Ice Cream Van Briggate

Picture of an iced cream van on Briggate, Leeds.

Amongst my many talents, most of which I have yet to discover, I can spot an interesting ice cream vendor at some distance. waling along Briggate a couple of days back I saw a nice old fashioned ice cream van.

This ice cream van was no ordinary van it was packed with rather nice proper ice cream, none of your modern gloop.

Kate whose baby this beauty of an ice cream van belongs to normally resides at the seaside, in Morecambe. For a few days this week this little bit of the seaside came to Briggate in the heart of Leeds.

Yes I did buy a couple of cones of real ice cream and very nice it was too, on two different day. I have some friends with an ice cream boat on the canal here in my bit of Yorkshire and they too serve real ice cream.

Union Jack Flowerbed

Picture of union jack flowerbed Leeds.

I noticed this flowerbed laid out with the flowers in the colours of the union jack (or union flag) whilst heading into Leeds city centre a few days back.

With the olympics almost here there has been this year a real surge in the number of flags on display. I think personally that it is unfortunate that most of the bunting and smaller flags are made from plastic, urghh! That said I was pleased to see this nice organic flag. The flowerbed is cut into a slope that is not itself straight, so the size is quite deceptive. I measured it rather crudely by walking it out, its about 30 feet by 20 feet, thats really feet and mine are size 10.

Having traveled into Leeds on the bus so I could get out and walk to this place I could not take a ladder with me to get some height and a better perspective. The flowerbed is just along from the hotel Ibis on Kirkstall Rd.

Leeds Pétanque

Picture of Pétanque being played in Bond Court, Leeds.

I have walked through Bond Court in the Business district of Leeds so many times since I first started this photo blog. One thing I had always wanted to see, I saw yesterday, people playing Pétanque (or Boules) in Bond Court, Leeds.

I have played this game, but not for many years and only ever when I have vacationed in France.

This years sees the 15th Annual Petanque tournament played at Bond Court in Leeds city centre. The teams play for the ColliersCRE Cup, with the games being played at lunchtimes.

There is a nice bronze sculpture, by Roger Burnett, depicting a French petanque player and some spectators overlooking the playing area. I have photographed these statues a couple of times but really wanted to see people actually playing the game here.

Bug Identification

Picture of a mystery bug.

In keeping with my post about National Insect Week yesterday here is another insect photo.

I saw this bug sitting on a barbed wire fence a few days back and thought it looked interesting. I had no idea what kind of bug it is, so I posted it on Wild about Britain a short while ago. A few minutes have passed and there it is someone has answered my question, what kind of bug is this? It is a Forest Bug nymph, Pentatoma rufipes.

So if you see a strange looking insect, bird, wildflower, tree or just about anything wild here in the UK the nice people on Wild about Britain (WAB) will be very helpful. It is much simpler to ID an insect if like me you post a photograph on WAB.

National Insect Week 2012

Picture of a bee to mark National Insect Week.

Today 25 June is the start of National Insect Week which is organised by the Royal Entomological Society.

Perhaps the most famous member of the Royal Entomological Society is Charles Darwin. The member that I most associate with the society is the late Miriam Rothschild, a member of the banking who whilst she had a distinct lack of a formal education became an expert on the subject of fleas. Miriam Rothschild became perhaps the foremost amateur entomologist of her generation.

These days you would have to work in a zoo or the wild to study the larger mammals like lions and tigers. This is not at all the case with entomology, the study of insects, you could probably study this subject in a garden shed.

More information about events and activities can be found on the national insect week website.

To mark this week I had been out and about over the last week or so to try and get a decent picture of an insect. The result of my effort is the above picture of a bee taken on a flower in Headingley, Leeds.

Wild Mushrooms

Picture of wild mushrooms in Yorkshire.

Had someone asked me I would have said that it was perhaps a little early for wild mushrooms here in Yorkshire and I would have been wrong.

