Signing on

Welcome to June's Photo Challenge (which, as you will learn, is a bugle free zone). This month, more than ever, I was looking for a sign. Any sign. A throw out that you've all interpreted in a myriad of different images. And for that I thank you dearly. Rol, what's the word on the street?

''I'm spoilt for choice this month, John. I used to encounter this sign on evening walks when I lived in Meltham. Never went any further...''

''My favourite part of Whitby.'' (No it isn't! - JM.)

''Side of the West Yorkshire Playhouse - celebrating a great Leeds band.''

''A lane near us - there are some scary sheep round these parts.''

''And, finally, a sign that enraged me during lockdown. Made me scream 'Fuck Off!' whenever I passed it.'' I know what you mean, Rol. Imagine everyone coming up to you and saying 'HI!'. Ugh.

David Cooper has mislaid his passport: ''Hi John, I have a busy month so getting in early; I also have quite a few to choose from so it'll save me from changing my mind! I'm also breaking with tradition by submitting four photos and they are all local! As they are signposts they are self explanatory but No.2 is an old photo and thanks to graffiti artists looks very different these days (evidence available), and can you spot the train station error in No.1? David.'' I certainly can, Coops. Ouch. File under 'You had one job'. 

Celia: ''Hi John, hope all's good with you. Very sorry to lower the tone here - an innocent enough direction sign but the placement of the notice beneath presents something of a mixed message: spotted in Polperro many years ago, no idea if such draconian toilet restrictions still exist! C x.'' Thank you, Celia. I'd expect this kind of thing from Ernie - not you!

Pete Zab: ''Here are this month's pics, John: the B&W ones were taken in Nottingham, and the colour in Cromer.'' Thanks, Pete. I love it when things are colour coded!

Johnny Legs has got a thirst on: ''Time for a swift half in Oxford.''

''Myrdal, Norway - expensive beer.''

''Beer! Nuff said!'' Indeed, Johnny. Thank you.

K from the Kotswolds: ''Hello John, I hope you’re keeping well? (I'm doing just fine! - JM.)  Four for you this month - two old, two (relatively) new. Best wishes, K.

1) Cotswold Way, 2021: someone not only lost their way, but their hat too! 2) Cotswold Way, 2021: many people have (allegedly) gone their separate ways at this point. 3) Chepstow, 2026: the joy of bilingual signs, less than 40 minutes drive from home. 4) Gloucester, 2026: if you can read this sign, you’re on the wrong side of the building! 'Thank you, K. Lost hats and gloves is almost a PC on its own.

  

Ernie: ''I thought you'd would want to know that if you're ever heading to Modderspruit this place is your last chance to pick up muthi (South African traditional medicine).

''Modderspruit is a bit of a dump, but it's still better than Plumstead.'' (These views belong to Ernie Goggins and do not represent the views of Photo Challenge - JM.) Thank you, Ernie. I believe we'll be seeing you later... 

Fearless Claire up next: ''Two Photo Challenge pics this month: 1) We elected to go in the opposite direction! Copenhagen, 2022.''

''And 2) A pub in Manchester 2023.'' Thanks, Claire. A nice bookend to Alfa Dave's pic below.

Always good to see the lovely Miss Turner & her faithful hound: ''From a couple of years ago - Alfie loves going to vote. He tries to go into the venue even when there's no voting on! We've been about four times now🤣.'' (Great to have Alfie back! - JM.)

''It's a sign! This is why I love this place!'' Thank you, MT. It's one of the reasons I love The Abdication too.

Alyson: ''This one doesn’t have very good resolution but in we thought it was very funny: we've just reseeded our front grass after having it dug up by the broadband people. I put a sign up saying 'Please keep off the grass. Newly reseeded lawn', but I don’t think the pigeons read it!'' (I think the standard of pigeon literacy is at an all time low - JM.)

''This next one is outside the primary school where we went to vote in the Scottish elections last week. Many of us thought the positioning of the Polling Station sign was hilarious.'' Thank you, Alyson. Not sure who won in your ward - I hope it wasn't a case of  Out of the Cauldeen into the fire. I'll get my coat. 

Alfa Dave: ''Signs - one from Manchester (have I ever mentioned that I'm from Manchester and not a Notts native? (First I'm hearing of this, Dave. Neither did I know that you drive a red Alfa Romeo - JM.) The second one is from the city of signs, Milton Keynes - just in case you were wondering where to get a morning caffeine fix. Cheers, Dave. Love 'em both. Think I'll buddy you up with Claire.

