Ham Lands

There is no particular reason for posting another picture of Ham Lands it is just that I love the area a lot and I like to post occasional reminders of why. For me, Ham Lands is one of the defining features of the area and one of the main reasons that Ham is such a great place to live.

AL16 EJC is very selfish

The heavy mist this morning does nothing to hide this piece of horrible parking by AL16 EJC. Not only is the parking selfishly blocking the dropped kerb (that is why the double-yellow lines are there) it is technically bad too with the front wheel on the pavement and the rear sticking out into the road.

Winter sun on Ham Pond

I walk passed and around Ham Pond a lot, several times a week, and while it is undeniably interesting it is not always that attractive with areas of muddy grass and other areas where the vegetation is a little sparse for my liking. I had no such reservations this Winter evening as I caught the pond basking in the clear sunlight that, when it appears, makes this time of year so pleasing.

Progress in Cedar Heights

Cedar Heights is a little off my beaten track as it is on the boundary of the area I cover in Ham Photos and there is little purpose in walking down the road as it goes nowhere. Since early in 2016 I have made more of an effort to get there because of the new house that is going up and after a slow start it is now taking shape.

From the inner shell the house looks very traditional, boring even, which I think is a shame as there are some interesting modern houses in the road. Perhaps it will look better when the skin is added. I will be going back to see.

Parakeets feeding

I was walking from Teddington Lock towards Riverside Drive when I heard parakeets making a commotion. I looked around to see what all the fuss was about and it was only when I got to Riverside Drive that I saw that they were enjoying themselves with a bird feeder.

This was a good time of day to see them, around 3pm, as the sun while low was still bright and it shone almost directly along the path to hit the block of flats full on.

Dragon through the trees

I have walked along Ham Common and past Forbes House countless times and still I was surprised to see this dragon today. It is on the outhouse to the right of the main house.

It may be that the metal structure that it is on has some practicable purpose and the dragon is there to add decoration but this is not clear as there are flaws with both options, the structure has no obvious purpose and whimsical design is out of keeping with the rest of the fairly austere house.

This view is only available at this time of the year when the many trees around it are devoid of leaves.

I walked a little along the road to get a view without the trees in the way and the only one is this from almost dead in front which is very different as it hides the majesty of the wings.

New trees at St Richard's with St Andrew's Primary School

St Richard's with St Andrew's CE Primary School has got some new trees; lots of them. At the moment they are quite small and are dwarfed by the bamboo canes used to support them but in years to come they will turn this stretch of their grounds, alongside (appropriately) Woodville Road, into something of a forest.

Lost garden

I was both interested and worried when I saw that the front garden of this house in Petersham Road had been completely removed. Change is always interesting but I was worried that there would be little actual garden in the new design.

I was right to be worried. The garden has gone almost completely, there is only one narrow border to remind you that the front of houses used to be for gardens and not exclusively for vehicles. This is now (possibly) the most boring garden in the area.

Odd windows

These replacement windows just do not work for me. The colour is not helpful, it is neither bold nor subtle, but it is the construction that irks. The lack of any horizontal crossbars (transoms) seems odd to me.