Forum Topic

Jon Perry - we need you to cheer us up!!!

Jon, if you are out there we need you now more than ever to cheer us up.  Your photos are always positive and right now we could use some of that.  Have you got some photos you can share with us from the past perhaps about this time of the year?  Thanks.  Hope you are well up there in Berkshire or whatever shire it is you live in now.  Take care and thanks.

Joe Wengler ● 2410d53 Comments

Quite right! I believe Jon moved out to Marlow but hopefully he will call in and see your message.Jon has some 6000 pictures on the Flickr website and these are accessible. Readers will perhaps also be missing Ian Wylie's pictures too...since he moved back to Northumberland.  He too has albums on Flickr.

Jim Lawes ● 2410d

Whilst waiting for Jon to respond you could visit www.blossomdayw4.org.uk where you will find lots of beautiful photos of the cherry trees in bloom on Staveley Road from previous years. We will regularly post pictures in our Photo Gallery showing the trees as they start to blossom this spring. You will even find one of Jon’s photos on our website!

Laura A Morgan ● 2410d

Good evening Chiswick. This thread just popped up on one of my social media feeds. Jim is correct. Jon has moved to Marlow and I am in Northumberland. Although we are still in regular touch and Jon visited us last year. I will alert him to this request. In the meantime, his Flickr photo albums are at:https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonperryenlightenshade/albumsWhile mine are at:https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianwylie/albumsObviously scroll / search back in time for the W4 images. With best wishes to you all in these unprecedented times.

Ian Wylie ● 2410d

Jon will be here soon. In the meantime, he has reminded me that his might work. Or not! Apologies if the latter. I seem to recall this Forum needs its own special formula:

Ian Wylie ● 2410d

Celebrating 50 years of The Bedford Park Festival in 2016. Starting with Green Days and a total lack of social distancing...

Ian Wylie ● 2410d

Hello Joe, Jim and Laura, how nice to be missed, but wishing it was not quite these circumstances. I hope you are all keeping well. My old mate Ian Wylie alerted me to Joe's post this morning, so here I am. I had been a good lad and got out super early to catch the morning sun. It is so hard to get up early, but so rewarding, the streets were empty and the low sun throwing lovely light, so I post a shot here hot off the press of 'Welcome to Marlow'. This is the entry when approaching from the south.

Jon Perry ● 2410d

Nice pic Jon.. pretty little town (used to play cricket there with our W4 Tabard team)..Had rather a fine lunch in Marlow last summer at a place called the Vanilla Pod..Hope it survives the plague..

Stuart Kerr ● 2410d

What to do indoors? Lots. Well if you like photography, why not look for something sunlit and taking a photo of it, deliberately under or over exposing to get some nice abstract shape and colour. I saw this teapot and suddenly thought it could be interesting. Meanwhile I happened to look back to photos I took a year ago and see there are a lot I have not 'processed', so I will try to  get some onto the forum in the next few weeks.Here is the teapot...

Jon Perry ● 2410d

Stuart, ah yes, in T.S. Elliott's former home. Really hope all the little businesses survive the plague. We have definitely fallen in love with Marlow! And met a lot of people formerly from the west London (Chiswick centred) area! So funny we are meeting people that we could have walked to while living in Chiswick and now talking on the streets here... well until the dreaded you know what.

Jon Perry ● 2410d

Hi guys thanks for posting.  Great to hear from you both.Jon, you wouldn’t have needed to get up early to find the streets empty here recently.  Last week would have been happy hunting grounds.  Except of course the day before Boris announced the crackdown and the the Chiswick Mall was heaving with walkers.Ian, I liked the photo you posted of the Olivers Island and the barge (or whatever that houseboat thing is.)  Sort of Apocalypse Now.I’m not very active on the Chiswick W4 website anymore but for some reason (don’t know why) it feels like a good thing to do now.Keep the photos coming.Do you have any proteges here in Chiswick that can take up the mantle?

Joe Wengler ● 2409d

A second picture from early morning 31-3-2020, again of Marlow. I shall be back to providing some Chiswick photos soon, hopefully tomorrow.Good night all.

