Sunday in the Pub

Another wallpaper today, and for a change, one with no people in it. To mark the English national sport ofuncontrolled alcohol consumption, an arty shot at the bar. Two glasses of Belle-Vue.

"I Has An Trout !"

Who needs LolCats when you have SlideHumans?

Scanned some more slides over a coffee break, and when I say this un, I knew it had to be today's wacky wallpaper. It's the triumphant pose contrasted with the bemused facial expression and the ...umm... interesting kitchen fittings.    There were actually quite a few pictures in this selection which featured strings of fish. Maybe next week, I'll post some more.

NB. After due consideration of the evidence, I conclude that Julie Moult is an Idiot.

Who's A Pretty Girl ?

Someone asked for pretty, so here's a pretty girl, in a pretty dress, with a pretty name. "Mildred" probably. Strangely, Mildred doesn't seem to enjoy being photographed in a pretty dress...maybe she's a tom-boy.   I wonder what Mildred's up to now...

Word of Life Inn

Mmmmm.  Religion based hotel establishments.  Frequented by religous zealots, no doubt. Tempting.   (Looks like a miserable old bat on the lowest step.)

And it looks like they're still going !  Word of Life

The Shaggy Beast of Nuneaton

...complete with fingerprint.  Beastly, innit ?

Mr Woods Remedial Woodwork Class

Nope. No idea if it really is Mr Woods, or even if it is the remedial woodwork class, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. That the photo's outside a school is undeniable - the air of depression is obvious. 

So I'm guessing that this is the bunch of lads who weren't ver good at the Three Rs, and for the school year, they laboured hard on building a little dinghy. Now, they've finished and it's time to drive it over to the local reservoir to test it. Cue some of them finding their cagoules. Notice how worried some of them are...would the Good Ship Venus actually float ?      Probably not.

NB : I'd recommend this photo be used in the gatefold sleeve for  Half Man, Half Biscuit's next album "Beverley, Hull 19620". Anyone agree ?

Kids with Creepy Dolls

The title was almost going to be Creepy Kids with Dolls, but in the end, it was the dolls that seemed creepiest to me.

Hot Day in Arizona

You can almost feel the heat. Hank gets up after a sleepness, humid night, but lethargy takes over. August in Arizona, and he doesn't even have the energy to struggle into his air-conditioned office. It's a day of sweltering on the couch, in his boxers natch, with only Rover junior for company. 

But he forgot that it was Wilma's half day, and when she returned home....she'd keep this photo for later. It could prove useful for the divorce settlement.

PS: Fine collection of pipes !

Janey loves Elvis

Today's Desktop Wallpaper, and it's a doozy !

The photo says so much about youth. Here's little Janey, the apple of her parents eye, and as was likely in the 50's, entirely under their control. Hairstyle...like mom's. Clothing....like mom's. Make-up... minimal. (Pa doesn't want here looking like a painted strumpet.) So, here's Janey, posed for the annual photograph, all prim and proper.

...and yet, there's a spark of rebellion. You can see it in her eyes, and she defies Pa by insisting on showing her support for Elvis. Ma and Pa don't like that "Race Music", but Janey doesn't care. 

I wonder what happened to Janey. Was her spirit crushed, and she settled down to be a good home-maker? Did she run off to be a groupie, before opening an art gallery in Kansas?  Who knows.

Tsar Pushka

From a box labelled "Russia 1985", here we have a picture from mid 1980's Russia. (Hey, it's not easy being creative in this blog.) Through hours of research, I've managed to identify the cannon above as "Tsar Pushka", the largest calibre howitzer in the world. Probably.

If your interested, you can learn more here.

As usual, Saturday is Wallpaper day, and tomorrows could well interest any Elvis fans out there...

The White Structure

Yes, it's competition time!   Well, poll time to be honest.

Look at the picture above, and using your skill, judgement and knowledge, decide what it is. Whatever is the most popular decison...that's what it is !

What Is It

"The Next Sketch...

...is about Reservoirs.    It's called The Reservoir Sketch."

Again, maybe it's just me but this chap makes me think of a gumby. Still, perhaps it's just... that...my...brain...hurts.

Milton, Maude and The Birdbox

Yes, it's the return of Milton and this time he's accompanied by the lovely Maude. Again, they're protecting the bird box. This time, there's a bird  using the birdbox, but it looks rather immobile, so there's a suspicion that Milton stuffs birds in his spare time.

Come to think of it, that might explain Maude facial expression.

The Crimson Flower

Sixty days in, and I'm still not famous / rich. Oh well. 

I hope I don't give the impression that I only get slides that are weird of goofy. Sure, that's what interested me most, but I do appreciate the "pretty" ones as well. Even when they are slightly dull (photographically) despite being far from dull (intensity-wise.)  Like the flower above.  Another wallpaper for you.

Pigeons in the Square

Europe, I guess, and someone's clearly impressed by the AlexandrNoddlemaierPlatz (or whatever this is), and wanted something to remind them of the fun they had feeding pigeons. Hey ho...whatever.

Worryingly, this is clearly a country where everyone is slightly diustrustful of foreign camera. Despite this being an undoctored photo, no-one is identifiable. The guy left of centre is staying anonymous by using a bucket on his head, and the girl on the left has "blacked up" to hide her identity. Very odd.

