Can anyone tell me about the subject of this photo? I took this on our recent trip to Sydney. This small park was located in the vicinity of the Opera House and Circular Quay, close to Government House. The park is a small grassy area "littered" with pieces of old buildings, such as architraves, arches and buttresses, most of which are half-buried in the ground. Many of the pieces bear dates about a century old. It's somewhat like an architectural graveyard. I have not been able to find out anything about this park or its raison-d'etre (reason for being). It's not marked on any of the maps or tourist guides that I have located, nor was I able to find anything on Google. There is nothing in the park to explain what it is all about.

Here's an interesting little boat I spotted whilst out walking last weekend:

A house and garden in Childs Hill, on the Golders Green border.

MotherGoose, it is really interesting that you can't find anything on it. How about a local Tourist Information Centre? Would they be able to tell you anything? Please let us know when/if you do find anything.

Continuing the Paris trip, another shop window.

Last week, it suddenly warmed up enough for us to have freezing rain (no, I do NOT attribute this to "global warming" lol). This didn't please our over-wintering birds one bit. Apologies for the (lack of) quality - it WAS raining after all and the picture was taken through the glass of our back deck storm/screen door. Lots of hoarfrost on everything as well.

Dark-eyed Junco, trying desperately to "fluff up" to keep warm...

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MotherGoose, it is really interesting that you can't find anything on it. How about a local Tourist Information Centre? Would they be able to tell you anything? Please let us know when/if you do find anything.

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I received an excellent suggestion from Jakeroo re contacting the City Council of Sydney and kindly providing a link. Previously I googled extensively, but never thought of contacting a body such as that. I even did a search using Google satellite maps and all the touristy things like the Opera House and Government House are marked, but the park is not, although you can clearly see it when you zoom in.

I've just sent the City of Sydney website an email with photo. I don't expect I will hear from them for a couple of days, as it is early Saturday morning here, and I would assume no-one will answer until Monday at the earliest. If I do get a satisfactory response, I'll post the "solution" to the "problem" in the photo forum. My husband was particularly intrigued with the park. I thought it a bit odd that they didn't have some sort of sign or plaque at the park explaining what it was all about - or if they did, we didn't find it, despite looking for it.

I've got one of those towers, they were incredibly expensive for what they are, and because we had a train home booked had to stop half way up and miss the lift to the top level. That was in 1976 and haven't been there since, but if I ever do I'm going right to the top.

This is another view from high up, Wembley Stadium and some of the buildings next to it, the new high version is visible from most hills in London as well as my bedroom, unlike the tasteful one they pulled to the ground.

Oooer Happy Birthday David!!

Happy birthday, David! I like the view in your photo - the small houses with the newer buildings in the background.

Lovely shot, Santana. The water is so blue, we don't get to see that around here.

Happy birthday, David!! And many more to come.

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| | | | | | some candles for you to blow out.

That is an interesting boat, Santana, well spotted.

Sat, I like the way the low-lying sun is highlighting the stadium, as well as the houses in the foreground.

MG, I hope you get some information on that graveyard, what an interesting find to stumble across!

Zorba, my Granny used to have one just like that!

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone, and the ecard Sara. I'll never see 40 again...

A typical road in Golders Green just before it got dark

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I'll never see 40 again...

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You should be so lucky!

This is a shot of a little town not far from me which is called Bourton On The Water. It has a river running through it (good name for a film) which is very shallow but quite wide. It's crossed by a number of bridges (this one is a pedestrian one). I remember going there with my parents when I was younger & running up & down with a boat on a piece of string! Easily pleased some people.

Thanks Martin. I love Bourton, not far from Gloucester where I always stay with my cousin (my old home) Its a beautiful village, if a bit overrun with emmets in summer.

Martin: Very charming photograph!

And I see you have a new "signoff"/signature, to which I just have to say:
Quid quid latine dictum sit, altum videtur

(sorry, couldn't resist lol)
Cheers! (I'll be happy to buy the next round as long as it's Scotch and not light beer)

Thanks all for the sensational selection of photographs you have posted this month. Quite delightful!
As usual I will leave the thread for January open for a while until we are all into February. Thanks again.

Bourton-on-the-Water is a beautiful place, I have been quite a few times. Sorry there are no pictures for me

Up here in Scotland, our lawn white with snow (actually mostly hail). On an outside wall, where our woodpile, is I found a butterfly, who slowly flapped it's wings at me when I disturbed it this morning. No idea what kind it is, but it's the first time I've seen one of this type here.

That's a Red Peacock, Mugaboo, and very lovely too!
Details here

That looks beautiful, Mugaboo.

Another old building from South Bombay.

Last week when I was visiting my daughter we visited a city farm. For those of you who don't know what they are they have some farmyard animals so that children who are city dwellers can see what a cow or a sheep is in the flesh. This one normally has young animals who are then moved to a more suitable location once they have grown too big for the limited space available.

This is a gorgeous calf, they had a couple of them. Where I live they only have one breed of cattle, by law, so I loved to see this little fellow as it is so different to our cows.

Super, Sue. I didn't know you were an authority on cows...