Summer

This summer seems to go on and on like those summers of childhood that stretched into infinity. The heat has taken its toll, but as I write there is finally a little rain –which is more than refreshing. In the countryside much of what is usually green at this time of the year is pale and yellow, the vegetation dried out by weeks of sun. However, in the lakes and ponds that are dotted around in the forests surrounding Oslo, there is verdant life. These water plants seem impossibly green, almost as if they have been artificially fabricated. Against the dark blue of the water they form an attractive pattern and may be welcome rafts for insects in need of a rest. The water is probably delightful to bathe in, though on this occasion I was happy just to photograph.

Location: Oslo, Norway

Le Tour Underway!

I should have posted this one a few days ago when my favourite sporting event of the year –Le Tour de France– started, but like some of the riders, I am a little behind. However, there are three whole weeks of cycling to enjoy. Conditions in France are, of course, nothing like as severe as seen here, and (surprise, surprise) this picture is not from this week but some months ago when snow covered our city for weeks and weeks and only the brave took to cycling –skiing was much more practical. But I liked the image of the bicycle in the snow enough to keep it "on ice" until now. With our current heatwave it is almost refreshing to see a picture that has a winter theme, n'est pas? Anyway, I hope you enjoy the thrill of the Tour as much as I am, and may your bicycle always be there for you when you need it!

Location: Oslo, Norway

Italian Gardens

Right at the north end of Kensington Gardens in London you'll find this fabulous feature, an Italian Garden in the heart of London. You may be heading deeper into the park but it is tempting to stop here and go no further for though just moments away from a busy road you are in tranquil surroundings and feel yourself somehow stepping back in time as you walk around these beds and basins. The gradens were originally set out in the 1860s by Prince Albert, designed by James Pennethorne and based on the gardens at Osborune House on the Isle of Wight. The gardens were fully restored in 2011. This picture is taken towards the end of spring, early one morning when I had an hour to kill after leaving my hotel and before my onward connection left. I stumbled quite by accident into the park and was enchanted by its genteel beauty. Later, there would no doubt be more colour in the flowerbeds but the grass was green and the sound of the fountains mixed with an impressive amount of birdsong were ample substitutes. I tried to capture the atmosphere of slightly heightened wonder and magical mystery that I experienced here; the big dark trees on the left seem to have turned their backs on the serenity below, yet they too form part of the whole. Essentially, I find the image a very peaceful one.

Location: London, England