By chance today I was chatting to a friend when someone he knew came up and asked if he would like some more wild mushrooms. He then produced some Chicken of the Woods which he gave to my friend and he was then kind and offered me some oyster mushrooms.

You can see some of the oyster mushrooms that I was given in the above photograph. I put a few onto a plate just for effect.

Rainy Day in Leeds

Picture of poppy flower in the rain at Leeds.

Yesterday here in Leeds it rained for much of the day.

Jacobs Closes

Picture of the Jacobs camera store on Albion Street, Leeds.

I am not sure how but this story slipped by me and I only noticed it when I walked by the Jacobs camera shop on Albion St in Leeds city centre a couple of days back, and discovered it had closed. When I say closed I do not mean they had closed early for staff training but rather there was a notice on the window from the administrators.

Cecil Jacobs founded the company back in 1939 as a chemist shop in Leicester, later he started selling cameras. Cecil's son joined the business in 1975 and moved the company towards photography which was his passion. More recently the business expanded to 19 stores, employing 154 people.

There was a Jacobs photographic shop here in Leeds on Albion Street and I had been in there quite a few times. I had bought several bits of gear in the shop, a brolly, a case for my heavy duty tripod amongst others. I change lenses quite often and had I think a real problem with dust in my Canon 5D and the Jacobs manager was really helpful showing me how to clean the sensor with an Arctic Butterfly® brush.

I found the Jacobs employees passionate and knowledgeable about photography and invariably helpful. A few days back the administrators closed all the Jacobs stores, bar the one in Leicester which will remain open in the short term to handle stock clearance. Personally I think this is quite a blow for serious and not so serious photographers here in the UK. You try getting someone from Amazon to show you in person how to do something But more than that it is the employees, the people that have now lost their jobs that I am sorry for and I hope that they find something soon.

The above shot I kept wider that I might have to show that the premises next door is also a retail opportunity as it say in the window.

Duke of Wellington - Leeds

Picture of statue of Wellington on Woodhouse moor, Leeds.

Walking back across Woodhouse moor I passed the bronze statue of the Duke of wellington. The statue of the hero of Waterloo Arthur Wellesley was erected in the square in front of Leeds town hall in 1855. However it was boarded up until Queen Victoria came to Leeds in 1858 to open the town hall.

Later in 1937 the square was redesigned and the statue of the Iron Duke as he was known was moved to its current position on the edge of Woodhouse moor.

Leeds Bowling Green

Picture of grass cutting at the bowling green Woodhouse Moor, Leeds.

This bowling green on Woodhouse Moor was opened by the mayor of Leeds in May of 1906. Bowling on grass hereabouts is quite a popular pastime, but I think that its heyday is long past.

All over the city the grass cutters are out I have seen several city employees riding larger mowers but this man was using the smaller walk behind and steer type.

I took this photograph yesterday whilst walking back to the city centre from the University of Leeds campus. The day was bright but quite cloudy and despite the weather forecast there was no rain.

Leeds University

Picture of Leeds University.

Although I have titled this picture Leeds university, it is just one building among many on the university campus here in Leeds.

The picture actually shows a view of the Parkinson building, but it is the building that most people in Leeds would recognise as being at the heart of Leeds University. Indeed whilst walking in the city centre this morning I saw a woman with a map looking rather lost and looking for the university of Leeds. I pointed her in the direction of the tall white Portland stone building with a tall clock tower.

Leeds Mobile Library

Picture of Leeds mobile library on Butcher Hill, Leeds.

I have several times seen one of the Leeds libraries mobile library out and about but they were always on the road and going in the opposite direction. I was on a bus, the wrong one as it happened, so it was easy to jump off when the bus passed a mobile library parked up.

I was rather lost anyway, and had no good idea of where I was other than somewhere not too far from Headingley. The library vehicle was parked in a pub car park, the pub being the Dalesman on Butcher Hill.

I had once before been in a mobile library here in Leeds, the children's one which was parked outside the Civic Hall as a display for the day.

