Santa number 2 (number 1 in the Santa thread) came from Germany some years ago, brought by a family friend. Although I love the red cloaked Santa, this blue version has a touch of elegence

Another older photo I've just refound & scanned onto my computer.
I was very pleased at the way this picture came out. The rider is just braking at the end of a long straight.



(For the record, the rider is Jim Moodie who had quite a successful career,
especially when it came to the Isle Of Man TT where he won 7 times.)

These birds were all sitting on a dock line. I didn't realize until I looked at the full-sized picture that there were several different species here. Looks like there is a third guy besides the pelican and gulls.

The river Thames at Kingston with Teddington on the other side

Vintage car exhibit at the mall.

Jane, I agree, that Santa is lovely.

This is the same Colonial house I posted yesterday, just a different POV showing the ornate mouldings.

Thanks, Zorba. I was wondering where I parked my little red car.

My friend got to drive all those cars, Gary, while I had to stick to just taking pictures.

Beautiful house, Mags. I love the red and white colours.

Another hawker's stall.

That is a gorgeous building, Mags.

This is Guadalupe Peak in Southwestern Texas.

Some fantastic photos on here this month.

Here's another shot of Portmeirion from a couple of years ago.
The steps in the middle are very tricky to negotiate whilst carrying anything as we found
out this year when we stayed in the building on the left. At least we had a balcony though.

That is a great picture Martin. With the colors they almost look like scale model buildings.

This is the 5th hole at Mt. Woodson Golf Club, near Poway, California. I managed to miss the water on the left. Instead I put my tee shot in the sand on the right toward where the house is.



I did, however, hit the water on the next hole--a par 3. Twice. My tee shot ended up wet so I took a drop in the drop area. That ball got wet, too. Apparently they do not have a drop area for the drop area.

Martin: I have a hard time not believing that's a miniature! Remarkable shot.
ClaraSue: Eye-popping photo. Looks like something from a classic western movie.
deputygary: Could almost be an English landscape by John Constable

Here's a view about an hour ago from my back yard:

I wonder what this could be! Very tempted to open it. Hmmm Shall I?

Here's another view across London from Dollis Hill

Tree in the lobby Peninsula Hotel, HK with a nice pageboy.

ren33: Looks like how a vampire might wrap a Christmas present

Anyway, while going through the slides from my October 1976 trip to England, I came across this interesting one of a sunset rainbow and a gas... er, petrol station. No idea exactly where it is.

Thanks zorba and ClaraSue. I thought so too.
Martin, that is a strange place for a tree to be growing, right in front of the door.
"Apparently they do not have a drop area for the drop area"
Oooo ren, I got all excited when I saw the classic black and gold of Chanel! My most favourite perfumes are Chanels. What can it be indeed? The shape is most intriguing.

I guess it does look like a miniature from that angle, it hadn't occured to me. As for it being a strange place for a tree to grow, the whole place is strange Mags!
Exhibit A: This shows quite well some of the mish-mash of different architectural styles of the building as well as the random placing of columns and pools. You really have to go there to see it in it's glory!

That's a pretty pink church upper left, Martin.

Bands of colour.


Another image for your armchair tour of the beautiful colonial city of Granada.

Martin, I was going to say your latest photo of Portmeirion made me think of The Village in "The Prisoner," but a quick Googling tells me there's a reason for that!

The Olympic flame passed through my city today as part of its journey around Canada on the way to the Games in Vancouver early next year.



I was lucky enough to be standing at a place where I could see a changeover from one torch bearer to the next. Have pared the photo down to just the two torches, to stay withing our people picture rules.

Mags, I love the color in your pictures.
Liz, how cool is that? To see the Olympic torch passing through. Good thing you had your camera, eh?

So I'm golfing at this course in California and I see a sign that says "Watch for Poison Oak." OK, I think. Poison oak is a plant, it has roots, it stays in one spot. No problem. I don't intend to hit a shot so badly that it curves into the poison oak, and if I do, I just won't go after it. Later on I see this sign:



This is a different story. For one thing snakes don't stay in one spot like poison oak. They move around. They could be anywhere--even in the cup. For another, this sign is maddeningly non-specific. The other sign was pretty clear about what to look out for--poison oak. This one just said snakes. What kind of snakes? Harmless garter snakes that might be on the endangered species list? Poisonous rattlesnakes? Maybe some non-native anacondas that escaped from a traveling zoo? Who knows?
Luckily I did not see any snakes.

However my brother-in-law thought it would be funny to rattle the keys in his pocket to make it sound like a rattlesnake while I was putting. He's a funny guy, my brother-in-law.

I didn't realise snakes wore watches.

This is called One Hammersmith



Paul, if you blow up that photo the place is in brackets on the garage's name. I can read the rest but that's too small to make out.

Sixty year old tree decorations. There aren't many left - just enough to decorate my very small second tree.