Roger Bennion's photos

When I was in Oxford I was thinking of coming up with a 'books' link for 'Sight and Sound'. "I am a Rock" by Simon & Garfunkel includes the lines - I have my books And my poetry to protect me When I saw the guy sitting on the steps of the Weston Library I thought "that's the photo I need". And, just as I pressed the shutter this lady rode by :-) The guy got up and walked away before I could take another shot! I'm afraid we'll just have to stick with this photo :-) Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ I am a Rock ~ Simon & Garfunkel

SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 20 JULY 2019 A PHOTO OF ANY KIND OF WATER This is the River Styx in Stowe Landscape Gardens. I saw the feather approaching so I waited until it got into the frame before pressing the shutter............... Okay, that's not actually true!! I had previously picked up the feather. I thought it would add a lttle bit of interest to my photo so I dropped it into the water :-))) And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music a cover version of Billy Joel's "River of Dreams" ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ River of Dreams ~ Elio Pace, Band & Singers Have lost track of how many times we have seen Elio play live and can't wait for the next concert in October :-)))

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 13 JULY 2019 SOMETHING FROM MY STREET Okay, here goes :-) We live at number 7 and we have a black & white puss cat answering to the name of 'Mizzie'. She adopted us some years ago and word on the street is that she was named 'Mizzie' because she was miserable! Well, that's not the case!! 'Mizzie' very much likes her own way and can be aggressive. But, she is a lovely animal :-) Another black & white cat named 'Buddy' lives at number 29. 'Mizzie' doesn't like 'Buddy' very much! This is a photograph of 'Buddy' sitting next to Helen's car waiting to be fed with treats. It's probably a mistake to keep giving 'Buddy' treats but that's the only way he can be persuaded to go back home to number 29 :-))) And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Sesame Street: This is my Street Song ~ featuring Thomas Rhett

This is the corner of Holywell Street and Parks Road in Oxford. For 'Sight and Sound' I have chosen "Street Corner" by Ashford & Simpson :-) Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Street Corner ~ Ashford & Simpson ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Or here ~ Street Corner ~ Ashford & Simpson

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 6 JULY 2019 TAKE A PHOTO OF ANYTHING THAT FLIES OF FLOATS IN THE AIR It is now getting on for 10 p.m here in Aylesbury and I was about to admit defeat and say that I didn't have anything for this week's Saturday Self-Challlenge :-( Then, I saw the upload from Heidiho and I could not believe that I have a similar shot, taken in Oxford on Thursday :-))))) Thank you, Heidiho for the inspiration :-))))) And, for 'Sight and Sound' I have chosen "Rainy Days and Mondays" because you sometimes you need an umbrella when it rains :-) The song was written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and I have chosen the original version by Paul Williams. Paul is one of my all-time musical heroes. Paul and Roger also wrote "We've Only Just Begun" amongst other classic titles. Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Rainy Days & Mondays ~ Paul Williams ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Or here ~ Rainy Days & Mondays ~ Paul Williams

Back to New Year's Day and a shot taken of Bembridge Beach, Isle of Wight. Recently Karen used a Mamas and the Papas musical link for 'Sight and Sound' and it reminded me that, for a while, I had been trying to come up with a John Phillips musical link :-) John Phillips was reckoned to be the leader of the Mamas and the Papas. In 1970 John released his first solo album, "John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.)". I still have a vinyl copy of the album and recently I downloaded the album with bonus tracks added. The album was selected as one of ShortList's 50 Coolest Albums Ever. From the album I have chosen "Down the Beach" :-) Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Down the Beach ~ John Phillips ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Or here ~ Down the Beach ~ John Phillips

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 29 JUNE 2019 DIAGONAL LINES IN BLACK AND WHITE This was taken outside the Weston Library in Oxford. I think I should thank the Architect for giving me some diagonal lines to work with :-)) And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Walk On ~ Linda Ronstadt ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Or here ~ Walk On ~ Linda Ronstadt "Walk On" was written by Matraca Berg and Ronnie Samoset and features on Linda's 1995 album, "Feels LIke Home" Fiddle: Alison Krauss Electric & Acoustic Guitar: Dean Parks Bass: Bob Glaub Drums: Russ Kunkel Background Vocals: Carl Jackson & Herb Pedersen

Explored! Thank you very much :-) An Oxford shot from back in February. There are peoples walking here and this brings to mind "Walk of Life" by Randy Meisner. I guess most peeps know that Randy was one of the founding members of The Eagles. Randy was also a member of both Poco and the Stone Canyon Band. In addition Randy recorded some solo albums and "Walk of Life" comes from "Love Me Or Leave Me Alone" released in 2004. This album was a collection of tunes recorded as either unreleased demos or finished demos for his records of the late '70s, '80s and the early '90s. Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Walk of Life ~ Randy Meisner

