A hat trick of pics in the Ealing Gazette

I must say I was a little surprised to see another of my pictures in the Ealing Gazette this week, I had sent it in

Today's Letter Page

 marked 'if needed' and I guess it was as it was published today, it's the third one in a row to be in the paper.

I took the picture on the run last Friday with the Canon SX 280HS, I liked the bright colours - the event was The Midsummer Fayre  (not to be confused with The ITV  Midsomer Murders).

The picture was cropped a little from the one sent - I can understand this but the loss of some of the green of the  trees and the removal of the path does alter the overall look.

I think like last weeks picture it is a  photo with a 'positive'  feel and makes Ealing look like a nice place to be.

The un-cropped image

Canon cameras test drive in W1 - Yewtree fallout

On Wednesday I made a trip into the West End of London for what was a useful and educative session at Park Cameras in Rathbone Place.

Canon are running one-to-one sessions to help people choose the most suitable camera from their (quite extensive) range of still cameras (actually many of them shoot video too).
The session I had started by running through some of the features and aspects of taking photo's that was important to me - we then looked in detail at he range and chose 3 cameras to take pictures with - I would say I'm not sure which camera I will choose next, certainly there are some great SLRs at a reasonable price but additional lenses  can make this a more costly way to go and I do dislike carrying too many gadgets with me.

Sadly for those in the UK outside London currently the sessions are only available in London but they are looking to bring the test drive to other locations,  if you can get to London I would recommend the experience, the guy who showed me the cameras and talked me through them really knew his stuff and took his time giving me considered answers to the many questions I put to him.

Some way up Rathbone Place is the corner shop used in the famous 'Peeping Tom' film which was directed by Michael Powell, recently the star of the film Austrian actor Carl Boehm died, sometime after making the film Carl re dedicated his life  to alleviating poverty and suffering particularly in Ethiopia.

The 'Peeping Tom' shop in Rathbone Place

Rolf unmasked

Although I have recognised that the revealing of public figures as being no better than the rest of us is inevitable I have been saddened to learn that Rolf was not who (most of us) thought he was.

I am of an age that saw him on Saturday night TV (and in Panto')  and believed him to be the character he portrayed.

There has been reflection on a further diminution of trust (like this piece from the Mirror)  and parents will worry more now with respect to their offspring - what should we think now that files from an 80's investigation have gone missing which involved the then home secretary Leon Brittan?

Back at Bill's and Walpole Park Ealing open for business

On Saturday evening we decided to make a return visit to the Bill's restaurant in Ealing it's part of a chain but we'd enjoyed our first visit in January and I fancied something with chips!

Popular food here

One of the good things about Bill's is menu - it has some variety and  the starters in particular show a little imagination, we had a Calamari and a Asparagus  both served nice and hot.

After this we went for standard burgers and skinny fries with a shared dough-nut desert plus one coffee all washed down with a bottle of house red (very fruity) it came to about £60 including the service charge -all in all not too bad these days.

Walpole Park 

The Walpole Park project in the centre of Ealing is getting near its completion and the area around the back of the house is now open to the public again, looking very pristine and tidy, the tents for the Beer festival are in evidence and the chap (or chapess) on the right seemed to be enjoying a splash around in the clean water at the back of the house.

The rear of the Manor

Having and getting the ball

Kate and Ramadan and the tragic story behind Goaloids

Well Ramadan has started and there's tremendous tensions in the Middle East after the tragic deaths of three

It's the holy month for Muslims

young Israelis, what do we need?

One thing's for sure it's not a self professed expert on all things pronouncing on her  analysis of one of the world's most thorny issue.
Step forward Kate Hopkins former 'Apprentice' contestant  to cast more noise on a situation which might be better left to others.

Why Ramadan should be perceived as being 'sinister' or causing extra problems I'm not sure - seems that world religions generally have a  requirement to make sacrifices and go without so that they can relate to the suffering in the world.

 Goaloids stands out

Beyond the small Masjid  (the Mosque above) on Sheperd's Bush Green is a public work  called   Goaloids, it's an  artwork by  Elliott Brook and  there's quite a story to go with the work.

Goaloids

Elliott  created the football inspired sculpture following a period when he was on a life support system after suffering a stroke after being in a pneumonia-related coma.

Tragically Elliott , died on Christmas Eve 2013 leaving his wife Bryony and  2  young daughters Amber and Phoebe.

Bryony  said that her husband’s death had been a complete shock as he had shown no signs of illness prior to his sudden death.

Elliott  was a devoted fan of Queens Park Rangers, who had lost the use of the left side of his boday and was subsequently confined to a wheelchair his vision was backed by the  Arts Council who awarded him a grant to create the exciting work which now stands as commemoration of him.