Since I don't really have anything to write about today, how about another roundup of random pictures?
First, a mural in the Grove Park railway station that I found last weekend at the end of my Green Chain walk. "The Railway Children" is a famous old children's book by the writer Edith Nesbit (who wrote as E. Nesbit), apparently inspired by her walks at a nature reserve in Grove Park. I've never read it, but I think we have it in our library.
From Grove Park cemetery. Superman's grave?!
These stickers look weirdly militaristic and apparently they have something to do with Inter Milan football. Football in Europe is unusual (to me) in that many fan groups have a political or ideological bent; I'm getting varied opinions on Google about Imbastisci and where its members stand.
I found this gravestone at Hampstead Cemetery decorated with a plastic-protected Elvis Presley calendar. Someone was a fan, I guess?
An advertisement on a car door for someone's custom-made lamp business!
When I was at Stonehenge on Wednesday, I kept getting distracted by the reflection in the guide's (completely unnecessary) sunglasses, which were perched up on his cap. They reflected the stones perfectly. So I asked him for a picture, to his great amusement.
I am always mystified when I find single lost shoes. This one's obviously been lying around a while. It has its own ecosystem!
A section of sidewalk on my way to work yesterday morning. What the heck is going on here, I wonder?
(This is right where the bear box was abandoned.)
And finally, a gratuitous smiley face, because we all need them. As we said in the '70s, "Have a happy day!"
interesting set of photos. I've never read The Railway Children either, but have seen bits of a movie by that name.
ReplyDeleteI think it was quite a phenomenon in its day!
DeleteI like the sunglasses picture but it is a shame about that photo bomber with the phone camera. He has spoilt what might otherwise have been a prize-winning shot.
ReplyDeleteI could NOT get myself out of the shot -- believe me, I tried! (I didn't want to take up too much of the guide's time!)
DeleteI love that shot of the sunglasses. I've always wondered about the single shoe. Do people not notice? Do they get home and go to take off their shoes and then notice that one is missing? It's a mystery to me.
ReplyDeleteI found this online.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.simplemost.com/shoes-highway/
Ha! I love that article! When they're on the road I always assume they've been thrown out a car window by a vengeful brother/sister/boyfriend/girlfriend/bully. I'm not sure why one would be abandoned in the cemetery, though.
DeletePerhaps the Zombie wearer didn't notice it falling off as he escaped from his coffin?
DeleteOutstanding - Photos Are Worth A Thousand Words - Well Done
ReplyDeleteCheers
I never tire of taking them!
DeleteI'm liking Superman's headstone, though I am wondering why Kathleen Goddard needs a calendar.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm thinking she's past that now.
DeleteI feel it is highly likely that the bear got out of the bear box and tore up the sidewalk before moving on. (My version of a conspiracy theory.) Nice variety of shots, as usual!
ReplyDeleteGood theory! I wish I had a video of that!
DeleteYes! Great shot of Stonehenge AND you in those mirror glasses.
ReplyDeleteI like Jenny o's idea of what happened to the sidewalk. I had a similar thought. Andy's lamps look very playful and lovely. I'd like a few myself, I think.
The Elvis calendar grave is, well, different!
I think Andy's lamps are pretty amazing.
DeleteA nice collection of random pictures. I always enjoy seeing the world through your eyes.
ReplyDeleteLove that Stonehenge reflection with you in those sunglasses. Great moment!
When I took the photo, one of the kids said, "I noticed that too!" A burgeoning photographer, maybe?
DeleteWait - I think the other shoe has washed up on our beach!
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes, also a common location for lone shoes!
DeleteHave a happy day is an interesting expression. I used it and than I stopped and thought , "Do I still use it?" I don't bit it would be interesting to find out what ha been used over the years.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I've ever really said it, to be honest, but I remember all that "Happy Day" paraphernalia from years ago.
DeleteSuperman was supposedly buried in Heroes Park in Metropolis. Perhaps you can make a case that London was Metropolis all along.
ReplyDeleteBug 1: Where do you live?
Bug 2: The shoe over there with the mossy green roof.
Wait...are you telling me Superman really IS dead?!
DeleteThe railway children was read on Children's Hour on BBC I believe. I heard it and read it. It's a bit dated now but a good story still, about children taking agency and getting good things done.
ReplyDeleteI should read it just to buck up my cultural knowledge of my adopted land! I'm not sure it was ever a big book in the USA, at least not that I recall.
DeleteYou're right! It's almost always just ONE shoe abandoned. Why? I love the sunglasses photo with its reflections.
ReplyDeleteEspecially when it's out in a place where presumably someone would need to be WEARING shoes. How do they lose a shoe when it should be on their foot? Are they carrying a spare pair, and if so, why?
Delete"Have a happy day", I have other plans thank you.
ReplyDeleteOne shoe stories- they must exist- would be a great prompt for a writing class.
Pixie's link (above) gives us a variety of one-shoe poems. They are good literary prompts!
DeleteYour random photos are great fun! And yeah -- about that shoe... I wouldn't be surprised with a toddler... they don't care. The sunglass photo is great. Mine are almost always on the top of my head.
ReplyDeleteThat shoe was way too big to belong to a toddler -- but I suppose a toddler may have discarded his parent's shoe!
DeleteLots of interesting shots. I love the sunglasses reflection. I can tell from your photos that sunglasses were not needed when you were there. I'm glad you found Superman's grave too.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm mystified about why the guy was even wearing them, but it worked out well for me!
DeleteWhat a fun variety of shots! My sunglasses are prescription, so they're always tucked away in their case when not in use.
ReplyDeleteThere has got to be an interesting story behind the Superman grave!
That's actually the back of the gravestone, so I have no idea what it could mean. A manufacturer's mark? But wouldn't Marvel comics (or whoever owns the Superman trademark) object?
DeleteExcellent phone photo roundup! My grandmother loved Elvis. And Johnny Bench. And any number of cute tennis players. It's kind of hilarious when you think about how she was a very "proper" lady - head of Bible School and Sunday evening services, farm wife & mother of 6 children. But she also was a business woman (ran her own beauty salon). So, like most people, she was more complex than her granddaughter could see at the time.
ReplyDeleteI suppose a lot of smart women back in the day had to find ways to challenge themselves beyond being wives and mothers. I had to look up Johnny Bench. I'm sure I've probably heard of him before but I'd completely forgotten the name!
DeleteI read The Railway Children a couple of years ago and it was a really good read, rather more complicated than the usual children's book.
ReplyDeleteI think Andy might be quite a talented lamp maker.
Many children's books were quite complex in the early years of juvenile literature. When I was reading the Newberys I thought that modern kids, with their short attention spans, would never make it through some of the older winners.
DeleteI like the photo of Stonehenge in the sunglasses!
ReplyDeleteThe kids thought it was pretty funny when I asked to take it!
DeleteThe Railway Children is a lovely book and addresses some quite adult situations but from a child's point of view. Well worth a read.
ReplyDeleteOK -- I think I need to give it a try!
DeleteHow strange, that big black monument with the Superman logo. And do you think they really needed the sign telling pedestrians to go around?
ReplyDeleteI like the "Andy's Lamps sign." It's very unusual. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteExcellent photos.
ReplyDelete