Yellow Christmas

Very shortly after noon on Christmas Day, motorists were busy filling up at the Shell station on Dowson Road. Being one of the few days when the local superstores close, it probably had a little less competition than usual. Regular unleaded was 130.9 pence per litre and diesel 138.9 ppl.

See a selection of 89 photos taken all over Britain and Ireland around midday on December 25th 2011 on Geograph.

A contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday.

Access to Ogden Court

Pedestrian access from Mottram Road opposite Morrison's supermarket leading to Ogden Court, Frank Street and Lumn Hollow.

Weekend Reflections in Black & White

Have you seen these reflections before?

Check out my post of 22nd December.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Weekend Reflections.

Friday Fences: Kissing Gate

The entrance to the Trans Pennine Way (and National Cycle Route #62) at the end of Garside Street. The kissing gate was designed to prevent motorcyclists gaining access. Alas it makes it very awkward for ordinary cyclists and people pushing prams and impossible for wheelchair users to access the path.

For Friday Fences.

Signs on Market Street

The shop next door to the large road sign opened in September 2011 as the offices of the Just Help Foundation. See my photograph posted 21st March 2012. Since then it has closed and the website for the foundation is a "parked domain".

Now it is the offices of MPS Enterprises, a member of the Akeeda group who have moved from their previous offices in the former Nawabi Balti which is now vacant again. See my photograph posted 14th June 2012.

As for the curious sign on the gate next door - "Rent a Washer", I've no idea exactly what it refers to.

For signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: X

A fallen tree makes an X with an upgrowing bare-limbed tree.

Taken on a drizzly Xmas day for posting on BoXing day.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

There are just two days left to visit Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite photos.

Ruby Tuesday: Yew Tree Singers

The Yew Tree Singers from Dukinfield were singing carols in Clarendon Mall on Saturday.

For Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

A Merry Christmas to all our visitors.

Please visit Best of Hyde 2012. Just three days left to vote for your favourite photos.

Telecom Workers

Two yellow jacketed workers from BT are working at the telephone cabinet opposite Wild's Cards.

One is doing the required wireing whilst the other guards their blue tool box.

A blue car is parked outside the Jolly Carter.

For Mellow Yellow Monday and Blue Monday.

Please visit Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite photos.

Market Street Shadows

Tha shadows are falling across the bottom of Market Street as yet another business bites the dust.

Waterways bathroom and tiles showroom has now closed down and the premises are up for rent. On the left is the Donnybrook Medical Centre by the bus station. The shuttered shop on the right was once the surgery of Dr Shipman.

Please visit Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite photos.

For Shadow Shot Sunday.

Weekend Reflections: Mossley Band

Members of Mossley Band playing in Hyde Civic Square on the penultimate Saturday before Christmas.

A close-up view of two tubas can be seen on sithenah.

Two more photographs of the band are on Hyde DP Xtra.

More information about the band can be found on the Mossley Band website.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

20:12 20/12 2012

Around 20:12 20/12 2012 the rain is illuminated by a street lamp at the bottom of Garside Street. In the far background are the lights of the Hare & Hounds on Werneth Low.

For Skywatch Friday.

East Coast Hair & Beauty Internet Cafe Signs

These signs are on the wall above the "East Coast Hair & Beauty Internet Cafe".

The premises used to house a pawnbrokers but now there is a sign above the shop advertising a solicitor's business. Maybe they use the offices on the first floor.

See a wider view of the front of the shop on Hyde DP Xtra.

Please visit Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite photos.

For signs, signs

Wreaths outside the White Lion

My contribution to ABC Wednesday this week is a photograph of these wreaths on sale at just £3.95 a time (same price as last year) on the market ground outside the White Lion.

An advent wreath hung on the door is a tradition that several of my neighbours continue to observe.

Please visit Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite photos.

Dancing to the carol singers

In front of the carol singers in my post from yesterday were a couple of red-dressed folk singing heartily and even doing a little dance. I believe they were actually promoting the local food banks.

Round the other side the Rotary Club of Hyde had parked Santa's sleigh - see Hyde DP Xtra.

Posted for Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Please also visit Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite photos.

Carol singers in the Civic Square

Carol singing in the Civic Square on Saturday was being led by Tom on accordion and Jim on guitar.

It was wet to start with but brightened up later.

Santa in his red suit was around. I showed you his reindeer in the Mall yesterday.

I'll show you his sleigh tomorrow.

The Mossley band were also in the square and I'll show you them on Saturday.

With the bits of blue in this photograph I'd like to wish a Merry Christmas to all the bloggers who contribute to Blue Monday.

