Wednesday 22 November 2017

Leaves, Street Life and Ghosts

I've been involved in a couple of writing projects, but have been getting out and about in London too over the past week, including another cycle through Regent's Park.   We've had a really spectacular autumn display this year, with the beeches even redder than before


with various types of wildlife in evidence, particularly squirrels of course. I know they're pests but I do love to look at them flitting around so gracefully. I turned to find this one examining me closely.


A peaceful scene here, as a narrow boat chugged quietly along the Regent's Canal.



Today, I noticed that most of the leaves have fallen. I snapped these, twinkling gold against the blue sky.


so we are reaching the end and will have to hunker down for winter at last. 

I never tire of walking (or cycling) around London, there are always things to see, and often you come across something by chance. Five minutes later and I would have missed this scene. The lady in silver was quite goose-pimpled close up!  


Here she is a few minutes later trying to get warm. But who on earth is that behind her?



This gent was sitting happily by himself with a traffic cone which made a very good megaphone. He was singing old music hall songs and seemed most contented.  The sound's terrible but he's singing "Maybe it's Because I'm a Londoner"



Cycling back, the fountains in the park looked delightfully creepy.  This one reminded me of a veiled ghostly figure.  I like London parks at night, they seem to have quite a different character from how they are in the day. 
 


75 comments:

  1. You have me wishing I lived in London. It has such atmosphere. I felt the cold that poor girl must have felt. Brrr! Lovely trees, I am so sad that last year I was obliged to have a beech tree cut down. Consequently, I have very little colour.

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    1. Yes, Beeches are very nice. Maybe you could get a sumac tree planted, they are small and usually seem to have beautiful colours in the autumn

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  2. Love this post, Jenny. Your color was far more spectacular than ANYTHING I saw here. And don't you love to people-watch? I do. You see the oddest, most incongruous things. I love the boat on Regent's Canal and I'm guessing Regent's Park, though I'm not sure. Yes, delightfully creepy is a perfect description!

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    1. Thank you Jeanie. I haven't been exactly where you live but have been to Ontario and Vermont in the fall and they were every bit as bright, but just different. Yes, you guessed right with Regents Park!

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  3. Having moved away from Ohio, I truly miss the seasons. Taipei does have its evocative sights, but I never seem to have my camera handy when I come across one.

    I think that my favorite photo here is the ghostly fountain, though the autumn park ones are also treasures. In America, we have Thanksgiving this week so we can be extra grateful for such things--Happy Thanksgiving!
    --Jim

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    1. I hope you had a great thanksgiving Jim. Yes, I like to have four seasons that last about 3 months long each, I know it's what I've been used to of course. But I do.

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  4. I love this post, especially the trees...lots of eye-candy depicted on the streets for people watchers!

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    1. ALways something to see in a city, although some cities make it easier than others. London is pretty good that way.

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    1. It certainly was exhilarating to see all that colour.

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  6. London is amazing, we're hoping to visit next fall.

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    1. I hope you get the chance to see the leaves at their peak then.

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  7. These are lovely, Jenny - somehow you always manage to capture the unexpected!

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    1. I must notice different things from other people. :)

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  8. Great pictures. You have captured the leaves perfectly, great stuff.

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  9. That last picture is both elegant and creepy.

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    1. I love those particular fountains. They are replicas (or might even be originals come to think of it) of mid Victorian ones.

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  10. Super photographs..really brought back autumn in England for me...especially the one of the few leaves on the bare branches shining in the sun.
    The ghostly fountain was special too...in a different way.

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    1. Yes, and this particular year they would probably have lived up to the memories in real life. At least if your memories are like mine... usually a bit visually over-egged.:)

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  11. Very different at night, yes. Those trees were just stunning this year!! :)

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    1. Sometimes night and dark make places so different you can hardly believe they are one and the same. That is one of the things I like about taking photos in different lights.

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  12. It looks like something interesting is always going on wher eyou live.

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    1. Sure is, so long as I get myself organised to go out and look for it!

