Changing Seasons

EARLY MORNING ON HAMPSTEAD HEATH

So the Seasons move on and we're almost into early

Winter. And yet hard to believe that next week they're

switching on the London Carnaby Street Christmas lights.

Below are a couple of seasonal gifs, now that we're

into Halloween week. The second gif is from Stephen

King's horror drama 'Salem's Lot.'

 

Below: Some familiar gifs from a beautiful

tumblr called AUTUMN COZY

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On a recent rummage in a local Charity shop, I found half a dozen vintage plates

that were all part of the Beryl Woods Ware classic English crockery set. I didn't

think that they actually still existed. So I quickly went on to e-bay and low and

behold, they were still very much available and so I sent off for more, giving myself

quite a little collection now.

Obviously there's a nostalgic connection here because growing up in our home

this was the crockery set we used. And they were still in circulation up to the 1970's.

Originally first brought out in the 1940's and often seen in Schools, Church Halls as

well as many homes, they can still be seen today in many classic 1970 tv sitcom

repeats, as can be seen below on the set of 'On The Buses.'

As it stands I now own several dinner plates, some side plates, several tea cups,

a few cereal/soup bowls, a couple of egg cups and a sugar bowl and not forgetting

some saucers.

Of course back then as kids the only downside was when your turn came up to wash

or dry the dishes while having to miss out on your favourite tv show.

More fascinating information can be seen at..

THE VINTAGE KITCHEN STORE

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I was pleased to pick up this laminated and now framed map of the London

Underground. It allows me to familiarize myself calmly without having to

view the one in the local noisy Station while people are rushing about.

It seems like a must have in the home when you only use public transport.

I was hoping to visit more out of London places the Summer just gone. But I found 

myself juggling with regular Hospital visits along with bad weather or just too hot

weather. So I'm holding over a visit to a very exciting and historical City for next Summer.

But clearly a highlight last Summer was that nostalgic visit to Elstead in Surrey.

My little garden plot at the side of our house put on a good colourful show this Summer.

In fact there wasn't very much to do except the daily watering during the warmer periods.

Much of the bedding and flowers were planted the Summer before and simply came back

this year.

The only plant I had a problem with was the Hydrangea which seemed to spout more

leaves than actual flowers. I think this was due to my cutting it back last Spring, which

I wont repeat next Spring.

That big blue plant trough I made back in 2021 is still holding up. I literally put it all together

using lengths of timber from an old wooden pallet.

OMG!.....THAT REALLY IS THE GREAT JOHNNY MATHIS

When I first saw these images above of the great Crooner Johnny Mathis earlier

this year I could barely believe my eyes. The images are taken from a viral video of 

Johnny performing his classic hit 'Misty' a song that goes all the way back to it's first

release in 1959.

And what's even more extraordinary about this performance from earlier this year in

January is that Johnny was 89 but still sounding as good as ever. And just a week ago

last Tuesday he reached the grand age of 90.

And watching this video (link below) I think it brings joy, but for some people of a certain

age it might bring on a sense of melancholy as we're being made aware of the passing of time.

Sadly the 2025 Concert Tour came to an abrupt end in May when his press team put out a

statement saying that Johnny Mathis had called it a day and would no longer be

performing anymore concerts due to 'accelerated' memory issues along with his

advancing age and declining health.

And if you've seen some of the videos of his last few concerts now up on youtube, then

you could see that he was struggling with his mobility up on the stage.

But thankfully his Record Company have faith in his well kept voice and are already

working alongside Johnny by producing a brand new album.

And so the mystery around this viral video that already has over two and a half

million views, is, who exactly filmed it. The video itself is up on Eric Matthews youtube

page but there's no video description. So it's unclear who the owner of the video is.

Link below.

JOHNNY MATHIS PERFORMING MISTY IN 2025 

Below: Johnny Mathis with his 1979 hit

'Gone, Gone Gone' a surprise hit that

cashed in on the Disco craze at the time.

UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE BY  Cienfuegos911

Raising Hell.....The Colossal Hellraiser Suite

 

Well I'm not sure how I missed this but I found this video above of a live concert recording

of the music from Clive Barker's classic horror movie Hellraiser (1987) along with

Hellbound (1988).

And for a late 1980's British Horror movie I thought the crashing opening music was so over

the top. But as I warmed to the films I realized how it was the music that enhanced the films.

I do have a three dvd box set of Hellraiser 1, 2 and 3, of which Hellraiser III Hell on Earth

has to be my favourite. It clearly had a bigger budget with more effects thrown in. And the thing

with the Hellraiser movies is that despite the horror and gory scenes, it actually had quite a bit

of humour in them along with some iconic lines mostly spouted by it's leading actor Pinhead

played by Doug Bradley, the original and only Pinhead for me.

Bradley has often said that if the call came for him to take on the roll of Pinhead then he would

jump at the opportunity. I can't think why he was dropped in the first place. He absolutely owned

the role of Pinhead the leader of the Cenobites. And after he was replaced I guess I lost interest

in the follow up films.

Music by Christopher Young and Conducted by Pascula Osa.

Video kindly uploaded to Youtube by Elizabeth McReynolds  HERE 

Above and below:  Doug Bradley the original Pinhead.

Below: Kevin Bernhardt in Hellraiser III

( Gifs by diabilito666 )