We went out again after lunch and – guess what? – it didn’t rain! Not a drop. It was still cloudy and dull, though.

I took the aforementioned Bluetooth dongle with me, dangling alluringly from my wrist, and used it for all of my photos. I found that I could walk with my trigger hand at my side – no need to bring the dongle close to the phone.

The Smith & Sons Clocktower

We passed close to the Smith & Sons Clocktower which I haven’t photographed for a while. I was glad to see that it was showing the correct time as it had recently stopped working but, happily, has been repaired.

Duncan Terrace

We walked along Duncan Terrace which, for part of its length consists of a single row of houses facing the gardens that now cover this section of the New River. It seems a very pleasant environment and I think that if we didn’t live where we do, I would quite like to live here, though I doubt whether we could afford it!

Pretty yellow flowers

At Duncan Street, we turned past the gardens in the direction of the canal. Here we found a bush crowded with yellow flowers making a beautiful sight.

Close-up
Photo by Tigger

I don’t know they are but perhaps this close-up by Tigger will enable someone more knowledgeable to identify them.

Vincent Terrace

We continued down Vincent Terrace that runs beside the Regent’s Canal which is behind the greenery on the left. I am walking in the road here for two reasons: firstly, it gives a better view of the street and secondly, there were so many people about that I kept leaving the pavement to avoid them. It’s no doubt selfish of me but I miss the quiet days of the first lockdown when the streets were virtually empty. (Selfish, yes, but I have heard others echo the same sentiments.)

The Plaquemine Lock

This pub was open and serving customers sitting outside. From Monday, pubs and restaurants will be able to serve people indoors. The name of this pub refers to a bayou of the same name in Louisiana. The name fits with the pub’s menu of Cajun food. (No, I have no plans to try it but who knows? 🙂 )

Regent’s Canal and Islington Tunnel

From the bridge over the canal, I took the usual photo of the canal, looking towards the opening of the Islington Tunnel. The boats moored along here are all residential, as far as I know.

Wall-top environment

I also photographed the miniature environment of moss and lichen growing on top of the wall. We often overlook (literally) such environments but they are just as important in their own way as those that we do spend time studying.

Looking towards City Lock

I also took a photo from the other side of the bridge. Here, the view looks towards City Lock where there are several basins and canal offshoots which were once busy with commercial water-borne traffic but are now quiet except for occasional passing houseboats.

The Earl of Essex

The bridge across the canal doesn’t seem to have a name but is simply part of Danbury Street. We continued along this street wherein stands the Earl of Essex pub. There seem to be a lot of pubs in this neighbourhood.

The Duke of Cambridge

To back up the foregoing statement, here is another pub, this one called the Duke of Cambridge, not far away on the corner of Danbury Street with St Peter’s Street.

Elaborate railings with turrets

In St Peter’s Street, we were struck by these unusually elaborate railings with turrets on the posts. I wondered whether they were original to the house when it was built or whether they are later additions. I suspect they are original but will probably never know for sure.

St Peter’s Church (decommissioned)

This is the Grade II listed Church of St Peter. Like many churches, it ceased to be needed and was decommissioned. The interior has been converted into flats but the exterior had been preserved, protected by its listed status. I would be interested in seeing inside but think I am unlikely to have the opportunity.

Essex Road and Islington Green

St Peter’s Street led us to Essex Road near Islington Green. Nearby is the beginning of Camden Passage wherein is found, among other shops and restaurants, Redemption Roasters coffee shop, where we thought to buy coffee on the way home.

Part of the antiques market

On the way we passed this covered area that is used to host stalls for the antiques market. It didn’t seem very active but I was surprised to see any activity as the market runs in Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There were a few other stalls in Camden Passage so perhaps they have been given permission to operate on extra days.

Redemption Roasters – busy

When we reached Redemption, it was crowded and there was a queue. It would be some time before we could be served so we gave up on them and made our way to Mercer’s in Chapel Market. They were preparing to close but provided us with coffee. With this in hand, we hurried home.

That concluded our outings for today but there is always tomorrow! What shall we be doing tomorrow? I shall be sure to let you know!

“…every day” (William Shakespeare, Twelvth Night”). That could be the anthem for our weather at present. It’s not even a decent, honest downpour but drizzly intervals, as if the weather gods are squabbling over whether to make it rain or not, alternately turning the tap on and off…

On a happier note, the day started with a gift, a gift from Tigger to me, that is.

Tigger’s gift

Can you guess what it is? All right, then, I’ll tell you. This little black box measuring about 4.7cm X 3.3cm, is a tiny Bluetooth dongle which, when connected to my iPhone, triggers the shutter of the camera. There is, as you can see, a loop to go round one’s wrist so as not to drop the device, something that would be easy to do, given its small size.

There are two “native” ways to trigger the iPhone camera: firstly, by fingering the virtual button at the bottom edge of the screen and secondly, by pressing one or other of the physical volume control buttons on the side. When performing either of these actions, it is all too easy to move the camera. This doesn’t matter too much when taking still photos in good light but when taking “live photos” (which are in fact very short videos), it can ruin what might have been a good picture. (Look at some of my jerky “lives” to see what I mean.) This Bluetooth device, being separate from the phone, cannot transmit the pressing movement to it. It should be possible to hold the phone steady in one hand while pressing the release with the other.

Does it work as per the above theory? Well, it’s early days yet, and I have to become used to handling it in various conditions, but I would say the auguries are promising.

The Claremont Square kitten

The plan today was to go to Myddelton’s deli and buy coffee and food for lunch. What follows lunch will be decided when the time comes. As we walked through Claremont Square, we kept an eye open, as always, for the kitten who sometimes appears at a window. As you can see, today we were lucky. By acting the clown, we managed to attract his attention for all of two seconds. And yes, I did use the Bluetooth dongle to take the photo.

The Myddelton Square cat
Photo by Tigger

Despite the fact that it was now raining, we decided to take a turn round Myddelton Square. There too we keep a look-out for a pair of cats whom we first spotted last summer. Since then, they have been conspicuous by their absence but we caught sight of one of them today. A two-cat day: bonus!

Squirrel crossing the road

When we reached Chadwell Street it was in time to see a squirrel crossing the road. I grabbed a quick photo. It’s not very good because he was some way off and I have cropped the photo severely. I think he had been prospecting in the gardens of houses in Chadwell Street and was on his way back to home territory in Myddelton Square Gardens.

Colourful window boxes

I admired these window boxes at various points round the square. They added some much needed colour to the scene rendered dull by the cloudy conditions.

St Mark’s Church – open
Photo by Tigger

We bought food and coffee at Myddelton’s. They were fairly busy and we had to queue. In view of the weather, we preferred to carry our provisions home and consume them there. On the way hime, Tigger took the above photo of the church which, unusually, was open. There were balloons on a stand on the pavement, suggesting a festivity of some sort, perhaps a wedding.

At home now, we will enjoy our lunch and then see what the afternoon has on offer.