I have nothing much to write about today, so I think it's a good day for another random photo post. Here are some shots I've had hanging around a while and haven't had a chance to blog.
First, some advice from a nameless graffiti writer on Finchley Road. I don't grow food myself, but I figure I have enough gardening experience that if the apocalypse comes I'll be able to figure out how. (Once I get my hands on some seeds, which would be a whole 'nother challenge!)
I saw this very elaborate spider web built on the back of someone's Land Rover. I couldn't help but feel bad for the spider. It wasn't going to end well.
This poster has been put up all over our neighborhood. Have you ever seen such an expressive emoji? (I blocked out the phone numbers, since I'm sure this person didn't mean for them to be circulated internationally.)
This heap of trash has been sitting on the sidewalk around the corner for at least a week. I can't figure out what the pickup schedule is supposed to be for this building. (And clearly their residents can't, either.) Olga liked the smells.
Camden Council, our local government, is trialling a new system of sidewalk rubbish bins along our high street. Until now residents of flats above the shops have been expected to put their bagged rubbish on the sidewalk, unprotected. But the bags inevitably get torn open and become an unsightly mess. (Here's a local resident's rant about that.) Let's hope the bins go over well -- then maybe trash heaps like this won't exist, at least not for days and weeks at a time.
I didn't see this guy's "concert," so I'm not sure what that entailed -- perhaps he was just making himself available in case someone recognized him as the owner of the wallet? (Once again, I blocked out most of his phone number.)
This is a very hip barber shop on our high street. They will leave your man bun intact!
I laughed at how Olga and her blanket managed to take up our ENTIRE gigantic couch.
(We will soon need a new couch. This one, as you may remember, came with the flat, so it's about ten years old and it's pretty saggy and tatty. It's never been my favorite. But I don't want to replace it as long as Olga is with us, since she loves it so much and it's a good dog couch.)
Finally, I laughed at the cover of this old book in our library. It was published in 1989. Will kids even know what that device is on the desk? And what are those little square things next to it? "Floppy disks," you say? What the heck do those do?
That book cover is a glorious slice of life. A keeper. The spider web is a masterpiece. I wouldn't wash the car again until the spider leaves. Those trash bags are so unsightly. I've seen them in Brooklyn, too, and don't understand how that's considered a good solution.
ReplyDeleteI do not have a man bun but Dave has plenty of hair and I think that a man bun would suit him. It would also make him seem more cool to the kids he teaches.
ReplyDeleteGreat finds, thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou'd be surprised how spiders can hang on to cars. While we rarely use the car, but still do on occasion, the spider net between the passenger side mirror and the space just above the front wheel on that side has been in existence since late July, with spider!
It is hard to reconcile that the storage capacity of a floppy was 3.4 mb when we now have storage in terabytes.
ReplyDeleteDon't go that barber and your man bun will remain intact. Ah, ok. I don't think you have one.
You have land. Why not start a vegetable garden?
Why block out phone numbers that have been put out there in public? Are there bad people who will harvest phone numbers from your blog as might happen on a bus?
I currently don't have a garden. Therefore I spend an inordinate amount of money on fresh herbs (ah... the aroma, the magic, the wow factor) so, if I were you (or Dave since he appears to be the resident cook) I'd definitely plant the lot - in pots. From previous experience it's a bit hit and miss; not to mention the war between snail/slug and wo/man. I used to make beer traps for them. At least they died a happy death or so I hope ... Next thing you know a squirrel has done a me-Tarzan, you-Jane, and all the sunflowers' heads along the six foot fence have broken off. That's possibly the one time in my life I felt hatred in my heart. If the squirrels had been the red kind I might have forgiven them. The greys? There were moments I wished I'd live in Texas with a rifle to hand.
ReplyDeleteThe bin bags? Here, at the South Coast, seagulls the size of geese, would pick at them and destroy them in zero time, rubbish flying all over the place; giving you a rough idea what it's like to live in landfill.
U
An interesting collection of photos.
ReplyDeleteEvery little thing we grow helps..you grow plants that keep the insects going even if you don't grow food.
They will complain about bins cluttering the pavements..but at least that will be better than plastic bags. Everyone needs to consume less and waste even less.
Olga does love her sofa!
Oh gosh. That book cover makes me wonder what the technology will be like five years from now.
ReplyDeleteLove the Barber Shop sign. The artwork is great.
All my herbs are in pots. Maybe Dave has some requests? I currently have Thai basil, Italian basil, sage, thyme, curry leaf plant, chives and lemon balm. The sage, thyme, chives and lemon balm stay out all winter. Very easy, and great for fresh herbs if Dave likes to use them.
ReplyDeleteNot that I'm pushing, or anything. I think your idea about growing food is just a passing one, otherwise you'd already have a kitchen garden going.
Spiders are very resilient - the one on our carport got it's gorgeous web destroyed every day when I moved my car, and then rebuilt it every night. It's finally moved on (what do spiders do in cold weather - do they just die, hibernate? I'm off to Google!).
ReplyDeleteNice collection of photos. I am surprised that trash gets put out in plastic bags like that. It must really be a mess by the time the garbage truck arrives. I hope that spider moved on before the car did.
