Walking with a camera is different from just walking. Me and Sarah found this many years ago when we’d run it as an exercise on the ‘Creativity’ courses we’d run back then. People would notice things they might normally miss and find beauty in unexpected places. Well I’ve carried on with this ‘exercise’ until it’s become a natural part of how I live my life. This blog being full of pictures taken as I’m walking around.
This week it’s been different though. For the first time since nearly the beginning of this century the camera in my hand has changed. The weight of it, the feel of it, the capabilities of it – all different and only just starting to be explored. Since my birthday on Tuesday when it arrived it’s actually come out with its much loved predecessor and worked most days. Good pictures in difficult circumstances inside a variety of people’s living rooms. It’s also been out walking though, and that’s what we’re looking at here.
Friday morning, walking out to work.
Past the Mystery gates.
And The Brookhouse.
Along Smithdown, remembering being there with them at the start of Bulky Bob’s.
Along past the Royal.
No longer a pub, but still with the pub’s intricate tile work.
Past the top of Alderson Road.
Maybe a cowhouse? Or a smithy or something from our agricultural past?
Into the streets blighted by John Prescott’s Housing Market Renewal Initiative.
Like Underley Street, or all that now remains of it.
Swallowed up by a school. Not by new or even renewed houses.
Looking along where Upper Canning used to be, to the Catholic Cathedral.
At which point my walk paused and my camera came and did some work.
Walking on along the Canning we have left.
On a fiercely cold day it was good to get in warm somewhere and have lunch with my Dad at the Quaker Meeting House Café. Warmed up we had a bit of a walk round.
Down to the Pier Head, the Royal Iris in the background.
Joe Hughes, my Dad.
After which we warmed up some more with tea and cake at Rococo in Lord Street. Looking fine after its fire the other week.
Soon after, I got the bus home.
Then early this afternoon today, Sunday, it was time to take the camera walking again. Over to the Park and to Sarah’s Allotment.
In Greenbank Park, as the light grows longer, the daffodils are fully out now.
The swan gliding over the lake.
Watched by the querulous geese.
Over into Sefton Park.
By the gaunt winter trees.
Winter reflections.
Eros from one side.
And the other.
Passing a rank of bikes.
Now one of the most common sights in Liverpool.
Into Lark Lane.
Lamps on the gate posts to the Park.
Come on Keith’s. Time to paint that sign.
Lunch from here. Falafel and hummus wraps. Recommended.
Back into the park to eat. Near my favourite tree.
The swamp cypress.
Green winter dogwood.
And flowing water…
Waterfalling.
This is the Upper Brook.
It’s already flowed under The Brookhouse, seen earlier. And will now join with the Lower Brook to form the main lake here in Sefton Park. Before flowing, mainly in a culvert now, beneath Otterspool to the Mersey.
A mostly secret river. Beautiful.
Across the Park.
Past the white trunks of winter.
To Greenbank Drive.
And the ‘Secret Gate’ of Greenbank Lane Allotments.
Soon opened by Sarah.
We go to Plot 44.
Where me and the new camera go for a walk round.
Sarah’s own monkey puzzle tree. L66 on her Monkey Map of all known monkeys.
The ivy.
The mahonia.
The Wollemi Pine.
And Bren’s here too, chopping wood.
Sarah’s been doing the winter tidying here this week.
Many spiders have, temporarily, lost their homes up the sleeves of Sarah’s allotment fleeces and coats.
But the Watchers are keeping their beady eyes on things. Making sure the spiders get a fair deal.
And they’re watching the first snowdrops coming up too.
Meanwhile Sarah and Bren are hard at work preparing their Sunday Lunch.
All cooked fresh on the open fire here. They call it ‘firefood’
I’ll occasionally get invited to this, like I was on Christmas Day. But normally on Sundays I’m roaming round the city, like today, with my camera.
It’s a collaborative effort.
Though I notice one of them’s always Head Chef and bosses the other one around. Today it’s Sarah’s turn to be in charge. Though last time I was here Bren was handing out the gratuitous insults. They enjoy it tremendously.
Soup to start.
Criticised for being from a Jamie Oliver recipe. But wolfed down nonetheless.
Then their favourite Lamb Dinner being prepared.
At which point I take my leave so they can eat in peace.
Sarah shows me out of the main gate.
The sun now setting on Eleanor Rathbone’s house.
And over our road too. 5 o’clock, the afternoons getting lighter at last.
So there we are. Me and the new camera getting to know each other by walking around. Doing what we’ll always do.
I love to see the pics done by your camera as I have never been to Liverpool. It has some great qualities as we look through your lens.
Beautiful work as always, Ronnie.
These virtual tours around Liverpool are really enjoyed by me living down south, (well south east) – many thanks to you for making it so interesting
Some nice photos there Ron. I like the first photo – very abstract, could be the surface of the moon.
So enjoyed this post Ronnie, such a feel good factor. I know the places well & of course have met you & Sarah & Bren too. The real beauty here though, for me, is seeing folk in their element, enjoying the simple & most precious things in life. A joy to behold!
Great pics, as always, Ronnie and nice to see one of your Dad, you look so like him!
I never knew about the brook and it’s relation to the BrookHouse, it just shows, you can live here for 60 years and still learn stuff!
Thanks all of you for your kindly comments and your warm welcome of the new camera. It’s feeling pretty confident about itself, despite the old cameras mutterings that it hasn’t really done anything very ‘urban’ yet.
Some off the wall shots being haunting and lonely, others are informative. Unusual
Has made a promising start, your camera. Look forward to better and better!
Who knows what will be possible once I leave the ‘automatic’ settings! Haven’t had enough time with it yet, but will soon.
I really like those tiles! Great start for the camera. I wish it a long and happy career in your hands.
I always use my camera as a sort of visual note-taker, especially when I’m intending to write about somewhere afterwards. I often take more photos of random things/plants/rocks/found objects because it really helps record the feeling of being somewhere as well as the physical aspects of that place.
Thanks for the good wishes. I too take loads more photos than I publish, done almost instinctively again, now the new camera is becoming a working part of my body!