Spring Must In The Air

What do they say about seeing your first bumble bee? I am not sure, but I think it must mean that Spring is not to far away as I don't think that bumble bee's like to be out in the cold weather. While I was out for a walk this morning in what must be the best Sunday of the year so far, the sun was shinning all day, temperature was about 12°c and the there was no wind, I spotted my first bumble bee of the year. He was a little hard to photograph, so this was the best photo of many blurred..

Flag Pole Works At Town Hall

That is a lot of scaffolding around the Town Hall in Oxford for what appears to be work on the flag pole. Not sure how long it took to put all this in place, but I hope that work on the pole takes longer than the assembling and disassembling of the scaffolding.

Bishop's Pancake Flipping In Oxford

The things you come across when you don't have your camera. I was walking home in Cornmarket this afternoon and spotted a group of Bishop's flipping Pancakes in the middle of Cornmarket. What is the collective name for three Bishops?

Luckily I had my old iPhone 3gs, so I was about to get a shot for today's photo. Promoting Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day where the Bishop's of Reading, Oxford, John Pritchard and Dorchester, all very happy to be in the centre of attention and handing out pancakes with a Christian message to passersby.

Ryman's Opens New Store In Queen Street

A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of the closed Barrett's store in this location. Ryman's was in the High Street about 100m's away from this photo, but that store in now closed and has reopened here in Queen Street in a smaller store. Good to see that this store has not remained empty for too long, but what I going to happen to the old larger Ryman's store in the High Street?

Turl Street Arts Festival

Today was the final day of the week long Turl Street Arts Festival, according to there website the festival is, an annual week-long festival held in February, involving students from the three Turl Street Colleges in Oxford: Jesus College, Exeter College and Lincoln College.

While most colleges in Oxford have some kind of Art's celebration during the year, the Turl Street event is unique that it is the only festival to bring three colleges together in one event. Members of the public are more than welcome to most of the events, if you missed out this year, keep an eye out for next years Turl Street Arts Festival.

Students Line For Lang Lang

I am not sure how many students the Oxford Union Debating Chamber will seat, as you can see from this photo, the line of students waiting to see Chinese pianist, Lang Lang was going to test it's capacity. Lang Lang is in Oxford to do a number of concerts this weekend including one at the Sheldonian Theatre in Broad Street on Sunday with Sir Michael Parkinson and the Oxford Philomusica. From this reports in the local press it was standing room only in the Oxford Union for his Friday Night event.

This Is Not A Green Bin

Only in Oxford would a Green Bin actually be a Blue Bin? Blue Bin's in Oxford are for recycled rubbish, so I am guessing that this house has lost their original Blue Bin, so they have made there Green Bin the Blue Bin, confused?

Frozen Oxford Canal Almost Gone

The ice that was on the Oxford Canal at the weekend as almost disappeared, it is only in a few places now in the city centre. I would say that by tomorrow it will have all gone, was nice while it lasted, bit easier for the boaters now.

Happy Valentines Day Oxford

Happy Valentines Day to everyone in Oxford, that was the message that I spotted on the footpath in Cornmarket this afternoon. If you celebrate St Valentines Day, I hope you day has been full of love.

Great Welly Boot Storage

When you have this many Welly Boot's I am sure you need a system to store them, and this would have to be one of the better ones that I have seen. All boots are hanging upside down and up high in the landing, could not get them all in the photo. Genius.

Snow On Port Meadow

I hope that these horses are getting feed, as there is still a lot of snow around in the fields and on Port Meadow as you can see from this photo. We have not had snow since Friday, but with the temperature being low for most of the weekend the snow is still around.

Todays Weather In Oxford Was Cold

How can you capture the temperature in that photo? This is very hard to do, but if you have the current temperature on your iPhone you could take a photo of that, and this is what I did at 0744 this morning. As you can see Oxford had a very cold start to the weekend, -12 celsius.

It's Starting To Snow Again In Oxford

I was on my way back from the station this evening when it started to snow in Oxford. This was about 9pm on Thursday Evening, you have been warned, in the morning Oxford could have a nice blanket of snow. Let's hope we get the snow but not the disruption that often comes with a heavy snow fall.

St Bernards Road Fancy Dress

What's happening to the fancy dress shop on the corner of Kingston and St Bernards Road?

Work On University Church

First time been down is way for a while I noticed all the work and scaffolding around the University Church on the High Street. There appears to be a lot of work going on in this area, including in Brasenose College. I bet that putting all that scaffolding around the main tower of this church took a while to plan and put in place.

According the church website parts of the church including the cafe and the viewing area on the tower will be closed for six months from January while this restoration work takes place.

"After years of consultations, planning and fund-raising we are now entering into the final exciting but messy phase of the project. The enabling work will continue until the New Year on the outside of the church and then the restoration and development starts properly.The Chancel, De Brome Chapel, Tower, Vestry, Old Library and Cafe will all be closed for a period of six months from January 2012"

Queen Celebrating 60 Year Reign

The Royal Cypher of Queen Elizabeth which has been seen on Post Boxes for the last 60 years, pictured here in Queen Street Oxford. It was on this day in 1952 that our current Queen's father, George 6th died and Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne to become Queen. All over Oxford today you could see the Union Flag flying from colleges and government buildings. This year there are plenty of events happening to mark this milestone, and I am sure you will see a few posted here.

Snowy Port Meadow With Reindeer

WOW, we have had a little bit of snow over night in Oxford, when I woke up this morning the whole place was white. I went out to try and get a few nice photo's of a snowy Oxford, and while I did head down to Port Meadow and managed to get a few nice photo's, I did not see this great snow sculpture. Any idea who did this? How long did it take?

This photo comes from #RichTheWard who was out on the Meadow about the same time as me, however must have been a bit closer to the city, thanks RichTheWard for your permissions.

Traffic Hold Up In Oxford

There has been traffic congestion in and around Oxford for the last couple of days due to what looks like major works going on at the start of the Botley Road near St Frideswide's Square. This yellow pumping truck has been here all week, and as you can see from this photo is blocking up one lane. Took this photo from the pedestrian bridge to the train station.

World Wetlands Day 2012

Was out for another walk today along the Oxford Canal when I found this reserve that I did not really know about, The Trap Grounds. This land and water reserve was once an unofficial tip for the people of North Oxford, and according to the Trap Grounds, the name has been used to describe this area since 1832 but the original reason is unknown. This photo is of the entrance to The Trap Grounds, which is along the Canal near the bridge on Frenchay Road.

It was fitting that I took this photo today, as when I was at home I heard on the BBC that today is World Wetlands Day. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Each year since 1997, the Ramsar Secretariat has provided materials so that government agencies, non-governmental organizations, conservation organisations, and groups of citizens can help raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands.

Ryman The Stationer On High Street Oxford

How long will this store in on the High Street? Rumor has it that this store maybe moving from the High Street to another location in Oxford. With all the students in Oxford you would think the stationery stores would be gold mine.