Not a good photo. Taken through glass, and no time to fiddle or change to a longer lens. But success at last I think. Surely this must be a Long-tailed tit. My Collins Gem Bird book shows a picture with a promising likeness but views from the more learned in these matters, would be appreciated.It is not my opinion that they are becoming less stand-offish, merely that this morning I was quicker.
A wren is the next project. But, as they seem to be ground-level feeders I shall need to work out a strategy. Oh what exciting lives we elders lead ! Hands-up those who an remember them on the backs of farthings?
Picture 2 is a hang-over from yesterday and is the lovely spiral staircase at Bromley House. From the top! It took me about five minutes but, as there is an alternative route, I wasn't self-conscious about holding people up. It wasn't busy anyway. Sometime ago I published a photo (not mine) which showed the spiral staircase from the reception area.
It is a particularly fine spiral staircase and they always have a strange fascination for me. Do I hear a pedant rushing forward to say how unlikely it is that spiral staircases have any feelings at all for me, one way or another. But I understand that the possessive nature of the word can now be 'either way'.
My hour and a half there was well spent - I could have done with 2 and a half. They made a big point later of telling Y how pleased they had been to see me. I made enough notes to produce a couple of paragraphs for The Camera Club newsletter, on the subject of early photography and camera usage circa. 1900. Mike who runs the newsletter says how pleased he is to receive 'copy' as he finds it difficult to fill all by himself.The New Mechanics was our venue for lunch, prior to our Venice Class. The lunch was adequate only because we each decided on an alternative to "Sausage, Egg and Chip" and it proved an unwise decision. So it's back to what we know next week. The class was fine but covered artists and a period which neither of us are keen on. Next week Titian and then into Architecture, Poetry, Theatre and Music. It isn't a lengthy course, but it should be fun from now on because we remain staunch fans of the tutor. Our class mates are OK, without the usual WEA show-offs and chatter-boxes. Even though we saw one lady, who we had thought terribly well-informed, reading the answers to the tutor's questions from a book.
After Venice we called in at Lidl on Mansfield Road and did the shopping. Wow.
Madeline sent me another Acronis tutorial which has pictures! Always a good thing, particularly for those of us who have never really grown out of Rupert Bear. There's a question about Acronis I'm keen to know the answer to, and sometime tomorrow I'll probably go on WUforums and ask. "Say I create a true-image of my computer, programmes and all, when I am 10 days into a 30 day free trial of some programme. When my 30 day free trial has finished can I boot up my computer with the Acronis back-up disc and still have only used 10 days of my free trial?" Not that I would dream of doing something so sneaky.
Catch you tomorrow. Another busy day.......
1 comment:
I forgot to comment yesterday on the elegance of the upper façade of Bromley House (pity about the shops!).
It may well be a Long-tailed Tit although it looks perhaps a bit on the big side (5½” inc 3” tail) and my book suggests that they are distinctly pink breasted (young ones less so). But I cannot think what else!
Wrens may prefer the ground but ours is prepared to feed off the edge of the waist-high water bowl.
I have never seen an elder on the back of a farthing – or even on a penny-farthing.
OF COURSE you hear a pedant pattering down the staircase.
You are correct to say it is the staircase which has a fascination for YOU; ie, you are fascinated by the staircase; it fascinates you. There is no way you could fascinate the staircase because it is an unthinking inanimate object and therefore (in my book) cannot be fascinated by anything. As for books other than mine, even modern dictionaries don’t LIKE to admit the recent (mis)usage. But if you like, I’d be happy to borrow you my dictionary to learn you right.
Rupert Bear was one of my early influences as I learnt to read from the Daily Express and I think it started with my mother reading Rupert to me. I wish I now had the several annuals that I collected at the time!
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