Fourteen Kids - One Family

Today's odd wallpaper - A family get-together from 19050's America.  Fourteen kids, and (I suspect) not all with the same parents, so I'm guessing that there's a big ol' family hoe-down in East Southville, West Dakota. 

By now, the kids in teh picture will be grandparents, great grandparents or even retired. I wonder what they're up to now...

A Winter Wonderland

So, while it's summery here in the Northern Hemisphere, what's it like in the Antipodes ?  Wintery, I expect, so here's a cool refreshing snowscape for you all. Admittedly, it's probably a photo from America, but who's worried about that.   I'm not sure what the odd structure on the stick is, but it appears in a few photos from this photographer.

Another desktop-sized photo tomorrow !

A man's work...

Sunny weather here is Slidesville UK, so there's always something to do in the garden. No lawn-mowing for me (lucky me) but this lad going to tire himself out.

Sunshine, hand-powered lawn-mower, large lawn and a fur hat. Thank goodness for the limitless energy of youth. (Interesting fashion statement, that hat... For some reason it makes me think of a young Wayne Coyne.)

Do You Like My Boots ?

Someone's obviously proud of their new boots.

Sunbathing Spy

Secret voyeur or artistic photographer. I dunno, but to make up for a not-too-sunny day, here's a summer picture.

Chinatown

From the look of the cars, it's more likely to beSan Francisco than Shanghai, but you an never be sure with some slides. He looks happy enough either way.

Happy Jeff

Most folk are happy to spend a day at the beach, but sometimes Happy Jeff isn't too sure about it. One look at his face and you can read his thoughts... "Kids. Damned kids."  "Great, sand in my loafers" and"Oh arse. Someone's taking my picture. Better make an attempt at a smile."

Yes, another desktop image, by popular request. (Hi, "Phil of Fullchester".)

Peek-A-Bo !

An innocent game of hide-and-seek, but we found Randy ! ( And someone called Chuck Wagon ;o)  )

Smiling - In Arran

Enforced Jollity while on holiday. In matching Arran fisherman's sweaters. Lovely. A picture possibly taken by the grandchildren whle on holiday late one summer. I bet that brings the memories flooding back.

As I'm not near a PC tomorrow, that's this weekend's desktop wallpaper. Happy ?

What the heck...?

I mean...what on earth is going on here ?  Bizarre office ritual, Amateur Dramatics photo-op or opportunistic portrait.  I have no idea. 

Royal Street Crossing.

Yup. A Ronseal picture. Does what it says on the tin. Royal Street Crossing.

Normal Service - might be disrupted for a few days, but I will be back ! In the mean-time, I'd urge you to visit Days With My Father. A bit of a downer, but worth reading. The trick is to click at the bottom of the page...

Edna - Fish out of water

You might be puzzled by the title of the post...but let me explain.

Look at the woman. Doesn't she strike you as the epitome of Edna-ness. Further, just a look at that face tells me she's a school teacher, or more precisely a School-Ma'm. OK, she could be a policewoman, but age and physique suggest not. So a teacher. Off duty, as the clothing isn't drab enough to be work clothes.

Look at the surroundings. Chrome, black leather and mirrors. It's not sleazy enough to be a gay bar, so it's a designer hotel. Something called "The Blomquist" or similar. Classy, yuppyish and stylish.

So why's Edna there?  I surmise that the MidWest Teacher's Annual Conference could book into their usual (The Downtown Hyatt Beige Hotel) so booked the Blomquist instead without much research. Waiting in the foyer for the other delegates, Edna realised that this wasn't the sort of venue she was comfortable in...like a fish out of water.

See. A pictures is worth a thousand words.

"Now, Two steps to your right..."

...I can't quite get you in the picture !"

The Swimming Pool Shot

Greetings slide fans. Today's shot actually works quite well as a PC Wallpaper.

As usual, I know nothing about the history of this shot. So you can guess the basics. Swimming pool. Money and Power. Visitors. There...nothing even remotely insightful.

What I like about this shot is that by luck or design, the photographer hasn't used flash. If he had, it would have illuminated a little more, exposing some details...and that would have spoiled it. Oh, and the mirror-smooth water surface is definitely a plus.

Badlands 1971

Sometimes I'm guilty of trying to read too much into a simple family photograph. Well, it's true, but I'm going to carry on doing it.

For example, today's desktop image is a doozy.

• Have a look into the guy's eyes, and try and convince yourself that he's not a cold-hearted killer.
• Have a look in her eyes and try and convince yourself that she's not helped him kill the owners of this pleasant suburban home.
• Try and convince yourself that they've not slaughtered the family, stolen their money, hand-gun and camera.
• Are you sure that they're not going to drive off into the sunset (in a stolen car) to start a new life as Judy and Dick Starkweather in a remote corner of Utah?

See. It can't be done. 

PS : Lovely touch, her matching shoe-laces.

Ibiza Souvenirs

From a set marked "Ibiza 1973 Easter", so probably related to the school trip photo previously posted here, we have a marvelous selection of Spanish Holiday Tat. Who wouldn't be thrilled to get any one of them as a gift from their kid's Easter Holiday, sorry, Educational Trip to Ibiza. Even now, I'm tempted to search eBay for a similar wooden wineglass.  Lovely