Hucknall Tim: ''Hi John, as promised this month's signage options. I’ve included six but feel free to edit down (I know the uptake is huge these days). We kick off with our own local Banksy that appeared overnight down the road in Papplewick. Love the ‘careful drivers’ hazard tape combo. Next up it’s to Gdansk and an excellent no bugling outside the hospital sign. (I'm buddying you up with Riggsby! - JM) I can only assume that at some point this became an issue hence the very specific detailing. Then we have the nicely aggressive ‘SAT NAV WRONG USE BRAIN’ sign in Birch Vale (we were walking so considered ourselves safe from this shouty missive. Then it’s NYC where I’d really fancied a good old midday stand around but didn’t want to get in trouble with ‘The Feds’ because it wasn’t yet Sunday. Next it’s Tissington where we don’t just have the one sign. Highly useful when planning space exploration, less so when you just want the footpath to Dovedale. Finally rather than being about to be eaten by a giant sea beast a warning that you can expect a towering wave or two in Porto. That’s it for the time being, Tim.'' Brilliant, Tim! Podium finishes all.

Charity Chic's been on set: ''Downtown Glasgow when an American film was being shot.''

''If Paradise is half as nice as Newcastle-upon-Tyne.'' Amen to that, CC. Thank you.

I can see The Swede's been to NYC again: ''Imagine living at 1234 Joey Ramone Place...'' Nice work, TS. A podium finish for sure.

Walter's next: ''Hi John, just one pic this month - from the toilet in Delhi Railway Station.'' Danke, Walt. It's a brave man who gets his camera out in Das WC. Though it does beg the question - where did you wash your legs? 

Next up is Swiss Adam, our North by Northwest correspondent: ''Three signs for you, John. The first, Turner Street, is in Manchester's Northern Quarter and always raises a smile as we share the name. The other two, a pair of warnings, were spotted last week in the rain at Bramhall Walk while we sheltered for a coffee under a gazebo. Good work, Adam. I've yet to come across a Medd Boulevard or Medd Avenue. 

A trio of home & away shots from Matthew & Sam: ''A sign in Julian, CA. A gold rush town and now known for apple pies and cider.''

''The A75 and a sunset!'' (I was torn where to put this one - could easily have gone in Sunrise & Sunset Reprise - JM.)

''And finally a sensible road sign in Taupo, NZ.'' Thank you, M&S. Whenever I hear the word 'merge' I think of Chandler Bing!

Riggsby in California's got a few for us: ''Hi John, here are a few signs. Feel free to use some or indeed all of them.'' (Panic thee not, they're all going in! - JM.)

''Seems a bit pricey.''

''A wanker in NC. Some bright spark can likely tell what kind of car this was.''

''Shanghai is not a bugle friendly place, seemingly.'' (I'm buddying you up with Tim. (We need to get to the bottom of why everyone's got it in for buglers - JM.)

''A very public message. Poor old Jack!''

''A Martni sign.''

''At this cashpoint customers can deposit and withdraw money.''

''I sense a note of desperation.''

''Living on the edge - Jingyi forarded this to me.''

''Says all that needs to be said.''

''Clearly this is not the way to...'' Clearly. Thank you so much, Richard. A great spread. 

A few of mine to close this main section of Photo Challenge. I've got hundreds of these, so here's just a handful. I reckon we could give Taschen a run for their money if we put all these pics in our own book of signs.

Los Angeles.

Concrete camels on a roundabout in Lanzarote.

The Cheese Society must be stopped at all costs. Lincoln, 2024.

Local band, local road sign.

A neon Neon sign in Nottingham.

If we're talking tenfoots than we must be in Hull.

Barcelona, 2013.

Manchester.

North.

Chicago, 2022. Look up!

...

Sunrise/Sunset Reprise

One of the two sidebars we've got going in conjunction with our main theme. Send me a sunrise or sunset from anywhere in the world and I'll put it up. Ernie's been to East Africa - Zanzibar to be precise.

I, on the other hand, have been to East Yorkshire - Hull to be precise.

...

People Pics

Walk up to someone and ask if you can take their photograph. Then send it to me. Simple.

A couple of mine - Ben is the DJ at Liquid Light in Nottingham

I met Jim & Nellie on a walk last week.

Regular readers will know that despite giving the odd podium finish I very rarely award a 'winner'; it's not that sort of challenge. However, of all the 70 + images I received this month, I fell in love with this enchanting photograph from Ernie:

''I was chatting to the locals here in Fumba and mentioned your recurring themes. They very kindly offered their services but then stole my hat!''

Thank you to everyone for your fabulous photos. Until next time...