Thank You, Manchester

For being my home for twenty years.

Portland Street.

Midland Hotel.

Spire of Manchester Cathedral.

Beetham Tower through the trees of St John’s Gardens.

Ducks and geese in the canals at Castlefield.

Canal Street aka Gay Village.

To (mis)quote Fatboy Slim, we’ve come a long way together and I have to praise you like I should. The city has changed a lot since 2003 when I arrived here to take up a placement as an au-pair. So have I, hopefully, more towards the improvement way.

Note, Manchester is not gloomy. I took these pictures earlier in the year, during winter time. Hence the greyness.

Note 2, the anniversary is not on the day of the publication of this post, but it is this week.

Note 3, the top picture was taken with my smartphone, the rest with my camera.

April In The Park

Spring is in the air, at last (for the most part), so here’s some pics I took in the park with my smartphone.

The Helpless Optimism Of Spring

I couldn’t help it, yes, I let it get in

The helpless optimism of spring
Florence + The Machine, Daffodil

I hope you liked my pictures, taken in April 2023 in Heaton Park, Manchester.

Here’s the song I quote from on YouTube:

Daffodils in Heaton Park

A bit later than usual this year–enjoy.

Happy Easter 2023

An Easter egg in Heaton Park.

The bull is not impressed.

Crow In A Tree

Feeling on top of the world.

Crows are awesome. I love how they can just perch on a branch and shout caw-caw-caw, chill out a bit and fly away. They’re intelligent species, I’m told.

And they look cool.

Raindrops On Daffodils

Daffodils are special. I will do a post for them as I do every year, but for now, here’s some with raindrops on them, captured in my local park.

Snow Covered Hills

I told you not to rejoice yet.

Every year, there has to be one final cold wave before the spring can arrive in its full glory. In Manchester, the snow rarely sticks, but the distant hills are covered with it.

Pictures taken from my window, as usual.

Yes, I am quoting Stevie Nicks, why do you ask?

The First Daffodils 2023

I call them little pieces of sunshine. In my local park they aren’t out yet, but there are loads of them in the Manchester city centre.

From the little garden outside Manchester Cathedral.

These grow in St John’s Gardens. They’re also smaller than normal daffodils. They’re like mini daffodils.

In Castlefield. I could focus either on the daffodils or on the magpie. The magpie wasn’t cooperating anyway, so I chose the daffodils. Damn birds never play along!