I noticed when I was looking on the web for details of the mobile libraries route that there is a photo of the mobile library right here in the pub car park from 1971 on the launch of the new service. Back then there was a driver and 3 assistant librarians to operate the service. Today the mobile library has one member of staff, who is both the driver and also runs the library. We chatted for a while and I learned something of the mobile library service and that we had both served in the military.

The mobile library visits Butcher Hill on Fridays between 1245 - 1445 and can be found at the Dalesman Pub, Old Farm Approach LS16 5DD.

More Rain in Leeds

Picture of flower at Headingley, Leeds.

Today here in the Yorkshire city of Leeds it rained, again.

I waited perhaps 15 minutes after the rain this afternoon and took some photographs of the flowers that have been planted I think by volunteers from the Far Headingley Village Society in conjunction with Headingley in Bloom. These flowerbeds are opposite the Arndale shopping centre in Headingley, Leeds.

I am not sure what kind of flower this small mauve flower is, being I think perhaps better at wildflower identification. Thanks mum.

The location of these flower beds is on the A660 Otley Road just after the juntion with North lane on the left hand side in the main part of Headingley, Leeds.

Ugly Duckling in Leeds

Picture of Moorhens in Leeds city centre.

A few days back I saw and photographed a moorhen and its chick on the old dock at Victoria Quays on the waterfront in Leeds city centre. Here is a better picture of the adult moorhen with its baby. When I was a boy we had a record, a 45 of The Ugly Duckling, I could not help but think of that song when looking at the young moorhen.

In the end I did not need the bigger lens to get a reasonable photograph, just needed to catch them nearer the waters edge.

This is just one of the nice things that Leeds has going for it as a city. I have written it before but its as true now as it was back then. I thought when I started this Leeds in Yorkshire daily photography site that I would struggle to find enough subjects for my camera. Sometimes I think now if anything there are perhaps too many things, places and people here in and around Leeds, my city here in the heart of Yorkshire.

The place in Leeds city centre where I took this photograph is:
Navigation Walk
LEEDS
LS10 1JJ

Far Headingley Village in Bloom

Picture of flowers in Far Headingley, Leeds.

Shortly before I saw the notice board in yesterdays post I encountered some work done by the Far Headingley Village Society on some ground surrounding a sub station. The flowerbed they had created in conjunction with pupils from Weetwood Primary School is just wonderful and a riot of colours.

Several people saw me photographing the flowers and the bees and they said how great they thought the flowerbed was. I was just a little disappointed that there were no butterflies. But I do love bees and the honey they work so hard to produce.

Picture of bees at Far Headingley, Leeds.

I cannot recall when I last saw quite so many bees, of several different types on one small flowerbed. Well done to the volunteers who made this idea a reality.

Far Headingley Village Society

Picture of Far Headingley Village Society notice board.

Walking around Far Headingley this afternoon I was admiring some of the work done by the people of the Far Headingley Village Society (FHVS). By chance a short while later I chanced upon a notice board put up by the FHVS. The notice board
is nicely made from real wood and displays notices about local events.

Sadly we have missed the Wine Walk (last Sunday) but upcoming is the Headingley Open Gardens on Sunday 17th June 2-5pm Adults £3 to see 14 wonderful green spaces in Headingley. Tickets / leaflet from the Oxfam Bookshop in Headingley.

There are also details about the Cottage Road Cinema and its centenary on 29th July.

Odd Nesting Site

Picture of bird nesting in traffic lights in Leeds city centre

This bird and its partner have got quite a lot of attention due to its choice as a nice place to build its nest. Their choice of an ideal nesting spot was a traffic light in the middle of a very busy Leeds city junction.

Compared to some nests this one has at least got good overhead cover and is well lit at least off and on.

I spoke with a chap who works locally but had been away on holiday and he was just looking to see if they were still there and OK. We were both surprised by the number of people who walked within a few feet but did not notice this unusual city sight.

Since I first heard of this nest, the young have hatched and the two thrushes are now busy feeding their brood.



