Cricket...

Despite the distinctly autumnal weather, the last Ashes test match starts tomorrow. I've only got half a dozen pix of village cricket at Hartley Wintney, but they've all sold... including this one, today, for the highest price of the summer...

Public/private spaces...

I was shooting pix outside St Stephen’s shopping mall in Hull when I was approached by a member of the security team (he’s the guy in my pic with his hand outstretched) who told me I was on private property and photography wasn’t allowed. The public are allowed - in fact, encouraged - to venture into into these private spaces, but only in the role of compliant consumers; in any other guise we may find ourselves excluded. If we’re carrying a wallet, we’re welcome; if we’re carrying a camera, we’re not. I wasn’t even inside the shopping centre, but on the pavement outside.

I’ll go back to the shopping centre, next time I’m in Hull, and resume my picture-taking. I would like to test the powers of the mall security guys. If they threaten to call the police, I’ll say “OK, go ahead”. These public/private spaces are proliferating in every town, and now include arcades, streets, squares and other open spaces, where we are free to shop, but not sit... comply, but not complain...

Life support...

A five-year-old girl, Tafida Raqeeb, has been on a life-support machine since she suffered irreversible brain damage in February. Doctors want to remove her life support, while her parents want her to receive treatment at a children’s hospital in Italy. It’s a terribly sad story - with no good outcome possible - especially now the case is going to court over who has the right to decide the fate of the child.

The parents say “It’s for God to take life and not mankind”, and also emphasise the young girl’s religious beliefs, “despite her tender age”. I hope the court is able to disregard the idea that a five-year-old child can be said to have any religious beliefs at all, and will come to the decision that the kindest course of action would be to let her die with dignity...

Cobbles...

Another shot from yesterday: Prince Street in Hull...

Underwater yoga...

Spent Sunday taking pix in Hull. If anyone is seriously considering doing yoga underwater, I can heartily recommend Dawsons travel agents...

Minsmere...

Just seen my shot of Minsmere in the Observer...

On the tiles...

When my landline rings, likely as not it's someone wanting some tiling done. I just had a chat with a lady who said she'd seen my details on Yell.com. And, yes, that's my name... and that's my number. Bizarrely, I have got five stars for my tiling skills and customer relations! I've taken this screen shot, in the hope that I can sort this out. Or else do an evening class in tiling. Why not... I'm in demand!