I love these plant pots on Portugal Place - it's a shame they've been battered by rain but as a 'diary photo' it's fitting! We finally have sunshine in the forecast but the rain isn't leaving without a fight. It's not actually the rain that's bothering me so much as the lack of light. Anyway - Portugal Place leads from the town centre to Jesus Green and I wasn't planning on going that way today because the standing water on Jesus Green is starting to smell very unpleasant. Monty, however, knows the route home via the park very well and always turns off down Portugal Place and looks very disappointed (as only a spaniel can) when we don't go home by that route - so I succumbed! There is a 'no bikes against the railings' sign next door to this house that is written only in Latin and Greek (on the assumption that if you can't translate one you'll obviously be able to translate the other!!) I'd love to be able to make an artistic photo out of it but I haven't managed yet - maybe I'll lean a bike against it sometime. The blue sign in the window is part of a project conducted a few years ago by the children at Park Street Primary School - a small Victorian school around the corner. They researched the census of 1091, identified the 1901 residents living in the houses around their school and gave the current occupants 'blue badges' to display in their windows. William Rambold 'Bookseller' lived in this one. Most of the signs have been taken down now but I seem to remember that many people were shopkeepers like this - they are big houses largely and some of the women were lodging house keepers reflecting the fact that the students had to move out and live with landladies for most of their time at Cambridge. One day when I win the lottery I'm going to move to Portugal Place - it's all pedestrian, hopeless for vehicle access but I love it!
When I first glanced at this I was expecting to see a bike against the railings . If you win the lottery & move to Portugal maybe you would alloow bike's ??
Why on earth would you take down a lovely blue sign saying who lived in your house all those years ago...I would love it!! A very simple but pretty way of bringing some colour, doesn't take much does it? I hope you get into that street one day!!!
How are the Karate contestants doing?
@happypat Oooh Pat - they have been competing since 5pm our time (if things kicked off on time). No news yet - I'm very nervous!! I don't know why some have been taken down - some are college houses so maybe the cleaners just took everything down at the end of the academic year - it was great when they all went up so I hope they do it again.
@happypat It's awful!! I have to worry about both of them but I would love Rachel to get something for her 18th. She's in a really tough group though - 2nd Dan blackbelt 17-23 yrs I think. The girls are really at their prime at that age and it will be a very large group. And the GB team has done very well taking away big prizes recently which I'm afraid has made some of the non-GB judges take a rather harsh approach. I've had to eat quite a lot of chocolate.
I really like this pic and enjoyed the info too. I know what you mean about the lack if light. Thats the thing that has always bugged me about British weather. Hope you have some nice sunshine soon :)
I was thinking when I saw the thumbnail of this that it was a rather pedestrian shot for you. Then I enlarged it and read your blurb and saw the "no bikes please" sign. I laughed out loud. Pedestrian indeed.
Like the shot but think flowers in pots could be a bit better colour coordinated to match or contrast with pots themselves. Can you leave a note or the on my behalf please?
Oh I love this, first of all it's a window, always intriguing, it's got colourful plant pots, nice railings on sill and pavement, and the bonus is the blue plaque and other little notice! Telling who used to live in houses is such a brilliant idea. I used to research the history of houses for people through the archives and the census information is always fascinating and often surprising. All in all a very successful shot!
I love this shot, the symmetry of the pot plants, railings, even the window frames, and then the interest of the notices. How fabulous to know who lived in your house 'once upon a time'!
Just been looking back at photos I've missed and found this. I've already read one about you family medals (big congrats!) so you needn't have fretted so! Love this little cameo of a house. I like the fact that nothing matches and what a brill idea about the census stickers! i work with census info everyday and find it totally fascinating!
July 23rd, 2012
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How are the Karate contestants doing?
Cool composure and shot