Powerless by judithg

Powerless

Well what's a girl supposed to do? How could I resist? We had a lovely covering of white on our road but by the time I'd walked Monty into town there was more of a smattering. As I set off on our walk I passed a couple with a baby in a pushchair and as they got alongside the man said, 'Good look love'. Now he could have been referring to my jaunty dress sense - I looked down and realised that I was sporting pink trousers, purple coat, purple gloves and a fairly embarrassing fluffy hat. I tend not to look at myself before I leave the house.... Or he could have been referring to the fact that I'd been rather staring at their baby who was crying and sporting neither hat nor gloves. It was snowing at the time, about -3C with considerable windchill on top and I was wondering whether to turn straight around and go home. I contemplated asking them if they thought the cigarette the mother was waving around her child's face was supposed to keep her warm but decided that she was otherwise well wrapped up and they had probably actually given it some thought and for once I would keep my mouth shut - but I spent the rest of the walk rather perturbed.
Four good things:
1. Two shots in the Top 10 - thank you lovely people!
2. My hens laid me three eggs despite the freezing weather so I'm guessing they are feeling OK.
3. Happy birthday to my lovely big sister! She was born in the freezing winter of 1963, pre-central heating, so she should be hardy enough to withstand this weather. But I hope she manages to get out and do some proper celebrating before too long...
4. @happypat is back!
I like the metaphoric nature of this shot, and the composition! I would have felt concerned (and powerless) too. Well done, hens!
January 18th, 2013  
You make a very ordinary scene in Cambridge look so fantastic. Love the bike with the rustic basket, the large front light like an eye looking at you and the people with their umbrella. FAV
January 18th, 2013  
lol oh you do make me laugh thanks for the good read Judith although after the discription of your atire i may well start calling you Penelope pitstop:) nice shot even so and congrats on top ten just off to take a look :)
January 18th, 2013  
Beautiful shot! love the warm tones and the angle at which you took this.
I get stressed out when I see a baby that doesn't look well taken care of too..
January 18th, 2013  
Love the little detail of the stone propping the wheel!!!
Have been checking your wonderful pictures posted during my holiday & I must say thank you for giving me the spirit of an English Christmas Judith!

While Christmas with the family in NZ was a warm occasion in all ways give me a good old freezing season every time!!! New Zealanders have far better things to do in their summer than make a big fuss of Christmas....I missed the atmosphere!!!
The older one gets the more critical we become & sometimes with good reason!!!!!
January 18th, 2013  
Love it... A fav...x they sound like a charming family! I have contemplated a onesie on the school run today.. With a coat over obviously.. But I bottled it...x
January 18th, 2013  
@happypat Hurrah - hello and Happy New Year Pat! We've missed you - I'm about to edit and add another good thing!
January 18th, 2013  
@welshgirl Ooooh - you should!!!
January 18th, 2013  
Fab composition. Seems very nostalgic to me.
January 18th, 2013  
Like this scene! And what a rather strange encounter!
January 18th, 2013  
Super shot. I must look for some bicycle photo opportunities! Great composition with the ultra sharp foreground and the engaging background,
January 18th, 2013  
Great pov and I love the many "layers" the shot has.
January 18th, 2013  
Three good thigs:
1.This photo (Fav)
2. Central heating
3. @happypat is back!! yeay!!
January 18th, 2013  
Love this bike pic!
January 18th, 2013  
another wonderful bike pic Judith!
January 18th, 2013  
very cool pic....i love the focus, the wetness of the street....and the people in the background. very well done!
January 18th, 2013  
Lovely shot! The umbrella is the background just completes it :)
January 18th, 2013  
@meisen325 You lovely girl!!! Thank you Monica!
January 18th, 2013  
@happypat xoxoxox!! Did you have a good time? (silly question), did you find everything ok at home?(hope so), did you take lots of pictures? (silly question).We've missed you!
January 18th, 2013  
Fantastic composition. I love the slight fluttering of snowfall, something I failed dismally to get today :os That family sounds like a delight (!) We have our fair share of similar types around here unfortunately! xx
January 18th, 2013  
Super shot Judith, nice pov - gotta be a Fav - that basket is fabulous!
January 18th, 2013  
Tim
Wonderful shot. Great dof and position.
January 18th, 2013  
Love the pov and a very entertaining story. Where's all your snow then? We've had a couple of inches here.
January 18th, 2013  
@busylady I know - as they say 'up North' 'a bit of a poor do'.
January 18th, 2013  
love the shot, your worry and the good things
January 18th, 2013  
faved this reat capture
January 18th, 2013  
Have been showing my Mom your bike shots - she loves them!!! I do too...they always make me chuckle.
January 18th, 2013  
lovely
January 18th, 2013  
Great shot Judith - it is concerning that the child had no hat and gloves. How can parents not realise that their little ones need to be kept warm? Cigarettes shouldn't take precedence over warmth for a small child and I too would worry about the little one
January 18th, 2013  
This photo has all the best stuff: bicycle, basket, snow, umbrellas, cobblestones. It doesn't get better!
January 18th, 2013  
Another wonderful photograph , love all your pic's with bikes , that's one thing in Cambridge you will never be short of , congrats on doing so well getting to the top 10
January 18th, 2013  
I like this very much... fab tones.
January 18th, 2013  
Love the sound of your outfit! I'm sure that's what the man meant! Great view up the street even though its raining and cold! I wouldn't be biking!
January 18th, 2013  
Nice bike, snow, brolly combo. Congrats on 2 top tenners as well!
January 18th, 2013  
Oh a classic Judith shot! Great bike and snow. Top 10s ever so well deserved. I have to say when I see pregnant moms or moms with babies with cigarettes, I have to resist going up to them and punching them!
January 18th, 2013  
Love your perspective. Great capture.
January 18th, 2013  
@fueast It was nothing....
January 18th, 2013  
@judithg Aw i do like a bit of false modesty :-)
January 18th, 2013  
@jgpittenger Go Jane!!
January 18th, 2013  
congrats on 2 top 20 shots - they were both beauties! Hurrah for @happypat being back...I shall go say hello! this is a nice snowy shot too - it has been SOOOOOO cold!
January 18th, 2013  
Classic shot that I'm sure you'd only find in Oxford or Cambridge.... So quintessentially British... Wonderful bike, Lucy is right about the light looking like an eye! Congratulations on TWO photos in the top 10 in the same week..... They were stunning for sure! This is a fav too.......
January 18th, 2013  
@judithg Wow thanks for that Judith I am very proud to be number 4!!
January 18th, 2013  
a super shot judith, really sharp and well composed......... nuice good thing no. 4 ..... @happypat

