Snowfall at first light is an uplifting sight. The cold weather is welcome and the snow creates idyllic winter scenes. The long range weather forecast was predicting snow and the BBC weather watchers were getting very excited. On the night when the snow fell, pictures were flooding my social media feed as people ventured out to see the first flakes. I did not get drawn into going out as for me too cold! I would wait for the first light of the morning.
The classic view of Knowle High Street in the Snow
Walking through the park and already there were several snowmen. My goal was to get to the village highstreet and take what is for me the classic view up towards the shops. I used both iPhone and my Canon cameras to take the picture. The iPhone picture was uploaded immediately to the BBC weather watchers page.
Looks a touch cold for Bikinis.
My next goal was the red pillar box and telephone box. The bright red contrasts well with the white snow and I spent several minutes photographing them. I went onto take pictures of Knowle Parish Church which dates to 1400 and always looks wonderful when snow has fallen. The Grand Union canal passes by Knowle and the large flight of locks was built to negotiate the hill. Knowle is an old English word for hill. The landscape around the locks was enhanced by the beginning of a sunset. The colours were short lived and when present lifted the landscape.
Knowle Church and the Guild House in the Snow.Knowle Village sign with the church and Guild house in the background.Knowle locks in the snowSnowman in Knowle Park
The cold weather was now taking its toll and I headed home for a hot cup of coffee. On the way back I found out from friends that my picture of Knowle High Street had been shown by Matt on Breakfast TV. This news made my trip worthwhile.
My snowfall picture of Knowle on BBC Breakfast time.
This is my 500th blog post — a remarkable milestone in my blogging journey. I first began writing my blog on this website on 27th December 2016, although my experience with online storytelling stretches back much further. Since 2006, I ran a work blog for the School of Dentistry, and even before that, in the early nineties, I was exploring websites and digital storytelling. I have always enjoyed keeping a diary of photographs, recording important years and events alongside my images. Social media gave me the opportunity to bring words and photos together, sharing my personal blog reflections and photographic stories with a wider audience. Now, 500 posts later, I am still passionate about blogging.
My first post in December 2016 and included this reflection of one of the entrances to the then recently opened New Street station. I was very proud of this picture and is one of my trademark reflections. I still come here to take pictures as you can get many varied and interesting street photography views.
Watching the sun set whilst sitting on the edge of Stanley Park
Post 100 – I was at a conference in Vancouver in July, 2019. On one of the evenings, I went out to Stanley Park and sat with many other local residents to see the Sun set. The experience was memorable and the picture does not fully convey the atmosphere of the evening.
Red post and telephone box in the snow
Post 200 – January 2021 and we had lived through Covid19 but we were still in one of the many lockdowns. Luckily waking up one morning, I saw that it had snowed. My village, Knowle, is very photogenic and the red postbox and phonebox stand out against the white background.
The interior of St Margaret’s Church, Ward End, Birmingham.
Post 300 – The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham was a magical time and there was so much going on. There was an art project called “Keys to City” which open locks around Birmingham. I visited several venues with my key. This is St Margaret’s Church, Ward End, Birmingham. No longer a church, the place is a community centre. What was special about the Church were the stained glass windows which were created by pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones.
A view along Smallsbrook Queensway.
Post 400 – The Ringway Centre which is to the right of the picture is earmarked to be demolished. There is opposition to this proposal and therefore the bulldozers are so far silent. The planners wish to take down what they say is a building with concrete sickness and replace it with new shiny residential towers. I am unsure if this is progress but we wait and see what the outcome will be.
Knowle sunrise in September and featured on BBC Midlands today weather.My picture on BBC Midlands today – note the spelling of Solihull.
Post 500 – This is Knowle Park on a cold Tuesday morning in September. The figures walking along the path are entering the mist with the fiery sunrise beyond the trees. This was featured by Shafali Ozer on the BBC weathers. I always receive kind comments on social media when a picture is featured.
So we have reached 500 posts and I would like to thank James Kelly, who has been instrumental in setting up my website back in 2016. Little did we know back then that this blog would still be thriving 500 posts later. My very first post was about Birmingham Gems, an annual calendar at that time featuring my photographs. That first image, the entrance to New Street Station with ceiling reflections creating a surreal scene, remains one of my proudest photographs.
Finally, thank you to all my readers over these 500 posts. Some of you may have joined for just one or two views, whilst others have followed the entire blogging journey. I appreciate every single reader.
Here is to many more blog posts, more photography inspiration, and perhaps even a few books drawn from the stories I have shared over the years.