Jon Perry ● 2409d

Chiswick House and Gardens Dawn Flight:

Ian Wylie ● 2409d

Photos from one year ago - March 2019. I will start with flowers, in my duty follow Joe's request to cheer us all up!Brightening the Street                          Growing Up          Earth to Sky            The Bees Sing            Spring Street View            Pink Over Blue           

Jon Perry ● 2408d

That’s what we want.  Thanks Ian and Jon.  Battle of the Bands.  Please keep them coming.  Jon, those crazy blossoms on Rusthall were outrageous this week.  You could look at the and not believe it was real.  Thanks again.  I you want to create a new thread with a daily photo update please feel free.  Thanks.

Joe Wengler ● 2408d

Joe, I am happy here on your thread. Pleased to say, here in our street some really heavily flowered trees too. A few days ago I thought it would be over, having had all that windy weather, but today were looking really full.

Jon Perry ● 2408d

Taking my cue from Jon's blossoming theme. Which way?

Ian Wylie ● 2408d

We used a different crop of this image for the cover of one of Jon and I's annual Chiswick Charity Calendars:

Ian Wylie ● 2408d

All lovely pics, thank you.

Janice Evans ● 2408d

How about some travel? A few of Marlow...All Saints Church                    All Saints Church, Bisham                    A foggy walk from Marlow towards Henley                    Bisham across the water                    On the same foggy walk towards Henley                    A landscape with people                   

Jon Perry ● 2407d

Back to Chiswick photos from one year ago...The following photos do not use owe their abstract qualities to software manipulations, they are the results of reflections in the windows which I liked, giving a  surreal, dreamy appearance.Camellia MirageTrick of the LightWindows in WindowsDream in a Window

Jon Perry ● 2406d

Thank you Ian and Jon.  Looking at your photos helps us relax from all the scary news so thanks for posting.  Your old W4 buddies appreciate it.  Ian, I think I bought a calendar from you or your wife outside he Catholic church a couple of years ago.  Joe.

Joe Wengler ● 2406d

All fabulous Jon and Ian. It's a delight to flick through this thread when on needs an uplift.I remember Bisham at the bottom of that Cookham hill...and isn't that the place the England football team used to train.  And doesn't Steve Redgrave hail from Lower Marlow?More please if you have time.

Jim Lawes ● 2406d

Joe and Jim, I have more photos 'up my sleeve' for the next few days. Jim, I did not know about Bisham being the England football team training place, but it would not surprise me because there is a National Sports Centre there. And indeed you could say Bisham lies at the bottom of that Cookham hill. I know Steve Redgrave is from these parts, not sure precisely where and there is a figure of him in Higginson Park, along the river Thames in Marlow.

Jon Perry ● 2406d

Love that area. In the nine or so years spent with my ex we lived and worked a lot of time exactly round that area, as he had a house in Cookham Dean and we alternated our life between where he lived in Berks and my place in  Chiswick.  Some amazing little pubs and restaurants with brilliant food round there.  Also did a year's contract with a company in Abingdon, commuting every day from Chiswick - the route there and back and Abingdon itself was a delight and an easy commute from Berks.  Loved Bisham.  Remember visiting with my ex  a most gorgeous little church round there with amazing views where we discussed that that is the place we would like our final resting place to be but can't remember the name. He is no longer with us (died a couple of years after we divorced and he had no close family so can't check the name) so it would be interesting to find out if he put that in his will, if anyone thinks they have an idea of the church would be interested as it was a really beautiful place, on a hillside.  Envy you Jon, living in that lovely part of the world.

Claire Moran ● 2406d

Hi Claire, It is very nice to read of your happy memories - commutes and all. We have a lot more exploring to look forward to. There is a church in Bisham itself, well; on the river, but I don't suppose you mean that one? It is in my photo, second one down under thread title: "Re:Re:Re:Jon Perry - we need you to cheer us up!!! (Some travelling out of Chiswick)"Photo title: "All Saints Church, Bisham"I will try to get a few more Chiswick photos on today some time.

Jon Perry ● 2405d

Hi Janice, thank you for your comment! Sometimes one posts and wonders if anyone looks once the thread gets long.

Jon Perry ● 2405d

Hoping it will get longer Jon 🤗

Rima Jones ● 2405d

Thank you Rima!! I'll have to keep posting!!

Jon Perry ● 2405d

A few mixed shots of Chiswick one year ago:Leap                                  Bedford Park Geometry                          Chiswick Arrival (Zooming and panning on the train as it approached; done 'real' in camera, not "Photoshopped")                                    Caught in a Shower (form a double decker bus)                                      Fruit Stall Swirl (double exposure in camera and panning with slow shutter speeds)                                     

Jon Perry ● 2405d

Hi, I like all the photos and interesting buildings, my Sisters live that way for years and they took me to Monkey Island, I was a little disappointed as it was just a pub with loads of Monkeys painted on the ceiling.