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  13. How beautiful are those Autumn leaves, and I would love to be walking around London looking at them and the squirrels. What a great shot of the little guy - I can never get them to stay still and let me take their picture. The little yellow guy is a Pokemon, the favourite of our grandson who often arrives here with one tucked under his arm. Love that creepy fountain!

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    1. I'm replying to this rather late, and the autumn leaves are now all gone, but I 'm so glad i saw them. And yes, Pokemon! I wonder what he was doing there. I think he was just engaging folks in conversation. No doubt selling something but it was fun to spot him there looking so quaint.

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  14. Jenny, I love this post!! The photos are wonderful - spectacular autumn foliage, and especially the squirrel and ghostly fountain.

    (I was almost going to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, and then I realized "Oops! She's in London"..... Have a great day, anyway!)

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    1. Yes, Thanksgiving passes me by every time! :D Thank you for your nice comments about the photos.

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  15. Your photos are so beautiful today, fall colors ! I am studing the first three, wonderful.
    The little yellow one is Pichu from Pokemon.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Thank you, Parsnip. Oh, I didn't know his name !

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  16. The Regent's Park pictures are lovely. I never did muster up the courage to cycle in LDN when I lived there. I had a friend who commuted to work by bike & she did just fine. I was a bit of a chicken, tbh. -did get lots and lots of walks in though.

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    1. Walking is as nice in its own way. There are some good cycle paths through parks, etc. but it can be a bit hairy when you get on to the roads, at least at certain times of year.

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  17. These are the wonderful scenes of London's life. I was pleased to watch every your photo. Thank you Jenny for sharing!

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  18. A wonderful collection of pictures! Who does not love autumn colours? (You know from my blog how much I do!)
    The fountain looks indeed ghostly, but not in a scary/spooky manner. The yellow figure in the picture with the lady warming up is Pikachu, I think.

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    1. Yes, that is what I liked about the fountain - it was not actually scary but was pleasurably creepy :)

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  19. Now is the golden time of a year. The yellow one behind her is "Pokemon", a famous Japanese anime's character. Happy Weekend!

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    1. Ah, yes, now I remember POkemon! I have seen it here but couldn't quite remember. Thanks for the information. It had been niggling at me :)

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  20. That was a wonderful little tour, Jenny. Loved the photos, and the commentary. London is a great city for walking round - there's always SOMETHING GOING ON. Meanwhile, the frozen north is extremely damp at the moment and, well, a little frozen...

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    1. I'm replying to this comment a little late, and so I have now had a very considerable amount of FREEZING - but I missed it in London.

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  21. The fountain does look creepy! It's amazing how much the water does look like a veil, or cobwebs.

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    1. Yes, a sort of "Miss Havisham" look to it.... that's what I thought too.

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  22. Good Morning Jenny
    Yes, there are so many things to see around London!
    I liked to see the colorful yellow autumn in Pegent's Park, active people in London and the canal traveling through the autumn trees. Enjoy and have a good weekend.

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    1. Thank you Tomoko. It was a particularly beautiful autumn this year.

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  23. Beautiful fall colors in Regents park!

    Don't you just love it when you come across an unexpected scene and get to take a fun picture, such as with the lady in silver?

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  24. I love squirrels, they're my favourite animals. They may be pests in some ways, but the same could be said of most animals.

    Goodness, the woman in the silver microdress must have been freezing! I wonder why she was dressed so scantily - waiting for a film crew maybe?

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    1. I think so. Squirrels are very entertaining, the most so of any wild creatures I know, I think.

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  25. Regents Canal.. Takes me back to life in London. I used to pass it quite often on my travels.

    One thing I used to enjoy about living in London was the amount of trees and greenery there is there. We often found ourselves walking (occasionally staggering) home after dark over Hampstead Heath.

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    1. Hampstead Heath is really nice, because it is really quite like the countryside and is also big enough to get lost in - as I often do. Unlike the real countryside, you do eventually reach the city if you walk for half an hour or so in a straight line.