The dull and gloomy weather over Christmas has led to several fog-drenched mornings, which have lingered throughout the day. For photographers, such conditions are ideal for adding atmosphere to compositions. I set off towards Baddesley Clinton, where the presence of the canal network generally guarantees fog. I drove to Hay Wood but stopped by the entrance to Baddesley Clinton on the way to take a picture of the tree-lined entrance. Another good spot is the public footpath on Netherwood Lane. Here, the line-up of trees with a hedge is the perfect location for a sunset picture in the summer. In the winter, the branches add different shapes to the landscape. The fog provided an eerie landscape.
Windows in the fog. (Footpath off Netherwood Lane, near to Baddesley Clinton.)Entrance to Baddesley Clinton with dog walker.
Hay Wood has featured in my blog over the years. There are several places in the woods that I like to visit. In spring, there is one area with a carpet of bluebells, and I wondered how it would look in the fog. I brought my tripod with me, and most of the pictures were taken using a long exposure setting, especially in the woods where the light was poor. There was some colour from the remaining leaves. The last few pictures show the oranges and greens of the wood.
Dancing Branches in the foggy landscape.Trees standing in the fog.Colours of winter in Hay WoodOrange and green colours in the woodland.
I am pleased that the pictures worked out because I got a flat tyre on the way back and had to wait two hours for the recovery man to arrive. However, I was soon back home editing the pictures. You will see that I varied my black-and-white treatments, either adding a high-key effect or using lots of contrast.
The Escape route, Hay Wood.
These are my settings for each of the pictures, tripod used where stated:-
The Escape Route f/11, 0.4s, ISO 100 – Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 70-200mm – Tripod Windows in the fog. f/11, 0.3s, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 70-200mm – Tripod Entrance to Baddesley Clinton F/5.6, 1/125, ISO 320 – Fujifilm x100vi Dancing branches. f/11, 1s, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 24-70mm – Tripod Trees standing in the fog F/5.6, 1/125, ISO 320 – Fujifilm x100vi Colours of winter F/5.6, 1/100, ISO 2000 – Fujifilm x100vi Orange and green F/11, 0.5s, ISO 125 – Fujifilm x100vi – Tripod
As I mentioned Hay Wood has featured before in my blog and the landscape is transformed in Spring
Like many people, I stayed indoors during Storm Darrargh. During the night the wind was intense and our local social media was full of posts about trees coming down. In the Midlands, we received a battering but this was nowhere near as severe as that experienced by those living on the west coast of the UK.
A tree blocks a footpath.
Sunday morning and I was up early for a walk with the dog. Knowle park has many old trees around the periphery and these had taken the brunt of the storm. I counted well into double figures the number of trees and large branches that had been thrown around not only across the park but also over some of the main roads. Solihull council had been very busy during the night and had already tidied up some of the worst damage that had affected the main roads.
A large tree uprooted in the park
These are just a few of the pictures I captured during my morning walk. After the storm, there was a beautiful sunrise which contrasted against the damage that had taken place the night before.
Sunrise after Storm Darragh.
Fortunately, there were only trees that had fallen. However, as you can see, one person’s car was not so fortunate.
A fallen tree has been cut up revealing damage to a parked car.
Knowle park has some amazing weather during the seasons and the following blog shows an August morning in 2020 after thunderstorms.
I am very fortunate to live within a few miles of two outstanding National Trust properties. Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton are within walking distance of each other and during the summer I visit them on my bike. Both houses have different charms. Baddesley is a moated house in a picturesque setting. The gardens are well laid out and are fantastic to see in the summer months when they are in full bloom. Packwood house is charming and whilst it does not have a moat, there are other unique features. Packwood has the amazing topiary called the Sermon on the Mount and a walled kitchen garden where one can follow the changes in the vegetation during the year. There is little to choose between the two houses.
The moat around Baddesley Clinton.
This Christmas both houses have upped their game and have really gone to town with their decorations. You would almost think that there is a competition between the two properties on who could put on the better display. Looking on the web, I realise that the majority of the National Trust properties enjoy putting up their decorations. This story of Christmas between these two houses is reenacted up and down the country.
Visiting Packwood each December is a delight and this year the house looked very Christmassy inside. Each room of the house has a Christmas tree. The larger Christmas trees are naturally in the bigger rooms. The Entrance Hall Christmas tree is decorated with handmade decorations and has a commanding presence. The three adjacent rooms each with their own Christmas tree are set up for welcoming guests to dinner in the 1920s. The place settings and the arrangement of the food on the table is carefully choreographed.
The tree in the Entrance Hall at Packwood.The room is set for a 1920’s Christmas dinner.One of the many Christmas trees at Packwood.