Janice Evans ● 2405d

Hi Janice, I will have to look up Monkey Island, I have not heard of it before.

Jon Perry ● 2405d

Lovely photos Jon, good to see you posting on here. Off to ck your flickr, haven't been over there in awhile.

Audrey Walton ● 2405d

Audrey, happy viewing and stay safe!

Jon Perry ● 2405d

Thank you both Jon and Ian for all the stunning photography over the years. Love the ones of Marlow Church and the bridge. I have sent the links to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law who got married in that church and had their first daughter christened there. I'm sure they will love them. Thank you.

Catherine Woodman ● 2404d

Thanks Jon.  Really appreciate your posting here and it’s just what I was hoping for.    We’ll have the arrival of the swifts to look forward to soon.  I suppose you get lots more of them up your way too.  Hopefully, this summer will be better than last.  Take care!

Joe Wengler ● 2404d

Hi Catherine, nice to hear about the connection. Hope they do enjoy them. Thank you for writing.

Jon Perry ● 2404d

Hi Jon, it’s great to see you posting photos along with Ian’s again this year. They are all so uplifting and exactly what is needed right now. I saw that Janice brought up the topic of Monkey Island which has quite a history but is basically now an island in Bray with a hotel on it. I stayed there some 20-25 years ago just before it was refurbished which had mixed blessings ie affordable with excellent service and food but tired versus hugely expensive but ‘scrubbed up well’. Externally it appears to look pretty much as it did back then but hopefully the inside has been kept sympathetically refurbished .....either way it’s probably worth a detour as the gardens leading to the river were quite lovely.Here’s a link to copy and paste.  https://www.monkeyislandestate.co.uk/

Joy Griffiths ● 2404d

Hi Joy, sorry for the delay in answering. I have had a look at the link you kindly sent, looks a lovely place. I am glad you wrote because I had not yet looked up Monkey Island, so now I have.

Jon Perry ● 2402d

Hi, would be interested to know if they still have Monkeys painted on the ceiling in the bar area,  my visit there was over 20 years ago.

Janice Evans ● 2402d

Have spent quite some time chasing the Northern Lights up here in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park. This is the best I've managed to date. Nothing like you will see in Iceland etc. But I was pretty happy on this chilly March night near Hadrian's Wall:

Ian Wylie ● 2401d

Magical

Janice Evans ● 2401d

With a number of trips to the wonderful Kielder Observatory in Northumberland, high up in a remote location close to the border with Scotland. I highly recommend a visit when such things become possible again:

Ian Wylie ● 2401d

As a result, I've become - like Jon - fairly expert in capturing photos of the Moon. Although, of course, it looks exactly the same when viewed from London as from Northumberland. It's just the foregrounds that change!

Ian Wylie ● 2401d

Five from April 2018Flowered Bench                      Swan and Reflection                          A Walk in the Park                            The Pink Road                            Blossoms                               

Jon Perry ● 2401d

Wow Ian, everyone of those a gem!

Jon Perry ● 2401d

While the blossom is still around a few more from 2019...Spring Evening, 1/4/19Spring Night, 9/4/19Long exposure with breeze blowing the flowers.Night Breeze On Blossoms, 9/4/19Long exposure of trees on Acton Green

Jon Perry ● 2397d

Lovely, the tree in 3rd photo looks magical.

Janice Evans ● 2397d

Love it when photography is magical! The blossoms were being caught in the street lamp making them nice and bright.

Jon Perry ● 2397d

Bump, for those who have not seen these lovely photos.

Janice Evans ● 2389d

Jon, any forecast on when the Swifts will arrive?  Or are they also in lockdown down in their winter habitat?

Joe Wengler ● 2389d

They arrive end of April early May

Julian Pavey ● 2389d

Arrived!

Ralph Charlwood ● 2375d

Claire, St Nicholas Ibstone is a delightful church on the edge of a bluebell wood overlooking Turville in the Hambeldon Valley?Or maybe Turville church at the bottom of the valley looking up the hillside with a windmill on top?Superb walking country not too far out of town.

Adrian Irving ● 2375d