I think most of the woods round here are what remains of what was here originally, especially the oak trees which covered most of Southern England.

Here are the ducks on Decoy Pond in Golders Green

The bridge over the same pond

Where is everyone?

I took quite a few views in the park.

Good question, Sat! I've been taking lots of photos, but only just got them on the computer. Here's a pair of geese that I met by the river a couple of days ago.

My camera is not well and I am up to my neck with exams. I am loving your photos this month, Satguru, how lovely they are!

Thanks Sara. One more example of how a planned community can look a lot better than most (Hampstead Garden Suburb)

The bush has been identified as a skimmia in case anyone was wondering. Here's the road off the one from yesterday, these are arts and crafts houses built from around 1912 onwards when the first went up here.

This is my cat, Squirmer the Wyrm, wearing his new Soft Paws. They are nail covers developed by a vet as an alternative to declawing. They're wonderful -- he took a swipe at me, and all I felt was a thump

Squirmer is gorgeous!

Yes! What a character!

Thanks Liz and Ren. Here's another pic of the nail covers -- these things are great!

I think it is nail polish!

LOL, well they're a little more expensive than nail polish, but you CAN get them in several colours - am quite positive my Zoe would prefer "royal purple" (rolls eyes). You don't HAVE to get your vet to put them on (assuming your cat is UNLIKE MINE who will put up with you fiddling with her paws LOL). Costs about $30 CDN for a home kit, which includes digestible glue and 40 nail covers (some of which you may not be able to use depending on the size of your cats "arsenal"). A set lasts between 4 and 6 weeks (if your cat is a "normal nail chewer").

I would NEVER even THINK about having my cat declawed, so this is a great option if your baby happens to be a "destroyer of rugs and furniture" type : )

There was a big charity motorcycle "ride" in town today, so I found a vantage point and took some photos.

Spotted this little family out for a swim this afternoon.

Coolcat90 and I went to the theatre recently to see "Cats". I took this photo at the end of the performance and was very pleased with the way it turned out. I'm not the world's greatest photographer and I only have a "point and shoot" camera. This was taken from way up at the back of the theatre using an automatic night setting and no flash - photography was allowed but not flash photography.

a lonely peacock

I bumped into these two in a gift shop last year.

Richmond Green, which becomes covered with people on sunny evenings but not quite yet.

Reminds me of:
Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill


On Richmond Hill there lives a lass
More bright than May-day morn
Whose charms all other maids' surpass
A rose without a thorn.
This lass so neat, with smiles so sweet
Has won my right good will
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.

Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.

Ye zephyrs gay that fan the air
And wanton thro' the grove
O whisper to my charming fair
"I die for her I love."
This lass so neat, with smiles so sweet
Has won my right good will
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.

Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill
I'd crowns resign to call thee mine
Sweet lass of Richmond Hill.

Richmond Hill was Henry the 8th being very cheeky- he went to stay there in Yorkshire and liked it so much when he returned to Sheen he renamed it Richmond. Sheen survived as part of London in the form of East Sheen while the Surrey part (except the little area of North Sheen) and the park which is mainly in London took the new name. Few people in Sheen realise it's called east as it's east Richmond as there is no Sheen on its own now of course.

Here's another house and garden in Hampstead Garden Suburb, if detached would start at £1 million upwards.

My other car...

I saw this during a recent visit to Melbourne. Two minutes later, a horse-drawn carriage went past!

What large families spiders have! The children in this one are just starting to stand on their own eight feet.