Meanwhile please remember to vote for your favourites at Best of Hyde 2012.

Santa and some of his reindeer

Some of Santa's reindeer visited the Clarendon Mall in Hyde this Saturday.

Santa himself was there too outside Scallywag's which is closing down.

Another photo of the reindeer is on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Camera Critters.

Scallywag's closing down

The children's clothes shop, Scallywag Ltd, in Clarendon Mall was having a closing down sale last Saturday.

Please visit Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite three photographs.

New Beech Street Fence

The fence divides New Beech Street from the embankment above the M67 motorway.

See the other side of the fence on Hyde DP Xtra.

For more fences visit Friday Fences.

St George's (for Nell and Doug)

This is how St George's Church looked on 12/12/12 where I went to celebrate the life of John Douglas Grieve (1929-2012).

I've only known Doug and his wife Nell for a couple of years since they became first neighbours and very quickly firm friends. Earlier this year they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and we had a wonderful party.

Doug had the good fortune and resolution to organise his own funeral in the few weeks before he passed away under the care of Willow Wood Hospice.

He loved poetry and chose this poem to be read in church.

Remember Me

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

by Christina Rossetti.

After the ceremony Nell and her family proceeded to Dukinfield Cemetery and we met up with everyone again at Oaklands Hall - see Hyde DP Xtra.

ABC Wednesday: V is for Voting

The time has come to vote for the best of Hyde DP 2012.

View the twelve contenders at Best of Hyde 2012 and vote for your favourite three photographs.

Voting closes 12 noon GMT, 28th December 2012.

For ABC Wednesday.

Living statue

Going to post some letters in the double postbox outside Hyde Post Office the other week I was surprised to see a newly-erected sculpture beside it.

On walking round the other side to take a proper look I was startled when it bent forward and said "hello".

He was there all morning greeting passers-by.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Wash & Go

Behind the "Leading Edge" hair and beauty salon on the corner of Dowson Road and Markland Street is the "Spa" hand car-wash. Maps of the early 20th century show this as the site of the Hyde Steam Laundry.

For Mellow Yellow Monday.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Unity Inn

The Robinson's pub on the corner of Oldham Street and Croft Street casts its shadow on the house below.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Christmas Tree reflections

It had rained on Monday and around the Christmas tree in Hyde Civic Square the wet market ground carried reflections of the HSBC bank and the baked potato stall.

In the background is a Stagecoach 330 bus at the grade II listed bus shelter.

I'd done my shopping so just quickly took this shot and then went to catch that bus.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Green Autumn

As the wintry weather rapidly approaches, I thought I'd post today a view taken a few weeks ago looking down into Gower Hey Woods from the top of Swain's Valley.

A contribution for Green Days on Raindrops & Daisies.

Signs on the pavement

After someone recently slipped on the pavement here, council workers came out and marked the area in need of repair. When the repair will actually get done remains to be seen.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: U is for Umbrella

This regular stall on Hyde Market outside the entrance to Clarendon Shopping Mall sells umbrellas, batteries, cigarette lighters and cuts keys.

For ABC Wednesday.

Ruby Tuesday: China Kitchen

The China Kitchen takeaway next to the former Globe Inn (now converted to residential accommodation) on Lumn Road viewed from the end of Ridling Lane.

See how it looked a year ago when the conversion work was in progress.

For Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Hyde Hospital Lodge

The Lodge at Hyde Hospital on Grange Road South.

Hyde Hospital was built in 1886 as a "Fever Hospital". By 1929 it was known as Hyde Infectious Diseases Hospital. From 1948-1955 it was known again as Hyde Isolation Hospital. In the late 1980s, wards 1 to 3 were converted into Hyde Nursing Home operated by Meridian Healthcare Ltd. See the Nursing Home on Hyde DP Xtra.

Ward 4, known as the TB ward and some smaller buildings continued to be used by some ancillary service until 1996. They are now being demolished - see my post of 27th November.

I believe the Lodge is used by Meridian as offices.

A contribution to Blue Monday.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Douglas Street Playing Fields

Another autumn shadow shot - this time looking across the Douglas Street playing fields towards the back of houses in Nelson Street.

For Shadow Shot Sunday.

Garside Street

Yesterday I showed you the moon over Garside Street.

Today I'm showing a little more of the street. On the right hand side is a row of terraced houses. On the left hand side is Enfield Court, modern retirement apartments. At the bottom of the street a kissing gate leads into Swains Valley and a path onto the TransPennine trail (and National Cycle Route #62).

See how it looked from the opposite direction in January 2010.

A contribution to the CDPB December theme My Street.