The Sky's The Limit

Up with the dawn again and rewarded with this golden glow in the sky.  I was moved to go outside and photograph it - a bit cold in just my dressing gown and slippers, but luckily no neighbours to frighten in the process:-). Nice to see as the sun rises that is noticeably starting to move further round the skyline as it rises - towards the left of the picture (northwards) from the front of the house.

The view from the back of the house was pretty too.  We'll know we are getting close to something like Summer when we see the sun rising from the back of the house.

As the day got into full swing by the time I took Bella out for a stroll this morning, the clouds had come over to give a marbled effect to the sky.

This persisted all day so I didn't feel so bad about being inside teaching all day.  When I got home, I was rewarded with a tinge of sunset glow on the clouds above.

This day last year, I was back on the train to Sha Tin to teach my poor students all about Privacy and Ethics. As this passsenger had a mask on (and was therefore anonymous), I felt OK about posting his picture on the blog. Recent reports of pollution from Hong Kong and other Chinese cities are horrendous - it was certainly pretty murky nearly all the time we were there.

I missed the promised review of "Zero Dark Thirty" yesterday. An intense and quite worrying film in places - especially the torture scenes (and there was no treatment of the ethics or efficacy of torture). Good acting, lots of tension and strong action sequences as you'd expect from a Karen Bigelow film. Worth seeing overall - it certainly rendered the the capacity audience in the Little Theatre silent - no triumphalist responses (although I'd expect a more gung-ho reaction in the USA to the scene where Osama bin Laden was killed).

Fog, Gloves and Coffee

Unlike the past few days, this morning was grey and foggy with no sign of the sun.  Driving to UWE early, the traffic stopped on Lansdown and waited to get past a pick up truck recovering two cars that had been in an accident.  Luckily, no injuries to the occupants of the vehicles.

On my way to teach in Kaplan College, evidence of Marketing activities in the corridor. 

A very stylish pair of gloves. They were left next to a bicycle chained to some railings - both had disappeared later on, so maybe they were connected…

Met up with Bob and Frank for a short practice, most of which was taken up talking to students who are using the band as clients for a Multimedia project - we may get some ideas for a website from this. Afterwards, we repaired for coffe and I could not resist this shot of the happy couple, Frank and Bob (with his new haircut).

Leaving after teaching and meetings, the sun over N Block looked the best it had all day. 

Stopped at traffic lights, the setting sun put on quite a show.

This day a year ago was the first day of teaching my Hong Kong students at Sha Tin - flowers on the trees in February in the college courtyard. 

Lines in the Sky

Bright half moon in the sky last night - better picture with the flash on my new phone, which also picked out the telephone lines.

A lovely start to the day with the telephone lines against the sky from a different angle.

More lines in the sky - this time aeroplane vapour trails lit up by the morning sun.

It was a cold night, and a still cool morning with lots of frost still in evidence. 

All the detail on these leaves was picked out by the frost. 

The sign now has something to offer - in the bread-bin were some random items.

At UWE the raised platform was in action today with two people doing something with a bit of metal up high on the building. 

It was a lovely day - pity to spend so much of it indoors, but still lovely to look at. 

We're off to see Zero Dark Thirty at the Little Theatre in a few minutes, so this is a brief blog! Review tomorrow.

This day a year ago, we went across to Hong Kong island and up the Peak before coming back over the water and hanging out by the Star Ferry Terminal as the misty sun set. 

Coloured Skies

A promising start to the day with blue skies and evidence of sunshine colouring the clouds.

Out with Bella saw this reflection on a shaded wall - could not figure out where it was coming from - a nice pattern though.

A new sign has appeared, and this car is parked with appropriate regard for it. 

Great effect as the sun rose above the clouds over Bathhampton Hill. 

A day at UWE working with student groups on their assignment projects, and giving a lecture about tax (very interesting:-)!) . Enlivened by this unexpected vehicle in the car park - don't know why it was there.

In the van headed for home, realised that I had parked next to a pirate Mini Clubman…

Back at home, glanced out of the window to notice a sunset with promise for tomorrow's weather.

A proper red sky at night. 

This day a year ago, we were being tourists in Hong Kong. Walked along the Avenue of the Stars and saw lots of Jackie Chan wannabes posing with his statue. 

Picnic at Home

Another misty start to the day, but the sun soon broke through and another lovely - if cold - day followed. We had planned to go out and have a walk and picnic in the van, but ended up sitting by our cosy warm stove and eating our sandwiches there!

We did get out into the afternoon - the sun showed up our front door whcich I now declare to be art with this photograph (Neil on Symi would be proud of me!)

Even though it is cold, the lengthening days, occasional warmth and absence of rain means that signs of spring are becoming more apparent all around.

Snowdrops are good this year - everywhere we go they're popping up. 

More primroses are starting to show as well - this one on a bank of about twenty plants. 

Up at Charlcombe churchyard again, enjoying the flowers in the graveyard. 

Winter-flowering cherry in the churchyard garden. 

The daffodils are getting ready to be the next big show of flowers - St David's day soon, and they should be ready. 

A stack of laurel branches in the churchyard garden following some hefty pruning. 

On the way home looking out over Solsbury Hill and towards Box/Bathhampton. 

There's a new tagger in town! Can't decipher what it's meant to be, mind you.

This day a year ago, after hours of flying we'd touched down in Hong Kong to enjoy the spectacle of the nightly lights display from our hotel room. 

Mist/Fog and Marking

After the past couple of day's bright skies, it was too much to hope for that today would be bright as well. Mist/fog (depending on which web site you consult) was the order of the morning.

One benefit of the mist/fog was being able to spot this cobweb down by the old public toilets. 

 A newly patched piece of road complete with newly painted short strip of road marking.

Later on in the afternoon, the mist/fog cleared to finally produce some blue skies. By this time I was well into a stint of marking essays which took me into the evening.

Su took Bella out for a walk in the sunshine while I wielded the electronic version of a red pen.

This day a year ago, we were at Bristol Airport having a coffee while we waited for the first flight of our trip to Hong Kong. 

The Ides of February

Another day with blue skies - I could get used to this! I walked down to Larkhall to pick up the van and appreciated the view over towards Solsbury Hill.

Saw these croci looking gorgeous in the sunlight.

St Saviours church looking grand against the sky.

Later on, we went off into the countryside - saw this oldcar on the way.

Our destination - the newly refurbished Warwick Arms at Clutton (where we used to live).

We met up with Richard and Barbara for lunch. Afterwards we went out to admire their just purchased, new-to-them car. Su took this photo of me by the numberplate (my 61st birthday is next week...)

Richard in the driving seat trying to dfigure out all the new-fangled controls while Su and Barbara say their farewells. As usual, I am reflected in the car window.

Back home, it was time to go out with Bella and admire the skies some more.

 We went up to Charlcombr churchyard, where the snowdrops are in full flower.

The first primroses I have seen this year.

Spotted this in a hedge - the first official geocache I have ever seen.

These signs have reappeared on the posts on Charlcombe Lane - not seen any amphibians yet, but all it takes is some rain and they'll be coming down the hill for mating…

 Hopeful sign for tomorrow's weather with this red sky.

This day last year, Ben & Lena came down for the day bearing presents for my birthday the following week (when we would be in Hong Kong) - and I had another unexpected surprise of this lovely cake.