It's November already! Eek!

Old South Church, Copley Square, Boston

I will be happy to open new monthly threads if permitted if it helps.

The Classic Bridge in Chiswick Gardens

A view of the beautiful cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from the Quai de Montebello, the left bank (Rive Gauche) of the River Seine.

A view of Chiswick House

One of the many grotesques, or gargoyles, to be found decorating the Basilica du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre, Paris. This was taken just after a heavy downpour and I had wished to take a long exposure image to capture and soften the water droplets coming from its mouth - unfortunately, that day, I didn't have my filter sets with me

The lake in Chiswick Gardens

'Locks' - These little groups of padlocks are appearing all along the banks of the River Seine in Paris. Until recently, in this most romantic of cities, tourists and locals alike would attach a lock to a small footbridge, the Pont des Arts, as a symbol of love for their partners until concerns were raised about the effect of the practice on the bridge's integrity. In 2015 the Parisian authorities began removing the padlocks from the Pont des Arts, a process which resulted in over 48 tons of locks being removed! Not to be deterred, visitors and locals have started to attach padlocks to a number of other bridges across the river as a short cruise on any of the Parisian riverboats will confirm.

This group were captured looking north-westwards on the Quai des Fleurs on the Île de la Cité. The large building in the background is City Hall, the Hôtel de Ville.

This will be the last image that I'll post from my recent trip to Paris; before everybody gets sick to the back teeth of them!


This is an image from what must have been the high point of my entire week and, if you have a bucket list, you must add a visit to Sainte Chapelle's 'Haute Chapelle' to it. Of all of the historic buildings that I've ever visited (and that's not an insignificant number) this breathtaking building is a 'must see'. Sadly, due to luggage allowances, I didn't take my pro Nikon lenses to Paris and this is something that I will regret for a long time; or at least until I can organise another excursion.

Sainte Chapelle is the royal chapel started by King Louis IX (later Saint Louis) during the 13th century to house his collection of Christ's relics which included the Crown of Thorns and pieces of the True Cross amongst many others. The sight when you first enter the chapel from the staircase that leads up from the lower chapel must be experienced to be believed. The fact that most of what you see is a 19th century restoration doesn't detract from the beauty of the place with it's collection of (mostly) original 13th Century stained glass depicting scenes in storybook fashion of the life and Passion of Christ and the lives of a number of the Bible's most important prophets.

It's such a shame that my image doesn't do it justice...

Ummm, speaking for myself only, of course, it's pretty unlikely that I'd get sick to death of pictures from Paris...

You're right that the Sainte Chappelle should be on anyone's bucket list. I like both upper and lower chapels. The lower is very different, but charming with its lower, starry, ceiling.

Here are the same windows from farther back in the chapel.

Another view of the same windows (well, the bottom third of them anyway)

Chiswick Gardens

New flats in Wandsworth

A view of Wandsworth by the River Thames.

The Holiday Inn in Wandsworth

Statue of a cow, Burlington, NC

Duke Gardens is one of our favorite places to go walking. This was taken on Thanksgiving.

A classical entrance in Chiswick Gardens

Another from Duke Gardens

Tower blocks in Sunbury. The old Chubb security building at the front is being refurbished.

The water lilies look painted. No wonder Monet liked to paint them.