Bench & Shadow

A couple of days ago I flung wide the curtains and there it was - another glorious winter's day. Time to take the Nikon D70 out to play; it hasn't done much to earn its keep since our trip to France in August. I drove over to Winchcombe in search of a change of street furniture.

I quite like benches. They often make good images as well as being handy places to prop the bike up when I'm cycling. They're a comfortable (compared to a bicycle saddle) perch for knocking back a pork pie or home-brew ham sandwich. However sitting on a bench will present you as the proverbial duck to all and sundry. Sat on one you can interact with the local drunk who will impress you with his knowledge of the real ales of Gloucestershire or the real meths of the DIY store. Or you can fall victim to one of the charity muggers who have invaded our towns recently, financial thugs, anxious to sign you up and take their obscene cut of your donation.



Happily Winchcombe was deprived of any of these worthies on Monday as far as I could tell. I was safe to approach and photograph this fine example of the iron-founder's art, lit almost horizontally by the mid-morning sun.