ReplyDeleteAs someone with a garden, I can attest that growing my own food certainly does not reduce my cost of living. It raises it, probably more than I care to admit. Gardening is expensive by the time you include all the fixed costs that go into it and assign a fair wage for the labor you put into it. I could earn more money by putting that same labor into woodworking and just buying my vegetables. I do it for the taste and that I kind of enjoy the feeling of opening up jars on a cold winter day and not having to go to the store to cook my next meal.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised they haven't gone to trash bins sooner since it saves a lot of labor. They can retrofit their trucks with claws that reach out and grab the can and dump it in the back so only one person is needed to collect the trash instead of two or three. It also saves wear and tear on the humans lifting heavy trash all day long. But I suspect the reason they haven't gone to that method is that there is just more cars and objects in the way in that urban environment. I've seen trucks that have a tipper on the back so the second guy just wheels the bin and presses a button and hydraulics take care of the rest. In increases the crew to two but can work in tight urban environments and avoid work related injuries.
I can picture you growing some herbs for Dave to use.
ReplyDeleteI hope that guy got his wallet back.
That book cover is fun. It's been a very long time since I've seen a floppy disc.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you should mention needing a new sofa. I need one too. Mine is showing it's age....much like me.
That hair photo would fit well in Portland. :) I'm old enough to remember floppy disks and computers like that.
ReplyDeletePaula was an absolute go to for my pre-teen self. Didn't realize that she did not make it to the ripe old age of 60 (which I am now). I just assumed she was still putting out books like Judy Blume. Ah well, just a reminder that if one is having chest pains, go to the hospital. If it's only indigestion you go home embarrassed. If not, well...............
ReplyDeletewell, I am growing food (again) finally. hearing Jan relay chatter of a food shortage finally got me off my butt. re Ms Moon's comment, will probably implants, just tap a bit on your wrist. I don't get the derision towards man buns. men have been twisting up their hair and wearing buns for thousands and thousands of years.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice potpourri of photos.
ReplyDeleteThe title of that book (or some variation of it) is clearly a statement that has stood the test of time!
ReplyDeleteOlga Girl On The Couch And Trash Surfing Rocks - All The Other Photos Are Rather Righteous
ReplyDeleteWell Done Brother ,
Cheers
I wonder how long the spider worked on that amazing web. What year did we stop using floppy disks? 2000? Or was is earlier than that? It's lovely to keep the couch for Olga, so I hope you have it 10 more years. Go to that barber and he can glue on a man bun for you.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Floppy disks? Now that's really ancient. I remember kids trading disks.
ReplyDeleteSent to Spam again I think!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your photo posts. That book cover made me laugh. And smart about the couch. You'll get a new one in tie. (And yes, I do remember floppys!)
ReplyDeleteHopefully that spider will do the same thing as one who made a web on the trunk lid of my car last week. It was there for several days despite numerous trips through town, but then one morning it was just . . . gone . . . web and all. Packed up his/her tent and left :) Of course the big question is if your guy will move before the vehicle does.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: Not only would I not wash the car, I might not drive it! Or maybe I'd transfer the spider to a more friendly location.
ReplyDeleteYP: Ha! I can only imagine Dave with a man-bun.
Sabine: Well, that's encouraging, but I still think he'd be happier on a bush or tree. More bugs, too!
Andrew: I don't know if there's a danger in putting someone's phone number online but at the very least it seems like it could invite spam texts (if the wrong spammer came across it, probably unlikely on my blog).
Ursula: We grow herbs occasionally. The only ones we've had continual success with are chives, which come up in our garden every spring.
GZ: Well, I think that was the concern -- that the bins would be obstacles. But they're still so much neater than loose bags!
Ms Moon: It's funny how it looks so normal and yet so dated.
Boud: I've just never been very interested in growing food. We've done it a little bit but I am all about flowers.
Bug: I think they die, unfortunately!
Robin: It IS a mess. Especially after the roving bands of wild foxes come through!
Ed: It's interesting to think that growing food actually costs MORE. I think that's counterintuitive for a lot of people. But I guess it's a hobby of sorts and, like any hobby, it costs money!
Ellen D: I hope so too! Poor guy!
Sharon: I have never liked this sofa, so there's that too!
Margaret: Ha! It does look very "Portlandia."
Linda: I know! I read about her too when I posted this photo. I had no idea she was no longer with us!
Ellen: I think an implant sounds like a fantastic idea. You'd never have to worry about leaving your ID behind or not having your wallet. What's not to like?!
Catalyst: Thank you!
Kelly: Ha! Yes, the computer may be outdated, but that phrase is still used today, I'm sure!
Padre: "Trash surfing" -- LOL!
Janie: I remember when I moved to NYC in 2000 I brought a bunch of floppy disks, so we were using them then. But I think that's around the time they died out.
Red: Yes! I remember mailing them to people via snail mail!
YP: Nope! You're there!
Jeanie: It made me laugh too. I can't imagine a modern kid picking up that book. We should probably weed it.
Jenny-O: What do spiders do to remove their webs, I wonder?! I've never seen that happening and yet I've seen them gone all of a sudden.