When photographing National Trust properties, I always look for the small things and those details that you miss whilst looking around the room. I am naturally drawn to the bigger view and as I entered each room, your eyes quickly alight on the brightly lit Christmas trees. The polished wooden floors reflect the light from the trees. For inside photography, I use my iPhone15 as the sensor quickly picks up the colours in the low light. I did try and use a long exposure setting with my compact camera but there were too many people moving around in a small space. Plus the volunteers do become worried when you bring out the tripod even though it is a small travel one.
Hand made decorationsPretty paper wheels.Baubles Dinner table settingReady for the ball.Beautiful tree.
Packwood has one room off the Long Gallery, that is set up with a minature town scene with skaters on white icelike flooring. As the picture shows the lighting effect in the darkened room produces a magical effect.
A magical scene at the foot of this Christmas Tree.Details of the sceneThe Christmas Tree.
The Long Gallery has two more Christmas trees and the final room has a long narrow decorated table that leads to another impressive tree. I counted 8 trees in all (I could be wrong). Along the way there was a story being told as the place was set up for a Christmas masquerade ball.
Dressed for the ball.Some beads in your tea.Baby its cold outside.The Christmas Tree in the Long Hall.
I did enjoy visiting the house, however, the place I loved the most was the kitchen garden. Here the old tree near to the entrance was decorated with all types of decorations. The afternoon light shimmered on the shiny lanterns. Many of the decorations like those in the house were hand made. There was continuation of the skating theme on the potting shelves.
Entrance to the Kitchen Garden.Skates on the potting shelves.Lantern in the tree.A beautifully decorated tree.
My Verdict on Packwood. The house is amazing with the Christmas trees that enhanced the beauty of the old building. The best part of my visit was viewing the outside tree in the Kitchen Garden.
Baddesley Clinton is fully prepared for Christmas. As you pass through the shop into the courtyard you, a Christmas tree awaits you. Before entering the house, I walked along the garden paths and loved the large, big red ribbons and the decorations of the summer house with the story of the Holly and the Ivy.
Lovely red ribbons.
The larger sloping greenhouse on the garden wall had orange slices hung up as decorations and there were pomanders (oranges with cloves) adorning the ceiling. Recipes for making mulled wine and smoking Bishops were available. I love the name of Smoking Bishop for an alcoholic drink. The walled garden and the vegetable growing areas were being prepared for winter by the gardeners and my time slot for the house entrance was due.
Decorated Greenhouse.PomandersMulled wineHolly and the IvyThe decorated entrance.Entering the garden and house.
The walk through the house was a Christmas tour de force. The kitchen was getting ready for a grand feast. There was a Christmas card display to browse over before entering the grand Christmas tree by an open fire in the Great Hall. The downstairs rooms were a delight to visit with preparations for dinner and carols being many of the activities being featured.
Christmas time by the fireplace.DecorationsRed and white bowsGingerbread manTable set for a feast.
Upstairs the first two rooms were all ready for Christmas presents to be delivered. Lady Chatterton’s Bedroom on the corner room overlooking the orchid was beautifully laid out and included a decorated tree. The next room was the Great Parlour and there was a spectacular frieze of children skating. This had the wow factor. There were two Christmas trees, children skating on the ice and little owls watching the proceedings. The final room had a frieze of a family singing carols. In the room, the exhibit I found most interesting was of the glass ornament that had a model of the house in a large jar.
This display had the Wow factor.Hand made decorations.A snowy owl hidden in the tree.Christmas StockingLady Chatterton’s Bedroom
After such an exciting visit to the house, I retired to the cafe and had a Turkey Bap with trimmings. This was a Christmas dinner at a reasonable price. Another highlight of my visit to the property.
My delicious Turkey Bap in the Stables restaurant.
My Verdict on Baddesley Clinton. Great food, some wonderful ideas put into practice with the decoration of the rooms and a garden ready for Christmas.
So two houses, giving two versions of Christmas, lots of trees, decorations, and food. Which of the two properties is better prepared for Christmas? I would recommend visiting and if you read this at a later date, my answer is that they both have captured the Christmas Spirit in a brilliant manner.
Thanks must go the National Trust employees and the volunteers whose industry at Christmas and throughout the year make these properties such fun places to visit. If you enjoyed this blog then I do have other entries of my visits to National Trust properties around the area. Click on this link to find all my visits.
I visited Packwood House at Christmas in 2021 and if you want to see what they did back then, the blog is below.
