A working environment

Back to a previous life this week for Cee’s Black $ White Photo Challenge with the topic of Doors and Drawers.

This was my office on the twenty-third floor of the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, where I spent the last – and best – ten years of my working life. That’s the door on the right and obviously those are drawers underneath the desktop.

What I can’t get over is how tidy it was. My desk at home is an absolute tip.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge : Doors & Drawers

On the tiles

It’s a few years ago now, but our builders asked if, as a temporary measure, they could leave a pallet stacked with old rooftiles outside our barn.

‘Of course not’, we said. ‘Just collect them when you’re ready’, we said.

They’re not ready.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Stacks

L is for Logs

If you have a wood-burning stove, then it’s getting to that time of year:

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Beginning with K or L

The Old Stone Bridge at Sainte Radegonde

The River Vienne is comparatively narrow as it flows between the villages of Sainte Radegonde and St-Germain-de-Confolens and it’s crossed by a very old stone bridge. Look over the side and you’ll see that the roadway is supported on a number of pontoons, such as this one.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Stones or Brick

We’re talking telephone numbers here…

This abandoned shop in the Scottish town of Haddington was once the go-to place for those new-fangled satellite dishes

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Numbers

The kitchen of the castle

This surprisingly modest old kitchen is on display at a Chateau in the Dordogne departement of France.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Things found in a kitchen

Floored Genius

Cee’s theme for hew Black & White Challenge this week is ‘Walkways, Hallways and Elevators’. This may be stretching a point, but this complex geometric pattern of wood inlay is on the floor of what could be described as  a hallway in the Chateau at Azay-Le-Ferron. It’s impressive enough in real life but is even more striking in monochrome.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Walkways, Hallways and Elevators

Formal Gardens at Chateau Azay-le-Ferron

Topiary at its best.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Tree Art

Not drinking water

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge this week could be said to require some lateral thinking, as she is setting the theme of ‘side of things’.

In the medieval centre of the town of Cahors there is a hexagonal water fountain, with each of the six sides featuring a carving of a different dog’s head. This image shows two of them.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Side of things

The weight of tradition

Go to any brocante or vide-grenier around these parts and you’ll find plenty of old farming utensils which would nowadays probably be classed as – and only useful for – ‘design pieces’. Almost inevitably,somewhere in the jumble will be an old set of weights – like these:

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Things found on a farm