You can get an idea of the location that the birds chose from the above photo that was taken by me this morning. I do not envy the young birds when they make their first flight. I should add that just to the near left of the this picture there is a nice grassed area with some trees.

Metal Bird Victoria Quays

Picture of metal bird sculpture at Victoria Quays, Leeds.

This metal sculpture of a bird is at the old dock on Victoria Quays on the Leeds Waterfront.

I was quietly amused by the indifference shown to the large bird sculpture by the two mallard ducks under it. the yellow flower on the left of the picture is a yellow flag iris.

It was a few yards from here when I saw the moorhen and chick yesterday.

Moorhen and Chick

Picture of a moorhen in Leeds city centre.

I walked down along Victoria Quays on the Leeds waterfront this afternoon. I heard an odd small cheeping sound from out near the middle of the old dock, it was coming from a young moorhen chick. I watched for a few minutes and sure enough the mother moorhen was nearby but partly hidden by the water lilies and other water plants.

I only had a relatively short lens on my camera, if I get a chance I will go back one day next week with a bigger stabilized lens.

Snail

Picture of garden snail.

One thing about the wet and quite damp weather over the last few days I have noticed several snails as I have been walking about.

This one in the above photo is a garden snail - Helix aspersa, there are lots about and they tend to be more noticeable on damp days.

I have not been able to look at a snail in quite the same way since I watched the episode of the TV cookery show the F Word with Gordon Ramsay. The one where he got his kids to round up some snails in the family garden, cooked them and then they ate them. MMnn yummy! For my readers, I have long held the view that I do not eat any creature that lives in its own little house. So no crabs, lobsters, whelks and definitely no snails, ever.

For those of you who may have missed this bit of the show you can see it here. It is I think quite an interesting idea, especially for gardeners who perhaps have more snails in their garden than they would like.

Preparing British garden snails - The F Word

More Rain

A rainy day in Leeds

Today here in Leeds it started off dull and overcast and later it rained... a lot.

I was stood at a bus stop and this truck passed by. A few years back I could have waved a tacho disc and he might well have given me a lift.

Vase at Former Synagogue

Picture of stone vase at the former New Synagogue building Chapletown, Leeds.

This tall stone vase is one of a pair outside the entrance to the former New Synagogue on Chapletown Road, Leeds. The New Synagogue building is today the home of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

Northern School of Contemporary Dance

Picture of the former New Synagogue, now the Northern School of Contemporary Dance on Chapletown Rd, Leeds.

Adjacent to the catholic church of the Holy Rosary on Chapletown road is the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

Long before its recent use by the NSCD the building was built as a synagogue. Designed by Stanley Wright & Clay, of Albion street, the New Synagogue was opened in 1932. Back then there was a Jewish population in the Chapletown area, later many had moved further out from the city centre and by the mid 1960 attendance at the New Synagogue had dwindled, it closed in 1985.

The former New Synagogue building is very distinctive, in a Byzantine style with a large dome.

Bought by Leeds city council the building later became the home of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

Today this striking building now rightly listed as Grade II remains as a testament to those of the Jewish faith who lived and indeed still live today in the city.

On the left in the above can be seen the church of the Holy Rosary. I rather tweaked the colour on this photo, on the day I took it last spring it was rather a dull day.

Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Picture of the church of the Holy Rosary on Chapletown Rd, Leeds.

The Holy Rosary Catholic Church was built in 1937 for the Irish Catholic community in the Chapletown area of Leeds. The church of Holy Rosary is part of the parish of Our Lady of Unfailing Help

The church of the Holy Rosary is adjacent to the former Chapeltown Road New Synagogue building that is now home to the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

Tree Marking

Whilst walking through Gipton Wood the other day I noticed that this tall mature tree had the No 8 marked near the base. Am not really sure what the marking is for except perhaps for record keeping of the species in the wood.

The photo was not one of my better efforts so I played around with it in PS, I quite like the result.

Gipton Wood Trees

Following on from the post yesterday about Gipton Wood, part of the Forest of Leeds here is a view along one of the paths through the woodland.