You may have heard the news that there was a Coronation taking place in May. An event that has never happened for 70 years. The excitement was everywhere and it was not difficult to get caught up in what was happening over the weekend. My village Knowle is very active and keen to promote community based events. The place is very friendly and since moving here from the North West nearly 40 years ago, there has always been a community get together around major events. For the Coronation weekend the plan was to close the High Street for a day and let the community reclaim the streets. This event took place last year with the Queen’s platinum Jubilee and plans to repeat this successful venture were made for the King’s Coronation.
Crowds on the High Street.Market Stalls.Take a look at this flavour.The Mayor of Solihull learning that King Charles may have arrived.Judy the village crier.
Visit Knowle were the champions of this Royal Coronation High Street celebration. As I walked the dog around early on the Bank Holiday Monday, the High Street was already closed and the contractors were putting up the stands and the stage. The weather forecast was not great and there were a few drops or rain around. I returned to the High Street at 11.30am to find it crowded and the party in full swing. The stalls were doing great business and many of the shops were open as well. The Mayor of Solihull was present plus a guest cardboard cutout of Charles III. The stage was in regular occupancy with all acts getting in a rendition of God Save the King somewhere in their routine. The idea of throwing a football into a toilet bowl attracted a lot of attention plus there were many other things to do. I did not get chance to go up the Knowle Church Tower or visit the inside display. There was just too much going on. Many people posted photographs and searching through the local social media sites confirms the success of the Celebrations and shows events that I missed.
Are you ready for “God save the King”?The stage is the big draw for the crowds.The Church grounds are being put to good use.We have toilets and we have balls. What games shall we play?My aim is true.Let’s do some stargazing.Which way?Stamps in a shop window.Time for a cuppa.This cup of tea is most welcome.If there are no cars, then let’s sail a boat down the High Street.Someone in the picture is not happy!Knitted Camilla to knitted Charles, “How many times have we been photographed today”
I spent a good hour and a bit wandering around, meeting people I knew and enjoying taking photographs of the fesitvities. Oh and did I mention the weather? Well there was no rain when I visited and it held off for most of the day. How would we cope if there had been sunshine?
A painted flag.
Epilogue – I won a basketball shirt in the basketball raffle winning a black top and red vest. A good result of the day. Pictures to follow.
You may like to see how the High Street looked last year during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The snow came in March and for many it was wonderful to see. The snow fell midweek and the majority of schools stayed open. Not much time to get the slides out for some toboganning. The snow was great for taking photographs. In the evening rush hour through the village, I found that my iPhone enabled me to get some atmospheric pictures. Headlamps and snow flurries against the old buildings is a good mix for composition.
Early evening snowfall in the Village.
In the morning, the scenery was bright and white. More snow had fallen overnight and I went out again with my camera. The trick with snow pictures is to crank up the exposure compensation so as to counteract the camera wanting to underexpose. On the iPhone the Camera+ app allows you to adjust the exposure setting. Several of the pictures in the Nature area of the park worked really well.
The park with a blanket of snow.Knowle park in the Snow.Framed by the snow.The outlines of trees I the snowSnow on the bushesPath through the Nature Reserve.Christmas card scenes in the village.
I also took some pictures of the High Street. We have a red letter box and telephone kiosk. The colours set against the white snow work really well. I was also very lucky that several villagers decided to wear red that morning. The colour co-ordination made for some very good pictures that proved very popular on my social media feed.
Knowle Church with snowVisit Knowle sign covered in snow.The red colours stand out in the snow.More snow scenes in Knowle
I hope you enjoyed these pictures and now let us hope that spring returns in the following weeks.
A lone tree covered in snow.
Here are some pictures from 2017. Looking back, I should have done some better adjusting of the exposure settings but even so they show the village show bound
Taking part in the @24hoursproject did challenge me in my photography. I learnt about it from a fellow photographer who also happened to be the UK ambassador for the project. When Anu told me about the project then I just had to get involved. After registering and donating to the designated charity, I got ready for the day. The charity chosen by the 24 hour team was supporting the work of Yonton Te which means “heart of the tree”. The donations will go to a local community in Chapas Mexico and the website provides more information on this worthwhile cause.
Hours 1 to 4
The theme of the 24 hours was to document the general human condition with emotions of love, humour, sadness, joy, fulfilment, pain, loneliness). As you will see from my photographs, I strayed away from the brief. This was not my intention but I was so focussed on getting a picture done once an hour that I forgot about the theme. Reviewing the photo feed of the project, many people went into their local cities, whilst I decided to base my 24 hours around my life at home. You will see that my first 8 hours evolved around sleeping and my breakfast. Also there were not many people stirring in Knowle village early on a Saturday morning.
