with wife, the next on throne
Of Holland, his own hand the plane is flown.
Table Mountain,Cape Town, South Africa
The Table Mountain, Cape Town, never been.
Prince Henry's D'az, of Storms, of Hope, has seen.
Tu16 Gordon's spirituality group, Dave,Karen,Derek,Eugene,Richard
Th18 nomads at Temple,Tony,Stewart,Cliff,Steve,Robert
F19 WLDC Vista computer
Sa20 ASLAN
Su21Oct07
M22 Jaime's art group
W24 exhibition at Hinde Street church on the Big House and WLDC
Th25 nomads to Ray's Cafe
F26 Royal Academy with Capital Arts,Georg Baselitz
The Royal Academy and Sir Joshua Reynolds, seen through the legs of the three-legged Buddha
Sa27 ASLAN at Waldegrave Hall, All Souls' Church
Su28Oct07Hinde Street Methodist Church,120th birthday of West London Mission, church lunch
M28 Wallace Collection, Jaime's SMart,Marc Woodhead,live model
posted by madelk at 9/05/2007 09:24:00 AM
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