Ham Parade (south-east) in March 2012

I took a similar picture back in 2007 that is proving to be remarkably popular for reasons that I do not understand. Ham Parade has changed a lot over those five years and so I thought that it was time for an updated photo.

The new arrivals in the last five years are Wendy's Workshop, Coral, Casgoigne-Pees (new name, same estate agents), Mia Wood and Beauty by Honey.

Basking turtle

The Ham Pond Turtle has become a common site with the arrival of the Spring sun. There is a rock, next to the small island, where it spends a lot of time just looking at us looking at it.

Confused tree

This tree, resting by the side of Ham Pond, looks as though it has no idea how it is meant to grow with each branch changing direction again and again. Frankly it looks a mess. Luckily Spring is bringing fresh leaves that will hide its embarrassment.

Beauty by Honey

The space vacated by Expertravel has now been occupied by Beauty by Honey which is somewhat pink. The balloons were just there for a few days after the official opening so the shop is now very slightly less eye-catching than it was.

The shop as on the bend on the south-east section of Ham Parade so the shocking pink hits you full in the face as you turn in to the parade from Dukes Avenue, like I do most days.

Tudor chimneys

Cranmer Court tries reasonably hard to live up to its Tudor name with the common white walls with spurious black timbers and then topping the whole look off with these solid chimneys.

Windows at St Thomas Aquinas

The south-west face of St Thomas Aquinas church has an absorbing collection of neo-gothic windows that push the roof up in to exaggerated points. They are also well positioned to capture the afternoon sun that bleaches the walls to a most un-gothic white.

Sudbrook Lodge revisted

This may not be that different from some of the other pictures that I've taken of Sudbrook Lodge but I like the composition and the colour of the sky so it gets another chance to show off.

Lonely trees

The little patch of Ham Common that lies between Ham Farm Road and Church Road is searching for an identity.

To the west Ham Common is a wide open space decorated with formal lines of trees and to the east and north Ham Common Woods is a jumble of untamed vegetation. This section cannot decide which of these it wants to be and so fails to be either.

Fox House and blooms

Fox House (on Upper Ham Road) is pretty and is made prettier by the trees around it.

The early blossom is eye-catching yet its temporary beauty does not eclipse the shock of the lush green of the tree in the foreground that makes the most of having a white wall behind it.

Weathered weathervane

This weathervane is looking suitably weathered and it must be getting close to the time when some brave soul has to climb up and give it a fresh coat of paint. Until then you can see the gently rusting monument on top of one of the rabble of buildings next to Ham House on Ham Street.

A fresh look at Wiggins Lane

Wiggins Lane remains one of the brightest spots in Ham and so it is natural that it should appear in this blog from time to time even though I normally try to capture changes rather than things that have stayed the same.

First sign of Spring

Large bright swathes of crocuses sweep across Ham Village Green to remind everyone that Spring is on its way despite the cold nights that suggest that Winter is not going to go without a fight.

Still working on it

I have been following this development on the corner of Lock Road and Back Lane with interest for some time. Most of the work has been hidden behind ugly boards with only a few bits of the house peering above and around them. The little I could see was fresh bright which only made me the more keen to see the rest.

Then, one day, I walk past and find a gap in the boards that lets me see in to the courtyard, revealing some rather nice patio doors and more crisp white paint.

Colourful corner

Walking briskly down Craig Road, as I often do, I was pulled up in my tracks by a sudden shock of colour in the smallest of fertile corners beside the pavement. The sun seemed please to see the flowers too and made a special effort to highlight them for me.