Hours 5 to 8
At 10:00 am I went into Birmingham. By chance, my train driver was Yo Naysan, a fellow photographer. As the train pulled in he stuck his head out of the driver’s window and said hello. On arriving into Birmingham, I met up with Anu and her partner Kate and wandered around the city. I photographed the PoliNations display in Victoria Square, the Library of Birmingham, Gas Street Basin and the University of Birmingham, Exchange. There were people queuing for the book of remembrance for the Queen.
Hours 9 to 12Hours 13 to 16
Many of these are linked to tackling climate change and foolishly I did not take pictures of people. However in my outtakes I did and you will see many of these were fun pictures. Driving back home I pondered my contribution to the 24 hour project and took several pictures in the village at night. To recap, the main aim for this project was to experience 24 hours of pictures and see if I was able to complete the task. I succeeded in this task next year will be able to tackle the project in a different way as I know what to expect.
Hours 17 to 20Hours 21 to 24
And just for fun here are my outtakes of the day.
Selfie at PoliNationsWatching table tennisBirmingham TramThree’s a crowdAlright Bab
Our street held a Jubilee street party. We have a strong neighbourhood community and this is led by Denise Jowitt and Kattalin Martin. A Whatsapp group formed before the day and plans were laid. On the Sunday morning of the Platinum Jubliee, there was rain and so much was falling it looked unlikely that a street party would get started. At 2pm people emerged out of their houses. Tables and chairs were set up and a line of Gazebos assembled. All the cakes were displayed in one neighbours’ garage and then the food and drink were consumed. Songs were sung including Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem. It was still cold and damp but the residents pressed ahead with the competitions. There was a Jubilee quiz with each house asking 5 questions. Then the cake competition was voted upon and won by our newly arrived Ukrainian family. The winner was the splendid cake with sliced strawberries on it. Next up were races along the street and these included an egg and spoon race, musical chairs and a balloon held between the knees race.
It may be cold and raining but we are having such fun!A line up cakesThe cake winner was made by our Ukrainian familyAt the end of the street is a street partyGetting ready for the balloon raceThe egg and spoon raceDavid is dressed for the occasion Kattalin gets the quiz movingServing the trifleReady for tea with the QueenScott serving teaBringing chairs and food to the party
In spite of the weather everyone had a lovely day and we went back to our houses to warm up! We had lovely memories and the street party was even mentioned in the Solihull Observer.
Solihull ObserverStreet Party Platinum Jubilee, Knowle
The High Street in Knowle village closed on Saturday 4th June during Jubilee weekend. Several drivers were not pleased that cars were stopped from passing through Knowle. They were diverted around the High Street but that did add 5 minutes to their journey! The car drivers’ loss was the community’s gain. At 10 o’clock as soon as the road was closed, the artesian market went up. There was just one problem the rain came along at the same time and stayed for the duration of the morning. From all accounts people thought that the day going to be a washout.
The Queen is Knitted out.Jacques restaurant went to town with the decorationsColourful decorations at Caroline Bramley Dress ShopElderberry Blacks table settingMarie Curie with the dress design from the local schoolCarly’s shop window
I did not venture into the village until 2pm and by then the rain had stopped. It also brought out the people and the festivities were kickstarted again. The high street was buzzing, and the artisan market was in full swing. It was fun just to wander up and down the high street, stand on the zebra crossing and linger at the different stalls. This is what celebrating the 70th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II is all about, doing something different.
The High Street is closedKing Charles or William?Lots of funHelter-Skelter in the Church Throw the ball into the lavatory No cars just lots of stalls
Highlights of the afternoon included throwing footballs into lavatories. At first the children lined up to have a go. After a while many of the dads decided to have a go. There were not much better than their siblings, but it was still amusing to watch. The area around the Church was transformed and where there was green grass and a nicely manicured path, on this Saturday there was a helter-skelter, market stalls and lots of people enjoying themselves.
Panda outside Marie Curie Charity ShopThe Police having funDressed for the occasion. The Queen looks onBusy at Eric Lyons BBQEven the dogs were showing off
I took many pictures during the afternoon and luckily met a few people I know who let me take their pictures. Visit Knowle made a video of the day with some of my pictures being featured. I hope the Village do this on a regular basis as the event did bring the community together.
Usually this is a quiet picturesque scene.
The event was to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Jubilee team (Arden Academy, Arden Parent & Teachers Association, Knowle and Dorridge Lions, Knowle Parish Church, Knowle Society, Knowle Village Hall Association, Love Knowle Park & Visit Knowle) came together to produce the programme of events. If you want to know more then the event is covered on the Visit Knowle website
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
