Washed out – Weds 29th Oct

Rained on, dripping from, steamed up, soaked, waterlogged or cloaked in fog; there’s no escaping the fact that today it is wet. But it’s still amazingly warm for a late October day and once you’re out in it you realise it’s better than being in. Inevitably, todays contact sheet is on the theme of being washed out. What am i saying? I don’t do themes. I hate themes. But this page seems to almost have one so what the hell.

I’m still on a bit of a roll with the stones of the day and once again there are two. What can I say about them? Well you wouldn’t want to find the first in a bag of pork scratchings… Or maybe it’s a small Casper-the-ghost, or maybe it’s small wriggling worm with very big eyes so it can see where it’s tunnelling. You choose, or find your own connections? The second? Sometimes you come across stones on the beach that have the most wonderful striped patinations. What causes this? The remains of some fossil shell, or fragment of tree-grain, rings or ridges worn flat by the tides? Or fracture lines developing inside the rock itself? I have no idea, but this makes it all the better.

Border patrol – Mon 27th Oct

You don’t get many days like today. Certainly not this time of year. Only a few days before Halloween and the skies are crystal clear and blue. Possibly as a result I spent a lot more time looking at shadows, simply because there were some, and perhaps less at the minutiae that seems to fill every corner of the town, but hey, there’s room for everything (including a DIY cat walkway). You’ll need to look closely (and have some knowledge of Brighton and Hove) to understand why i photographed a skewed square paving stone. And OK I admit it, the Squirrel looked CUTE. Sometimes you just can’t help yourself.

Offline tomorrow. Things to do.

Fifi – Sun 26th Oct

The clocks have gone back and winter time is here. Even the sun seems to have vanished, but there’s plenty still happening. Spiders spinning HUGE webs in search of Christmas dinner. Leaves everywhere and the guy who’s just swept his back yard free of them is in for a surprise because he’s only swept them into next door’s driveway, up-wind…

How can anyone do that to a dog? Or a frog?

DIY – Sat 25th Oct

Saturday, and the whole world is out eating breakfast, shopping, running, or walking the dog. Or in my case having a good nose around… Todays delights include some fantastic examples of DIY, a seagull with a penchant for tea, and the door to the netherworld. PLUS two new stones of the day. One marking the hands of time, the other, well, possibly not so immediately noteworthy, but how often do you see red stones on Brighton beach? (at least ones that aren’t worn down bricks anyway…)

Friday 17th October 2014

Grey and blustery but with occasional patches of blue, you couldn’t have more traditional weather for a seaside town out of season. Friday is delivery day for 3663 hotel caterers, the company with my favourite lorry livery ever, so have a close look at the picture on the side of the truck (plus additional close up). Jeff Koons eat your heart out… Plus proof that Worthing really is 40 years behind the times.

Wednesday 15th October 2014

It’s a grey day with a featureless sky. Not raining yet but looking like it’ll start soon. I head for the sea, snapping as I go: architectural details, pigeons, shop windows, leaves on cars… when I get to the sea its as flat as the sky, even more so, not a wave in sight. Who knows what life lurks beneath the cumuli?