Friday, August 01, 2008

the centre, flying, swinging

Posted by Picasa A couple of hundred meters from Whitehall, just a little further to the Palace of Westminster in one direction and Buckingham Palace in the other, these new reed beds, adjoining the lake in St James's Park, make London seem delightfully rural.

Wind and sunshine accompany me as I walk up the wooded drive of Burrswood, the hospital and rehabiliation centre, to visit my friend Anna who is recovering from a hip operation. Particularly, when I come to gates overlooking fields, through gaps in the trees, I see all sorts of things flying about in the wind: some insects, self-powered; and thistle down and other seeds, powered by the wind.

I try to photograph bumble bees, of which there are quite a lot round here, as they settle on sprigs of lavender. The job is made difficult by the way the stems swing up and down when the insects settle and depart. They, bees and lavender, seem to be performing a frenzied dance, and I have little success with my camera.

3 comments:

Dave King said...

You've no chance if you are using a digital camera, but more power to your shutter! Such things are worth the record.

Unknown said...

I'm afraid you're right, Dave. Though I was in that instance using the less appropriate of my two cameras.

Lucas said...

That shot of "rural London" is very convincing. Had you said you were on a country ramble I would have believed you, mistaking the Eye for s ferris wheel.