I sympathise with your frustration about the couple pushing a pram ...It is hard not to speak out
January 18th, 2013  
Fabulous shot.
January 18th, 2013  
Fun story that leaves me thinking... Fantastic capture. FAV.
January 18th, 2013  
Superb shot!
January 18th, 2013  
Lovely shot, nicely composed!
January 19th, 2013  
Judith, what a wonderful, peaceful shot.
January 19th, 2013  
Simply love that POV ...beautiful dof and color. Fav.
January 19th, 2013  
Love this!
January 19th, 2013  
Beautiful shot! Love the DOF.
January 19th, 2013  
Beautiful bike shot!!!! Two in the top ten deserves huge congrats!!!! Well done you!!!
January 19th, 2013  
What a lovely bunch of friends you have!! Spotted your 2 top 20s what amazing shots.clever you and why its taken me so long to follow I don't know...anyway thats remedied now!!
January 19th, 2013  
Why should you resist? Noone does the bike shots any better than you :)! Congratulations on nr. 5 and nr. 7 on the official top twenty - wohooo :)!
January 19th, 2013  
PS: That couple doesn't sound like the most amazing parents... At least a hat should have been there. And a gasmask... I'll never understand parents who smoke while a little baby is around.
January 19th, 2013  
Fantastic photo! And interesting story.....I feel a bit like you when I see little people with 'thoughtless' parenting skills!
And yes it's so good to see @happypat is back!
January 19th, 2013  
Great focus and composition, FAV!
January 19th, 2013  
beautiful shot!
January 20th, 2013  
I do so love this, reminds me of my mother-in-law who used to ride everywhere on her Raleigh bike with this kind of basket on the front. FAV
January 20th, 2013  
Fav.
January 20th, 2013  
I adore this! Fav!
January 20th, 2013  
well shot....
January 20th, 2013  
congratulations on the pix in the Top 10! This one is lovely too. I've seen a lot of littlies in buggies without mittens on the last few days and have been tempted to mutter "frostbite" the the parents as I've passed but haven't had the nerve.
January 20th, 2013  
This has to be a fave :) The comment would have had me turning for home feeling a bit self conscious, and the waving a cigarette round in a childs face would have left me down right angry!
January 21st, 2013  
I love this bike propped on wall with a pebbly street path. the hint of winter and tones......and your description of your jaunty dress sense. smile.
January 26th, 2013  
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