Day 362- 29/9/10

Recently I got an iPhone for work which in itself is pretty exciting. The iPhone has some serious potential as a very cool machine, but I admit I like texting on my regular phone. Anyways, one thing I like about the iPhone is the camera function, and then all the apps you can get for that.

I have never been one for photoshopping, or editing photos. I believe that a good photo is based on the photographer and their eye for composition. If you can't take a good photo with a regular camera, editing to make it better feels like cheating. This is strictly my belief, and you may totally disagree.

This feeling may come from taking photography classes in uni, and learning about what makes a good photo. Some people have the eye, and other don't. Back in that day we were using 35mm cameras, as I truly dont think digital was even "invented". I have that 35mm camera here, and think the sound of the "snap" when the photo is taken is like no other.

However, back to the iphone. I got some cool photo apps today, and decided to take some snaps on my way from work to the train station. I admit I really like how they look....However, I am still keeping my old school ways of film and not editing, but this is a little fun!

Day 361- 28/9/10

Got my Jamie Oliver Italian cookbook today in the post. Can't wait to make some fantastic dinners from it!

Day 360- 27/9/10

Day 359- 26/9/10

Very cool fuzzy cows with a 'belt' on!

Beautiful Harry Potter-Lord of the Rings type forest

Day 358- 25/9/10

What a perfect day for a rugby game! Quite an even game, despite what the papers wrote the next morning.

The home team making the rounds...game winners too!

Day 357- 24/9/10

Down to the beautiful county of Gloucestershire for the weekend

Day 356- 23/9/10

First birthday party, champers and cupcakes - perfect!

Day 355- 22/9/10

What a lovely window display, 'put the kettle on'. And the neat thing is all these tea pots and cozies are for sale for charity. I am so tempted!

Day 354- 21/9/10

I was in town very early this morning to run to the bank before catching the train. The town centre was completely empty, and it was so cool being there like that, as it's always so busy!

Day 353- 20/9/10

Making a Jamie Oliver Italian dish for dinner, why not use parmesan cheese with Jamie on it!?

Day 352- 19/9/10

What to do on a cool sunday afternoon? Bake banana bread of course!

Day 351- 18/9/10

We came across this "Real Ale Festival" in town so decided to check it out. 5 pounds to get in, and with that you got a glass (with Darwins face on it I may add) to taste your beers or ales. This pint costs around 1.20 to fill up, and there were hundreds of ales to choose from. Some nice ciders and perries as well...Kinda like the Ludlow food fest from last weekend, but this place was inside a dogy bar and consisted of 98% men over the age of 42. Still good fun. Best part was you could either give your glass back for a 3 pound return, or keep it. Excellent.

Day 350- 17/9/10

It was like Christmas at the office today. Three shiny, amazing and breathtaking imacs were purchased for the office. Lots of squeeling about it all, it looked like an apple store had exploded in the room. Wireless mouse with this very cool scrolling function, and wireless keyboard. Days became just a little more beautiful in Brum.

Day 349- 16/9/10

In the 349 days I've been here I must have taken a photo of our train station right? I am sure I have, but not sure at the same time. I find it to be such a beautiful building from the outside, looks lovely in the evening too when the lights are shining on it, and the clock is all lit up.

Day 348- 15/9/10

Day 347- 14/9/10

Time to pull out your jumpers, the brisk autumn wind is slowly blowing in.

Day 346- 13/9/10

A pretty little plant on the windowsill. There is something about having fresh plants in the flat I like.

Day 345- 12/9/10

These are some homemade flapjacks I made today... There isn't much to them: oats, sugar, butter, and that lush golden syrup that I talked about last week. They can come in all different kinds (like with chocolate on top, or jam) but these are just the plain ones. Super simple to make and a great source of healthy oats! (Not to mention all the sugar however)

Day 344- 11/9/10

Myself and a couple friends went to the Ludlow food fest today. A lush mix of fresh produce, ciders, crisps, baking, chutneys, beers, cheese and meats. It was fantastic.

Besides the food, theres always fashion. I loved seeing people wearing wellies at the food fest. It seems like no matter what kind of 'fest' happens in England, wellies are always appropriate. Like these two with their Hunter wellies on. As you do.

Yum, cider!

Inside one of the food tents

Forming fresh butter into blocks

Not a bad backdrop for a food festival. Lots of tents with local produce, wines and ciders, and food with Ludlow castle in the back.

Making cider. This was the process of using the chopped up apples, and basically squshing out the juice

Making the dough. We waited forever for this pizza to be cooked, but it was worth it.

The pizza man and his clay oven. Jamie Oliver uses this little baby to cook outside.

mmm...cake to end the day

Day 343- 10/9/10

I have recently noticed the reflection of this building when walking to work. When looking across the street I see that ugly 1970's-esque building, but the lovely church/building that is reflected in the ugly one is quite neat. Walking along the street the windows chop up the reflection, which alters and changes as you walk.

Day 342- 9/9/10

On those "everyday days" I'd take photos of my tea, or baking. There are also a lot of photos on the blog that are taken out the flat window. All look very similar, with slight differences, or for various reasons. The flooded river, heavy rains, the first bloom on the tree, even snow.

Today was the first day that I noticed the change in the leaves, and it felt like Autumn was coming...Beautiful!

Day 341- 8/9/10

Cool couches right?
Look comfy?

Wrong. Entirely made out of hard, cold, plastic. Very cool.

Day 340- 7/9/10

The first pic of some street art- its been a while since I've had a little street art on here. Lots of these paste-up things in Brum. Is it art? Sure, why not? I had someone explain to me how these were done, and then how the artist ensured that taking them down was a pain the the butt. Very interesting.

Day 339- 6/9/10

Generally the day was ok, but just after I got in the door this evening the rain and wind came. Blech! There goes that warm weather I had mentioned the other day.

Day 338- 5/9/10

Books I am either reading, have read, or about to read.
The Larsson series is fantastic, I recommend it even if you normally don't read this genre of book. The Junior Officers Reading Club is a interesting view of the British Army, though from what I've heard not totally accurate. Still interesting.

Day 337- 4/9/10

For those of you that read this blog that know me personally, you know what's happening in my life right now...This little guy was given to me to keep me company over the next little while. Love him.

Day 336- 3/9/10

Walking home from after a dinner out. It was a really beautiful, calm night. No wind whatsoever, and the river was stunning.

Day 335- 2/9/10

If you've read the blog for a while, I believe you've seen at least two posts about this car. I'd like to say the Reliant is one of my fave British cars, and of course it all goes back to watching Mr. Bean tip it over as a child.

Day 334- 1/9/10

I think it was sometime in June, I was walking around town with someone and it was a fairly warm day. I said to her "Oh, I can't wait till it gets warmer and we get a bit more sun...when will that be?" She says... "Oh I hate to disappoint you, but this is the warmest it will get". (With it only being around 20 degrees).

Sadly, she was right. We had a couple nice days in the months of July and August, but it was never really a hot summer.

However, the last few days have become beautiful. Blue skies, warm weather...its great. Lets hope the rest of September is like this, make us feel like we have a little bit of a summer left!

This ice cream guy rides his bike up and down the high street on warm days with the ice cream "truck", feels so 1950's. Love the outfit.