What was I thinking? A few weeks ago I said it never seemed to rain here anymore. Two dry springs in succession and we seemed to be heading for a third. Well all change, the day after a hosepipe ban was placed over much of the southern UK it started to rain, and it has not stopped since! This was my windscreen today, between wiper sweeps, as it continues to pour down.
Well at least you know exactly what to expect if you visit this bar!
An unusual sight outside a town house in York, but given the price of petrol these days who can blame someone for using the 'works van' for commuting........................
Far less alarming than yesterdays owls are these two grotesques set on the outside of St-Martin-Le-Grand on Coney Street. Actually I think the term grotesque does them an injustice as they look to me like two cuddly baby dragons. St Martins was a 15th century church that was almost completely destroyed by a Baedecker Raid on York in 1942. It was rebuilt in the 1960s as a shrine of remembrance for all who died in the two World Wars.
Continuing the bird theme, these two carved owls are in Rowntrees Park, overlooking the childrens play area. Not sure what the children make of them but I think they look rather scary! I can't decide if they were carved with those two sinister looking holes or if the local woodpeckers have been at work.
Although it is looking a little the worse for wear this is one of my favourite pub signs in the city. I really like the way the birds wings mirror the flames. The Phoenix, as I am sure you know, is a mythical bird that every 100 years or so sets fire to itself and emerges from the ashes to begin a new life. I can never decide if this picture shows the end of the old Phoenix's life or the emerging of the new. What do you think?
This piece of stone is in a terraced house front garden, sheltered behind metal railings. I have walked past many times without really looking at it, this time I stopped and turned back to look properly, and from this angle saw something other than just a big rock amongst plants.
