Wednesday 21 August 2013

Windows

Bah! No sooner do I start crowing about having got 400 followers when one drops off. Oh well, I've got 399 followers, then.  :)

It's been quite a social week, doing more than usual with family and friends. It's lovely but some of them don't like being featured on blogs so I can't write much about it.   I've also been doing a bit of work and lots of boring stuff - you know, renewing insurance, trying to sort out the computer, trying to get the filthy marks the decorators left off the BRAND NEW WHITE curtains, juggling finances,  removing thick layers of dust from the builders, nope, you don't need to hear more....

Just as well then, that my photo editing program decided to reshuffle all my photos into alphabetical rather than date order, so it's thrown up several interesting ones of windows, which I enjoyed looking at and thought you might like to see too.

Some of the pictures, I must confess, well, I've forgotten where I took them now.  I think the one below was in Herefordshire, in a cottage belonging to an artist, I assume it was one of his sculptures.  If you recognise it, let me know!


The reflections in this window seemed wonderfully muddled and multi layered to me.  Two brass deer, and a street scene intermingled.



A windscreen counts as a window, right?


When I passed this Suffolk caravan park last year I felt that this window display must be telling SOME kind of a story - a funny one, I think.


 Here's another window scene in Suffolk. (What's with Suffolk and weird windows?) A little more emotion in this one, perhaps the black rat is the Mama trying to persuade her son not to go off to fire that cannon in the war?



Here are graffiti and classical reflections from my recent trip to Hamburg.  We stayed in an area full of marvellously varied old houses, covered in graffiti and/or painted up in odd ways. The area seemed to be populated by a mixture of hippies and yuppies.  Anyway this house was covered in classical statues, and painted black. Hence the window reflection. And the graffiti? Well, what do you think?


Fascinating naive-art pargeting in Northern France. This is a forgotten little corner not far from the Northern coast. Once again I've forgotten exactly where - but I think it's near Honfleur.  Pargeting is the art of decorating plasterwork.  I've seen a lot of it in East Anglia, but only rarely noticed coloured examples like these. Someone is keeping it very well painted up.


Disorientated in Southern Spain... yes, this is a real street, below, and it did look like that.  The crooked windows are a version of what will eventually be built (or which was there before). The design is printed on a huge netting hoarding, designed to conceal building work going on, but someone has had the bright idea of making it interesting and eye catching.  It certainly is that, as you walk along the street, specially since the pavement is paved in eye dazzling grey and white zigzags. 


Some feathery lampshades and velvet curtains glimpsed through a window in Oscar Wilde's old house in Tite Street, Chelsea.  I am sure Oscar would have liked pheasant feather lampshades.


I thought the fronds of these palms somehow echoed the closely spaced glazing bars of the window


And here is a distinctly child-sized window which I spotted at this little greengrocer in Shere, Surrey, recently (no fruit and veg in the window because it was Sunday).  Look at Daddy towering up there!   But then, undernourished poor people a few hundred years ago could be very small indeed, so doors and windows were often low. And it was cheaper to build small.



The scene below was taken by moonlight from one of our windows, in the snow.  It reminds me a bit of one of those very old French photos of the 1840s.  I lightened it, otherwise didn't process the image at all.


Another night scene, chugging down the Nile towards sunset, just us and the boatman.
!


These abstract reflections are the windows of a Disney hotel reflected in the water. The hotel looked ugly in the day, but came into its own at night.


And this is not a window, but a reflection, somewhere in the Middle East, where a huge mirror reflects the enormous inner courtyard of an old mansion.  Reminds me of an old fifties art movie. What is that woman thinking?



My next job is to get round to visiting some blogs - and peep through the windows into other peoples' worlds.

55 comments:

  1. You are fortunate to have 399 followers. I'm sure the 400th (the prodigal son) will show up soon! I was hoping to get 100 followers on my blog, but suddenly three abandoned me in one week! I'm assuming they disliked my political views (they couldn't have disliked my charm, could they??)