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  26. We had quite a few leaves left on the trees but with last weeks high winds they all went, and I was quite pleased because the weather was like one massive leave blower going so I didn't have to go outside and sweep up all the leaves, they'd magically gone.

    That poor lady in the silver does look cold! What was she doing?

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    1. I expect the leaves ended up somewhere else, maybe smothering some poor person as they walked along :) I think the lady was doing some kind of a publicity stunt. At least I hope so!

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  27. Wow that must have been a fantastic cycle through Regent's Park. The singer made me smile too! Sarah x

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    1. He made me smile too, partly because he seemed so cheerful!

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  28. Beautiful Autumn scenes Jenny. I love the idea of the Narrow Boats - have you ever spent any time in one?
    The busker does seem very contented with his work, good for him.
    Great "people watching" pics!

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    1. Hi Sue, yes one of my kids has a narrow boat which she bought at a young age when she inherited some money. She apparently remembered a narrowboat trip we had when she was 4 and really loved. I didn't even know she still remembered it!

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  29. The bright red trees are stunning. Walking under them must feel magical. I wonder what that freezing girl was doing. Thanks for the photo's of your tour. It is fun to see everyday life in your city.

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Darla. I think that the freezing girl must have been taking part in some publicity stunt!

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  30. Just had a catch up here, always something interesting. I love these hidden corners of London, which is why I visited Little Venice on my most recent trip. You must be very proud of your daughter.

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    1. Yes, we are very proud of her! I am glad you had the chance to visit Little Venice.

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  31. Gorgeous Fall Colors, Adorable Squirrel & The Lady in the White outfit was a great find. Such an interesting place London must be.

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    1. Thanks Ida. Yes, there is always something to see in the big city!

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  32. Oh dear these photos of fall are breath-taking!!!

    I envy your cycling as i am huge fond of cycling but i can't due to strains of tradition:(

    But i am happy for you my friend :) that God have blessed you with such luxury!

    Thank you for sharing the glimpse of your beautiful city, life is BEAUTIFUL when a heart has most precious gift "contentment"

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    1. What a pity you cannot cycle, but walking is also a healthy and pleasant way to get around, a bit slower than cycling. Thank you for your kind comment! I am glad you liked the photos.

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  33. Johnson was right, of course . Who could ever be tired of this ?

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  34. I love how you love London, Jenny. These are lovely scenes nd no, never tire of them, don’t! You are very brave to cycle everywhere!

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    1. Cycling is a good option, gets you there quicker than walking and is 100 times more enjoyable to be outside than stuck in a bus or tube or car!

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  35. Spectacular autumn display, indeed, Jenny. The forest enveloped in the golds in the header is like a painting. I like it when you included the massive roots. The layers of colors of yellows and reds, the squirrel, the boat, the bare trees showing off their fine skeletons, everything is so fantastic. London looks inviting with something exciting every day. The park at night is both creepy and attractive at the same time.

    Yoko

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    1. Thank you! I think we had one of the most beautiful autumns I remember this year. It sometimes looked like a painting in real life, as if someone had painted in the leaves with gold! I like parks in the night time, they have so much atmosphere.

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  36. I love cycling down the Regent's Canal. It's one of my favourite routes in London, especially going east-west and back. Beautiful photos.

    Have a great week.

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    1. Yes, the canal is so different at different times of year. I rarely get tired of it.

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  37. Hi! I'm visiting from Joanne's blog, "Cup on the Bus". I really enjoyed your daughter's Ted talk and your photos, especially that blue sky and the fountain shot. Did she study storytelling or is it a family gift? There was a shot of a woman in the audience, at one point, who really seemed so happy to be there. Was that you or another fan?

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    1. Hi Chicken, I love your blog. I think the storytelling is from inside my daughter, although she has also studied it and did her degree in film and drama, which are connected. No, I wasn't the one in the audience! If it is the one I am thinking about :)

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  38. Jenny, your photos are stunning. How I'd love to see Regent's Park in autumn! That squirrel looked very fat and happy!

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