Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Mild & Fruity


Some random photos today, collected over the past few weeks. First, I mentioned a while back that Camden council is trying a new way to manage garbage on our high street. They've installed these plastic bins, where residents of the flats above the shops are supposed to put their trash, rather than leaving it loose on the sidewalk.

I thought this graffiti was pretty brilliant, making light of our conspiracy culture. It didn't last very long, though. The cabal of globalist elites who run the planet promptly removed it.

(And isn't it interesting that people are still leaving their trash outside the bins?)


This might not look like much to you, depending on where you live and how many stars you can routinely see. But when we were at Oakley Court in Berkshire I looked up and saw this night sky, which to me was AMAZING because I can barely see any stars in London. And I know from my years in Morocco that this is only a pale imitation of what the night sky could and should look like.


I was cleaning our bedroom the other day and realized, possibly for the first time, that the back wall of our fireplace (which doesn't work) has writing on it! It says "Bratt Colbran & C L London," apparently a manufacturer of fireplaces. There are other words on the lower panel which I can't read.

Googling "Bratt Colbran" turns up lots of old illustrations and advertisements for fireplaces and mantelpieces. The company even published a swanky catalog in 1961 called "Fireplaces of Distinction."


"Curiosity can only be explored in harmony with oneself."

This seems like a rather pointless observation, but maybe I'm just not curious enough.


Saw this little critter on the back of a car. Horse? Dog with booties? Horse with booties?


I like how this person kept up a running commentary on the status of their lost cat, finishing with, "She's home!" (You'd think they'd just take the poster down, but no.)


I passed this scene yesterday on nearby Sumatra Road. This is the location of the house that collapsed during a renovation project more than five years ago. I haven't been down this road in ages so I missed the demolition of the rest of the structure. I wonder what's going to happen next? (I probably would know if I'd read all those posters on the wall but I was in a hurry. I'll have to go back.)


When I first saw this paprika bottle in our kitchen, I read it as "wild and fruity." I thought, "Sounds like some people I know!"

But then I realized it said "mild and fruity," which isn't nearly as interesting. That's just me.

23 comments:

jenny_o said...

I think that is a horse with large hairy hooves - a Belgian or Clydesdale, maybe. I guess having a horse-crazy daughter has finally paid off, lol

Wonder if the bins were too full for the other bags to fit in. They seem awfully small. How often is garbage picked up there?

Moving with Mitchell said...

I wonder why the black box isn't labeled “rubbish.”
We, too, have too much city light to see the stars. SO beautiful there.
That “Curiosity” observation had me flumoxxed, too.
I assumed it was a horse thanks to the mane, but hmmm.
I'm glad Evie is home. The should take down the flippin' sign.
I also read that as Wild and Fruity. The truth is disappointing.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I can read what the other words say in the fireplace - "Beware! Fire Can Burn!"

Furthermore, I wouldn't say that you are "MILD AND FRUITY" but "MILD AND NUTTY"! So there!

Bob said...

I get horse.
And I kind of love the poster with the updates on the missing cat. I mean, if I passed that every day I'd want to know!
Looks like a new house/building is going up soon.

Boud said...

I like the cat updates, too. I always wonder what the end of the story is when I see those lost pet sad posters. Our local police department is very good on this. They post lost pets and locations on their Twitter account, then post reunion accounts when they happen.

Marcia LaRue said...

Of course it's a horse 🐴 with its mane and tail and feathers!
I enjoy your random street pictures!

Michael said...

The missing cat poster made me smile! When I was in the Amazon in 2018, we went on a canoe ride at night on the river. The place where we were staying had electricity, but it was limited. It was only on during dinner time, so after lights went out, there was total darkness. When I went out on the river and looked up at the sky I was so awed that I couldn't speak. It is one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen. I tried to snap a photo, but it didn't do it justice.

The Bug said...

I'm just trying to figure out how paprika is "fruity." That's not the word I'd use for it. Hmmm...

Ed said...

jenny-o gave my answer as well. Amish draft horses, which are I think Belgian in their ancestry, have hair growing above their hooves and are often portly like the one drawn.

As always, I admire your eye for street art!

Ms. Moon said...