    Your window photos are fascinating, although the sculpture face in the first one is a little unnerving.
    I keep forgettig that windshields (U.S.A.) are called windscreens in your country.
    I've never heard of the art of pargeting, but it really is charming.
    And I'm not surprised that Oscar Wilde would have feather lampshades - - but they seem to be a fire hazard!

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  2. I love the pargeting. Such a labour of love (I presume) and such a wonderful result! If every bit of plasterwork was decorated like that, it would be amazing! And I love the distorted building in the Spanish street. A very imaginative way of concealing building works by creating a visual "fascinater".

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  3. What a nice interesting post ... so many windows .. so many lives and loves. I like the feather lampshades .. but imagine trying to keep them dust free .. mind you living in Chelsea you wouls have someone else to worry about that.
    As for what the lady in the last photo was thinking .. perhaps we're better not knowing .. haha.

    Vicky x

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  4. For a moment there I thought that first picture was a photo of me on a good day...but it's not! ;)

    400 followers! 399 even! That's a big number for morning tea! How does one get that many followers?

    I'm glad your photo editing programme decided to do a reshuffle...it gave me a chance to seem some great photos!

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    1. "see" instead of "seem"! Boy! I hate making typos!! ;)

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  5. I love reflection in windows. You have some wonderful photos today.
    The Pargeting is beautiful.
    I hate absolutely hate graffiti. They/it has destroyed some beautiful building, walls and homes. In LA they have destroyed some wonderful painting that were om the bridges. Just stupid.
    The last photo was fabulous ! Could have been a Fellini movie.

    cheers, parsnip

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  6. Hi-ya. Thanks so much for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. It was my pleasure to return the favor. Geez, we can't have you fretting over the loss of a follower, so count me in as your newest groupie, and your new (but not necessarily improved) 400th follower.

    I love all your pictures, but I've gotta say, the header pic really grabbed my attention. Years ago, my friends and I liked to get together with our guitars and sing. That shady spot under the trees in your picture looks like the perfect place to enjoy a day of fun and music.

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  7. You are free to peep around my blog anytime.

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  8. HEHEHE I saw the one of the sculpture before I read what that's what it is,and I thought it was a pastry that one could see Jesus's face in it. Guess I'm really hungry now ;o)

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  9. Windows to the world and reflections of it too.
    I'm glad for the serendipity which led to this post.

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  10. As frustrating as it must have been for you to have your photo editing software rearrange all your photos, look at the benefit we gained by getting a look at all your "window" pictures! The Nile at sunset is especially lovely.

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  11. A wonderful collection/selection. The dust netting from the bridge is a wonderful find. I'm sure it cost the city more, and worth every penny.

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  12. The crooked windows caused a double-take!

    Are you on Google+, by the way? That's another relatively simple way to increase followers. Its communities are based on shared interests (as opposed to Facebook, which remains a mystery to me), so you might gain quite a few. :)

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  13. Good thing your photos get shuffled up because we get to see all these cool photos! :)

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  14. I like to picture windows and reflections, so this post is a true gift to my eyes!I like windows from northern Europe. As people have no shutters, they decorate and display beautiful things along their windows.
    I'd like to have so much followers. Don't worry, I'm sure the N° 400 will soon arrive!:o)

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  15. Not only a fire hazard, Jon, but a moth hazard. I can't help thinking of a feather duster I found in a forgotten corner of a cupboard once. Eech! Moth attack! Anglesey, I daresay that they do not, indeed, have a problem of nobody doing the dusting in Tite St. I can't even imagine what it costs to live there. I got the impression the house was divided into flats, even one of the flats would be a few million quid. I have mixed feelings about graffiti, Parsnip. It can be so disrespectful. In other situations (ie when it's not messing things up) I have known graffiti to be creative and artistic. On the whole i didn't like it in Hamburg. Yes, "who does this remind me of" did cross my mind, Lee. when I saw that photo. I don't THINK it was a memory of your profile shot though :D
    Yes, Nick, I would love it if there was more pargeting, a wonderful way of bringing art to everyday life.

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  16. Great set of your fabulous window pictures! good work...

