Sanctuary by judithg

Sanctuary

I've gone with another shot from yesterday because it had some colour in it. The side door to Great St Mary's looking very welcoming. The snow is a very lovely type but the pavements are really icy and generally it's a bit of a pain getting around! It was -10C overnight and it took Adam and me 15 min to de-ice this car windscreen this morning. I'm hoping the buses decide to get their act together tomorrow morning. Miraculously my hens laid 3 eggs again - what good girls - I was expecting to wake to frozen chicken.
Three good things:
1. Lots of eggs so chocolate cake in the oven.
2. Hens in bed, water pot emptied and disassembled, I don't have to go down the garden with a kettle of hot water to defrost it again until tomorrow!
3. MenB vaccine has been licensed. I did a bit of work on one years ago but it proved intransigent for decades. Development of rapid DNA sequencing techniques opened up whole new avenues of research and it's great to see a vaccine that works getting closer to saving lives.
I love the tones in this and the reflection of the door in the path. the snow is real ski resort type - lovely and squeaky underfoot!
January 22nd, 2013  
I like the shiny pathway and the way the bikes sort of disappear into the snow.
January 22nd, 2013  
A very grand entrance - and a side entrance at that - to this beautiful church! Love the contrast of the dark doorway and windows, and the dark wet (icy?) walkway to the door... and your trademark bicycles! Like your three good things... and I'd take a piece of warm chocolate cake! (I did celebrate with a chocolate cupcake yesterday!)
January 22nd, 2013  
Fabulous photo - great processing too :)
January 22nd, 2013  
Lovely. Really like the matching bikes either side of the gate.. Nice symmetry..
January 22nd, 2013  
lovely and well done girls for them eggs :) what did you do work wise then Judith?
January 22nd, 2013  
Love that smudge of a path, bikes either side & the little row of window at the top.
Sounds like you empty the water pot for your hens so it won't freeze over night,,,a good idea!
Must be good to see your work come to fruition!
January 22nd, 2013  
love the way you have shot/processdd this fade away foreground.......very effective........poor chicks but obviously happy chicks!! Interesting so much research going on right now,,,,,such a good thing, you obviously were quite involved?
January 22nd, 2013  
Lovely mellow, warming tones, and the dark wet path contrasting beautifully with the deep snow around the bikes. Put loads of straw in on my hens roosting area (usually just wood shavings, easier to clean out) to keep them warm but the little devils just scratched it all out of the hen house into the run!
January 22nd, 2013  
Wonderful shot.
January 22nd, 2013  
@happypat Not my vaccine work - but it's good to see others crack the problem!
January 22nd, 2013  
Great shot and you've just reminded me that I must go and empty the water that I put out for the birds otherwise it will freeze and be no better than the birdbaths!
January 22nd, 2013  
@fannyb I used to work for a vaccine development company - it was very interesting but so often the research affected by commercial constraints. I feel strongly that patent protection for pharmaceuticals should be extended otherwise we will never get drugs for things like Alzheimer's where the trial stages take years. At the moment European and US drug companies invest billions in new drugs which earn a revenue for a really short time before the Indian and Chinese generics companies can step in and make them very cheaply because the patents have expired.
January 22nd, 2013  
This is beautiful. Made me want to go watch an episode of Downton. Good news re vaccine. Tough thing to beat.
January 22nd, 2013  
@tishpics I tried screwed up newspaper around the entrance to the nestbox (where they huddle overnight) - totally flummoxed them - covered in poo in the morning. I was going to buy them some straw - won't bother now!
January 22nd, 2013  
3 very good things today! And I should jolly well hope that the hens are laying eggs to show gratitude for all the care and attention you give them!
I like the detail of the architecture in your shot, the reflections, and the way the snow obscures the bike wheels slightly and makes it look a bit 'dreamy' as well.
January 22nd, 2013  
Lovely shot. I am enjoying your three good things, too!
January 22nd, 2013  
oo yes shiney slippy lethal pavements. Avoid dog on lead at all costs!
January 22nd, 2013  
@ditto44 Finished the end of year accounts (at least the computer parts) and then did a whole load of software upgrades without (I don't think) destroying the hard drive... alright boss?!
January 22nd, 2013  
Get a garage, sorted no de-icing :D
Could be worse you can have traveled on the shambles that is greater anglia. Absolutely nothing great about them :D

And about this cake :D
January 22nd, 2013  
Love the tones in this.
-10C! Eeek!
January 22nd, 2013  
great that the chooks are thriving despite the cold! lovely to see great st mary's!
January 22nd, 2013  
@johnnyfrs Best choc cake I've ever made - bloomin gorgeous!
January 22nd, 2013  
I love the colour and shiny reflections in the pathway:) I'm very impressed with your hens too, enjoy your chocolate cake!
January 22nd, 2013  
A great shot, I too like the shiny path and the way the bikes melt into the snow. Fabulous colour to the stone. A Fav
January 22nd, 2013  
A fav. Lovley colours and pathway reflections.
January 22nd, 2013  
@judithg noSilly i wasn't have a dig i meant as in what career did you have in response to number 3 menB vaccine lol but yes you have been a good girl otherwise job wise lol
January 22nd, 2013  
Love those reflections, good news about the MenB.
January 22nd, 2013  
Tim
Great tones and colour. Love the reflection. Lovely shot.
January 22nd, 2013  
@ditto44 Oh yes - I thought one of my good thingd had been not destroying the computer! See above for Fanny. There is a diarrhoea vaccine being developed with Gates money that I did a lot of work on - so it didn't all end up on the cutting room floor :0)
January 22nd, 2013  
Nice architecture well exposed! I can't help feeling this building would look a little more imposing without the bicycles standing beside it, though. ;)
January 22nd, 2013  
that footpath looks deadly, and what great chooks you have
January 22nd, 2013  
Such an interesting building. The reflections, gate and bikes on the sides look so contradicting with the white of the snow. Nice. :)
January 23rd, 2013  
great look on this one, I like it
January 23rd, 2013  
so icily beautiful... the reflection in the walkway is amazing... really hoping it's not pure ice!
January 23rd, 2013  
beautiful capture...fav!
January 23rd, 2013  
Love the jaggedly edges of the icy pathway. No slipping!
January 23rd, 2013  
Can I come for cake?
January 23rd, 2013  
Cool capture.
January 23rd, 2013  
@judithg see above for Fanny!!!! :D nearly spat my tea out then still nice to have a laugh first thing in the morning... oh you clever thing you are there no end to your talents
January 23rd, 2013  
@ditto44 LOL - I wasn't at my sharpest last night!
January 23rd, 2013  
I love the ice in this shot Judith. Your world sounds good. :-)
January 23rd, 2013  
Nice reflections in the ice. Do take care when walking!
January 23rd, 2013  
I love the little pathway of melted snow showing the reflection and the tones are beautiful xx
January 23rd, 2013  
The snow on the railings and bikes are great against dark, wet path. Lovely door and brick colouring. Lots of great comments here to read, amusing too, it's almost like a column, love it. You are always cooking such tasty things!
January 23rd, 2013  
Gorgeous snow scene...but that icy sidewalk looks more dangerous than a mugger. :)
Excellent news about the new vaccine! Both of my girls had meningococcal vaccines before they went to college, so I'm thinking this must be for a different strain of meningitis?? Making a note to Google that.
And lucky you to have fresh eggs right outside your back door...I'm very envious!
January 24th, 2013  
Great processing to make that foreground and path look like a skating rink. Your photos could be used in travel guides, I love your style and commentary!
January 24th, 2013  
This is just beautiful with all that snow! Love those tones!
January 27th, 2013  
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