People are not using those rubbish bins because they are too short. No one wants to lean over that far.
Okay. That's just my theory. NOT a conspiracy theory.
I believe that curiosity quote must have been AI generated.

ellen abbott said...

human being are lazy, too much effort to lift the top of the bin. I see more stars out here than I did in the city but nothing compared to my river guide days out in the Big Bend. yes, a horse. those are definitely horse hooves. nice that they tied the notice up with string instead of nailing it to the tree. and that bracing between the buildings? to keep the other two from collapsing?

Red said...

Some things are put up anonymously and with no context so we are left wondering.

NewRobin13 said...

Nice to see the night sky there. We see about as many stars here (when it's not foggy), not much but always so good to see. I remember clear nights in the Sierra foothills when we could see so much more.
I see that paprika as wild and fruity too. Yum!

Ellen D. said...

Can you imagine living in that red house next to that construction?!? And you think things were bad when the Russians above you were redecorating! Yikes!
Why are those garbage boxes so small? That would hardly hold any bags at all!
This is a good variety of photos, Steve!

Sharon said...

I'm glad you followed the instruction on the rubbish bin and created your own conspiracy theory.
I too am glad to hear that Evie is home again. Maybe Evie does this disappearing act often so they just leave the sign up.

Debby said...

It would be unnerving to live on either side of that collapsed building, wouldn't it?

Your last picture reminded me that I am out of paprika. When I went to grab the bottle to add 1/2 tsp to my black bean soup, there was no bottle. I vaguely remembered using the last of it and thinking, "Pick up another bottle next time you're out."

Once again, I am reminded that I need to start writing things down.

Conspiracy theories are so bizarre, yet people grab on to the craziest most unbelievable things and tout them as gospel. I'll never understand these days. I can't be bothered to keep track of them. (Which is exactly what 'THEY" are hoping for, isn't it?)

Ladyfarrier said...

I vote for Thelwell pony. Many books written about this fictitious pony. Short, fat, hairy, and very very naughty.

Catalyst said...

I love your random pictures and your pithy comments about them. The last one had me laughing out loud.

Allison said...

Love the photo walks. London has so much cool stuff to look at.

Kelly said...

I'm glad Evie made it home and I like that her owners provided updates. Regular passersby needed to know!

I'm also glad I live in a rural area and get to see a fair number of stars.

The Padre said...

Always Enjoy The Random Photos !!

Cheers

Steve Reed said...

Jenny-O: Good thinking on the horse! Our garbage is picked up every two weeks, and recycling weekly. But the buildings along the high street probably have more frequent collection.

Mitchell: I'm glad I'm not the only one who read it that way! LOL

YP: Ha! Mild and nutty also applies.

Bob: I think they've braced the buildings to strengthen them, since the common walls are now unsupported. But yeah, something will undoubtedly go in there.

Boud: That's awesome! I love that they take the time to follow up!

Marcia: Yeah, the mane and tail are pretty definitive, aren't they?

Michael: I can only imagine what that must have looked like. When I lived in Morocco I remember lying on the roof of our building and staring up at the stars. It was amazing there too.

Bug: I know! I wouldn't think of that term either!

Ed: You are probably right about the horse. Weird that they have that sticker on their car. Maybe they raise them?

Ms Moon: Ha! It DOES sound like something AI would come up with. It sounds like it should make sense but it doesn't!

Ellen: Yes, the braces support the other two houses. These terraced houses all sort of lean on each other, so when one is removed, the others need strengthening.

Red: I like those anonymous messages, and trying to figure out what they mean!

Robin: I would think you'd get a lot of stars there! Maybe you're more urban than I think you are?

Ellen D: It's true! They're in for a lot of disruption when construction begins on whatever new structure is built.

Sharon: Ha! I'll have to watch for another message: "She's gone AGAIN!"

Debby: It must have been terrifying when that house collapsed. They probably thought they were next. I'm listening to a podcast called "Q-Anon Anonymous" that is FASCINATING because it examines the origins of all these bizarre conspiracy theories floating around nowadays.

Ladyfarrier: Ah! I have not heard of Thelwell pony, but Googling it, I see that it DOES look very much like that!

Catalyst: Good! That was the goal! :)

Allison: There's a lot out there, it's true.

Kelly: I do miss stars. I've lived in big cities for about 25 years so I rarely see them anymore.

Padre: Glad you like them! :)

Margaret said...

I went off the grid to see the eclipse and in several of the remote areas where we stayed, the stargazing was incredible!