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  17. Jenny, you have stunning collection of windows!I liked one of Mama rat and her son and your comment on it! Also the small house with small door and windows looks like in 'Alice in Wonderland'.

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  18. Great post, Jenny.

    I like the picture with the muddled effect... you couldn't achieve as good a collage even if you did it professionally.

    Re followers: Google, in its wisdom, keeps messing about with my numbers but I can never work out who was removed and/or reinstated.

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  19. Isn't it wonderful, what you can see when you start looking!

    We've a 'window' here in Marlborough that looks like a cat, sitting on the sill and supervising the High Street. It is a painting - it was bricked in during window tax times but you'd have to look very closely to notice that the cat never moves.

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  20. Thanks for the comments, as ever.

    Malyss, I am always amazed and impressed at how varied and interesting you make your bench blog, it's one of my inspirations to see so many aspects and angles you find.

    Rurousha, thanks for the tip. I'm doing my best to avoid |Google plus as I am sure they just want to spy on us, but having said that, I might succumb one day. I hate FB too but I still use it sometimes.

    Stephen, I always like to hear your funny stories and peer into your subconscious mind :D with your amazing pictures.

    Bonnie, I cracked up at the idea of it being a pastry you could see Jesus in! thanks for getting my day off to a happy start...I am still smiling now.

    Lee, just one typo? I'm congratulating myself!!!! :D

    Hi Susan, your blog is lovely and I'm so glad to see you here. Something about sitting round with guitars is just magic and I'm really glad you liked the header. Thanks, too, for making the figure up to 400 again I don't usually notice how many followers I have but I got REALLY interested when I noticed it was 397 and began checking every day. (I can relax now till it gets to 497 or so, if it ever does). Some people have many thousands of followers, but some of my favourite blogs only have a few followers, I don't think numbers say anything about interaction and involvement.

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  21. The Egypt photo left me wondering what you were thinking when you chose it. I happen to be staying with the friend who shares your love of that country and was thinking of the post you did about the Mena House Hotel. We were wondering when either you or she will next be able to visit. Not soon by the looks of it.

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  22. There are so many stories in your window photographs I can't chose a favorite.
    And, they are all so brilliant, I'll think of them when I see windows.
    Lovely post

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  23. Enjoyed peeking in all the windows. I always wonder what story is taking place in the lives of the people who live or work behind those windows. Pargeting is a new one for me but it looks very interesting.

    Darla

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  24. These are fabulous -- there are so many unique ones (although I have to admit that the naive in Honfleur really captured my imagination. And I love the mice! Or rats or whatever they are. I loved them all!

    I am totally captivated by doors and windows but I love what you see beyond the window itself! It definitely makes me smile!

    Thanks for stopping by the Gypsy! Your nice words made me smile!

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  25. Windows frame our world in unique ways … as your wealth of pictures show. And reflections bring to light aspects of life that inspire us to ponder. But I find graffiti (even if it has something interesting to say) disturbing when it imposes itself on the hard work of others.

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  26. What wonderful and interesting windows! I think my favourites are the Suffolk ones :-) x

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  27. Stopping in via Val's blog, I LOVE your avatar! What great photos. I like seeing what people have on their window shelves too. Great blog! :<)

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  28. Super variety of windows! Lovely tour of the world once again!

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  29. Love the abstract Disney hotel.
    In the city where I work, there is a drab hotel - multi-storey thing in a revamped office block - which in dark of night, enhanced by strategically placed lighting is a wonder to behold.
    Anna :o]

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  30. Fear not, where you lost one... you gained one. Looking forward to reading more about your travels. One day I hope to travel more than work. Or maybe travel for work ;)

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  31. These were great, Jenny! What a variety of windows...and mirror. What is that woman thinking? She looks like she'd be interesting to chat with. :)

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  32. Windows can be like books, opening a space into another world.

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  33. I forgot to mention that the sunset on the Nile is my favorite photo. Spectacular!

