Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Sunday, October 28, 2007

apropos of nuffink


from the putney debates to the william morris museum

we woz reading this article in the guardian ... most kids no longer have to learn about history so this could be essential reading for anyone who knows nothing of the history of socialism and democracy in england ...

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/heritage/story/0,,2199577,00.html

... and it led us across london to the william morris museum at walthamstow

which is stuffed with art by morris and his many famous associates .... beautiful furniture, fantastic fabrics, paintings, stained glass, printed wallpapers, printed pamphlets, and much material pertinent to their design and manufacture,

there is also a stunning collection of paintings and etchings by frank brangwyn, who once worked in morris's employment as a draughtsman

it is a bit of a trek to an unattractive part of london but i'm so glad we went




















and just for good measure ... here's a likeness of oliver cromwell from the V&A

i like this kind of roofscape ... weatherboarding at putney bridge and at walthamstow central



Monday, October 22, 2007

Monday, October 15, 2007

Maybe It's Because I Ain't A Londoner ...





…that I have yet to integrate fully with the Shed Enders.

When, O when will I begin to sound like a native ?

I try & I try.

“Gor blimey, love a duck, … my incipient nocturnal hyper-active attention-deficit disorder ain’t ‘arf givin me gyp”.

Friday, October 12, 2007

dawdling on the way home from the bus stop





W. H. Davies
Leisure
WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

curiouser & curiouser





you might not expect a dairy products warehouse to be one of the cultural outposts of educated cynicism ... but as i approached a slightly cross-eyed young polish forklift driver whilst making a delivery to a refrigerated warehouse near woking, he greeted me thus ...


"good morning, oedipus !"


... which he pronounced oy-dip-uss


i pointed out that i am neither clever nor blind ... yet