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 22 JUNE 2019 THINGS THAT START WITH THE LETTER "T" PRESENTED IN A SQUARE ASPECT RATIO I thought of Tank, Toaster, Toy, Tea, Tortoise............ but nothing was working :-) In desperation "Tree" came to mind :-) And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music "Hip to be SQUARE" comes to mind :-) ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Hip to be Square ~ Huey Lewis and the News

SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 15 JUNE 2019 KEYS I've said it before........I really shouldn't be allowed to get carried away using filters in GIMP Photo Software! But, it has happened again :-) I think I added a Mirror Effect followed by applying, probably, a Brushify filter. I know, for sure, that I did add some Dream Smoothing :-) And, for 'Sight and Sound' I am adding a tenuous 'Dream' link to "Dreams of the San Joaquin" by Linda Ronstadt. This track, written by Jack Wesley Routh and Randy Sharp, is on Linda's 1998 album, "We Ran". In my opinion all of Linda's albums are gems but "We Ran" is a special gem :-) And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Dreams of the San Joaquin ~ Linda Ronstadt ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Or here ~ Dreams of the San Joaquin ~ Linda Ronstadt

Explored! Thank you very much :-) I don't know how a pussy cat can rest/sleep when the position looks so uncomfortable :-))) I was actually wondering if I would sleep better if I tried this position :-))) And, for 'Sight and Sound' I have chosen Elaine Paige's version of "Memory" from "Cats the Musical" :-) Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Memory ~ Elaine Paige

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 8 JUNE 2019 STATUES AND MONUMENTS Plan A, on Wednesday, was to go to Oxford where there are lots of monuments and statues. Things started off okay with lovely warm sunshine but by the time I got to Oxford the sun was being obscured by thick cloud. I took photos of several statues and monuments but the photos were pretty disappointing :-( Plan B on Thursday was to look around Aylesbury, my hometown, after being at the barbers. I came across this scene but only had my phone with me. I thought I could come back another day with my camera but, in the meantime. I grabbed a few shots. After looking at the photos on the computer I decided to stick with this shot :-) This is one of three statues inspired by the Paralympics. Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury is considered to be the birthplace of the Paralympics. The following words come from information supplied by Aylesbury Vale District Council - "The Paralympic movement was born at Stoke Mandeville Hospital thanks to the hard work and dedication of Dr. Ludwig Guttmann. Dr. Guttmann was asked by the British government to set up a spinal injuries centre at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in order to care for and assist those who had been injured during the war. In 1948 Dr Guttmann organised the first competition for wheelchair athletes which he named the Stoke Mandeville Games. He held this competition on the same day as the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London and 16 injured servicemen and women took part in an archery competition. Eventually the games expanded to include more sports and evolved to accommodate athletes from countries all over the world. In 1960 the International Stoke Mandeville Games officially became the Paralympic Games in time for the 1960 summer games in Rome." And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Statues ~ Nina Nesbitt

This is part of a gate in the grounds of Ascott House. For 'Sight and Sound' I have chosen "Waiting at the Gate" by Carly Simon :-) Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Waiting at the Gate ~ Carly Simon

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 1 JUNE 2019 SHADOWS In recent times there has been lots of sunshine and when I have been out with my camera there have been lots of shadows to photograph. However, this week it has been very dull and overcast!! In desperation I tried to take some photos of a model of a bicycle using some desk lamps. This is the result :-))) And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Shadows ~ Gordon Lightfoot

Explored! Thank you very much :-) Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Love Song to a Stranger ~ Joan Baez I initially thought this was three peoples sitting on this bench but clearly it is a dog in the middle and clearly the lady loves the dog very much :-) A slightly tenuous link for 'Sight and Sound' but it is a 'Love' song :-) The song, written by Joan Baez, features on her 1972 album "Come from the Shadows". One of my fave albums and, in my opinion, the song has to be one of the most beautiful love songs ever written :-)

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 25 MAY 2019 GEOMETRIC SHAPES IN COLOUR OR BLACK AND WHITE And, for Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ Shapes of Things ~ Yardbirds ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Or here ~ Shapes of Things ~ Yardbirds

Part of the extensive gardens at Greys Court a National Trust property in the southern Chiltern Hills at Rotherfield Greys, near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ The Garden ~ Carly Simon ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Or here ~ The Garden ~ Carly Simon Love the photo on the LP cover :-)

Explored! Thank you very much :-) SATURDAY SELF-CHALLENGE 18 MAY 2019 SELECTIVE COLOUR Sadly this is not my car and it is not my house either :-)) Don't know why it says photo was taken on 17 May 'cos it was actually taken on 13 May. And, for 'Sight and Sound' I have chosen a song about a "455 Rocket" that appears to be about an Oldsmobile V8 :-) But, the car in my photo is a Honda. Anyway, no matter, 'cos the link here is a 'car' :-) Added to Sight and Sound : Pictures & Music ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Listen here ~ 455 Rocket ~ Kathy Mattea