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  34. I love how you shared your window images. There is such mystery behind windows and expecially if we see a little of life inside, we can fill in the blanks in our own way
    Helen xx

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  35. So many types of interesting windows! I’d love to take photos of windows around here, but you know in Georgia it would be dangerous. Houses are far apart and you’d have to walk through their gardens – in Kennesaw, it is the law to have a gun – it is the law. It’s not enforced too strongly but I certainly would not want to get near a window …..

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  36. I realize window watching is such an interesting material through this post. I also like the art of pargeting. It's so lovey. I would have thought I got drunk or something to see that crooked windows on the net hoarding:-) Interestingly the couple(maybe) in the last photo assumed the same pose;she looked absent-minded. People watching when they are least expected to be taken pictures of is also interesting.

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  37. I like the atmospheric way you choose for showing us all these scenes.So interesting!Hope you are fine and enjoy these last warm summer days!
    Greetings and kisses!

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  38. Wonderful bunch of photos, and interesting commentary to carry one along through them. I wonder how many people truly think about what their windows show to the world? I know I do, at Christmas, as we position our lighted tree near the living room window that shows to the street, but the rest of the year? Mostly just a random show of an air conditioner, a back of a television set, and not much else. I do have to wonder about the two rats and the wooden cannon...

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  39. Wonderful photos and commentary. So glad you're having an enjoyable summer.

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  40. Terrific photos, I really am amazed by that little building! Do people actually hunch over and go into there still to buy fruits and vegetables?? I'd probably fall over!!
    You're a great writer AND photographer... the whole package :)
    Have a wonderful weekend my world traveling friend!!
    Tammy

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  41. Hello from New York where I can't open the windows of my hotel bedroom...sigh.

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  42. A wonderful window display Jenny! That daddy was exceptionally tall too wasn't he?

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  43. Some very interesting windows. I'm particularly intrigued by the "disorientated" one.

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  44. Nice images, it gives your post a very cosmoploitan feel.

    As to what that woman is thinking in the last image, probably something like
    "I'm bl**dy starving, when is that damned waiter bringing me my bowl of vichysoisse?"

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  45. Well, by now, you have 401 followers! I had 100 for a little while and am now back to 99... I wish I knew why someone stopped reading my blog, but I guess it can't be helped anyway, since I am not going to start changing my topics or the frequency of posts.

    Love this post about windows, Jenny! You know I have a "thing" for doors and doorways, and windows are just as fascinating.

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  46. White curtains? You are brave. And just as I wrote that I realised we have cream ones in the house in AZ, so I'l shut up.

    Love the photo from Spain of the crooked windows.

    I think that woman is thinking "Why the hell is that strange woman taking my photo?" :D

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  47. The windows are a fascinating look into peoples lives

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  48. I really love that photo of the sunset on the Nile, that's very beautiful.

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  49. Wonderful photographs. Love the graffiti, although it looks like someone has come along and corrected the punctuation!

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  50. I enjoyed looking at all the different scenes you shared. The street in Spain with the design put up is certainly eye catching!
    I love that you used to visit Zutphen in the Netherlands. It makes the world seem a little smaller, doesn't it?

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  51. Talk about coincidences! :-) I have just come back from Shropshire, which is round the corner from... Hereforshire. :-) In fact, sometimes we would venture into Herefordshire, only to be greeted with a "Welcome to Shropshire" sign a little later. We also crossed the border into Wales. Your photos are so beautiful and, I gather, they must carry so much history. Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  52. These pictures are exquisite! I'm so jeaous of your camera and all the wonderful sights it's seen! Love that wonky street to bits!

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  53. Hi Jenny!

    What an interesting window into your wanderings. All excellent photos! I love that Nile one and the daguerrotype-looking salvage you did. And, you've got to hand it to the Spanish for making a construction site look like another Gaudi apartment block. The two mice with the cannon reminded me of the Mouse soldiers in the Nutcracker. And yes, that last image is like something out of a Fellini film!

    - Jenny

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  54. You have so many wonderful comments here I don't know what I could possibly add, except to say what an enjoyable time I have had perusing all these windows you have captured with your lens and shared with us. Truly delightful.

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