Wednesday 1 March 2023

Green credentials

We probably all experience mild bouts of synaesthesia in our day to day lives: associating numbers, letters, words even, with colours seems neither trippy or in anyway unusual when we find our our minds in that zone. If I said I do it all the time I'd be lying; that said, I know that both the number three and word March shout green to me so, here we go again - our third themed photo session of the year. For 2023 back issues you can see what we were doing in January here, and February right here. O.K., let's see what we've got... 

I've probably spending more time than is good for me lately in local churchyards. For a start I often eat my lunch in them; if the benches aren't covered in guano that is. Recently I've noticed some of the tombstones have been stuck in the ground so long that the moss has all but taken over; good luck with your etchings and finding out who's lying beneath. Here are four random shots.


If you follow me on Twitter you'll probably have seen that I like to play around with filters. A couple of weekends ago I shared a number of photographs I've taken recently at two of my favourite power stations. (Yes, I really can rank power stations; to be honest I can rank anything if I've got a pen and paper in front of me.) Anyway, back to Power Station Saturday (nothing says literal quite like literal, I find) - here are two garishly green filtered shots of Battersea and Ratcliffe-on-Soar I posted from that particular collection.

Battersea

Ratcliffe

And last, but not least, from me anyway, is a street sign situated but a stone's throw from the River Trent in Nottingham and one I saw on my travels last weekend. I think it fits this month's theme, don't you?

Green Street, NG2

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I really like throwing these things open. Being a lover of photography I'm keen to see other people's photographs and get an insight into what they're all about through their images. I've been following Swiss Adam both on Twitter and in the blogosphere for a long, long time and am always blown away by the juxtaposition between his writing, his choice of music and his, often, stark photography.

Here's Adam in his own words. 'A piece of canal side machinery - winching gear for shutting the canal and draining it, I believe. And I rather liked this wall and tiles in a local bar too.' 

Winching gear
 
Bar tiles

Next up is C from Sun Dried Sparrows and what I initially thought was an aerial view of a stately home garden. Oh how wrong I was: 'Hi John, a pic for March's photo theme. On this rainy February day I noticed a rather dirty, damp doormat - one of those rubber ones with drainage holes. The soft moss making its home inside the little cavities just struck me as being a sweet, simple reminder of nature's endurance in the most humble of places.' Thank you, C. It also reminded me of a quiz question Robert Robinson may have asked on Ask the Family; slowly zooming out from your cleverly cropped image!



Alyson too has tried to mess with both our heads with her selection for March. I'll let her explain: 'I went for something green in the unnatural world as oppose to the natural. I am totally confused by the reflections on the windows. The pale building is actually our Town House which is on the main street and up at the top of this picture and off to the left - so how can it be reflected on the window side of a street that doesn't face it?' How indeed? Nice one, Alyson.


And finally, a man of few words, Charity Chic who says, quite simply, 'John - lest I forget, my contribution to March's green theme.' Thank you, CC. And thank you to everyone who got involved. In the words of young Mr. Grace 'You've all done very well!' Feel free to join me again next month. I'll drop April's theme in the comments section below nearer the time.


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P.S. 6.3.23

aka 'Show Notes' for April's photo theme (humour me, Rol)

The perceived etymology of April (from the Latin Aprilis) is from the verb aperire meaning to open. So next month I'm looking for photos of openings, doors, portals to other worlds; you snap it, I'll post it. Get them to me by the 1st if you can, that would be fab.

15 comments:

  1. It's fantastic how one theme can lead to such a variety of interpretations. Like the lateral thinking that goes on too like with your Green Street shot.

    Hmm..., an ornamental garden I thought - has C acquired a drone. But no, a doormat of all things - you can tell she is an artist!

    I had a few other photos for this theme but stuck with the one. I too had gravestones and my lime green kitchen wall/white tiles. Great minds an' all that.

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    1. Thank you, Alyson. And there you have it - two words I use a lot around here: *thank you*. To you and everyone who takes the time to drop by and humour a blogger who, by now, is fast approaching his sell by date.

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  2. Lovely stuff John. C's shot had me thinking she must have had a drone too. I too love a power station also.

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    1. Thanks, Adam. I've a feeling when we hook up we may touch upon power stations!

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  3. Ah, all great photos and the variety is brilliant! Your gravestones and SA's winching gear shot are so appealing, love to see things changing/decaying. I'm intrigued by Alyson's puzzling reflection, I guess there must be some subtle curves and angles at play but I like to think there's actually a parallel universe behind the glass... and the more I look the more green I see. I could also look at CC's image for ages, very compelling and inviting all sorts of questions!
    Look forward to next month.

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    1. They really are great - think this series is just going to get better and better.
      As for my reflection I went back the next day and worked it out - angles as you say - I was at around 10-15degrees and in the other direction the Town House was at 10-15 degrees up on the High Street. Found it really puzzling at the time though and yes, felt like a parallel universe kind of thing going on.
      I think I need to know more about CC's building. Lots of small windows with green bunting outside. A squash club for Irish people? Maybe best again not to ask and just let the imagine run riot.
      Thanks for hosting this John - love all the photos.

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    2. Thank you, both. If, like me, you reach for your phone/camera more than is probably good for you, then, yes, we'll have a great time with this feature. And, here's the thing, if *you* want to set the theme/agenda for a particular month then please let me know and your wish is my command...

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  4. I shall write something more interesting next time!

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  5. Alyson - I think the building is a hall belonging to one of the three churches on the main road parallel to ours.There - that is more interesting!

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    1. Wow, three churches on one road, and a church hall with lots of little windows - that is interesting!

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    2. I have a feeling CC will be the one to watch during this feature. He tells us no more than we need to know, yet backs it up with a killer photo...

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  6. The power station shots were the things of nightmare.

    I'll try to play along next month if my brain allows.

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    1. That would be wonderful, Rol. It's very rare I throw something 'out there' (not since the heady days of Swedey McSwedeface have I asked the massive for a dig out with something.) See the show notes for April's theme. J

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    2. Where are the show notes, then?

      I'm confused already.

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    3. See the P.S. at the foot of my piece:)

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