The SE23.life Instagram account is live and we would love to share some of your favourite pictures of the area (taken by yourself).
Please make sure you own the rights to the picture or at least have permission to use it.
Lovely pictures there @squashst Thank you for sharing .
I have posted one for now, just trying to find our feet a bit so apologies for the vagueness.
But congratulations on being the first person to have an image posted on https://www.instagram.com/se23.life/
And another local favourite (for another day again…) taken outside the entry to Mayow Park from the Silverdale side ( so RIGHT on the boundary of SE23 )
p.s. this bench too is now, sadly, only a memory as it was removed shortly thereafter
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCPo81hp4q0/?taken-by=thirstforwine
doesn’t look THAT much like SE23 down below though 
Whilst I love any great picture, and we could share our favourites, I’d just like to refer you to the intention of the thread which was to collect some great photos of the area (i.e SE23) that might be shared via the SE23.LIFE instagram account in order to give a flavour of the area.
I’m not sure we want to disappoint visitors looking for the local fishing trawlers
Indeed @thirstforwine that is the intention for the Instagram account, but no harm in people sharing a few cheeky favourites of what are clearly not taken in SE23. Everyone can join in that way, as some are unlikely to have images of the local area.
I’m sure the balance can be found, and if necessary the thread split to differentiate between over all favourite pictures taken, and those of the local area. As ever, trial and error with plenty of room for adjustment. Just finding the interests of the community 
We get some cracking rainbows at this end of SE23 - I’m on Mayow Road, near where that pic was taken. If we get a bit of sun after the rain late afternoon, we’re almost guaranteed a rainbow in that direction.
I got a few that day, it was amazing, not sure id ever seen a double rainbow before.
Haha when was this? I remember its long standing impending doom, but never saw the sign.
Epic !
Stunning eh!
Just before 9pm tonight.
Saw the double one from my kitchen window - thought for a moment I’d had too much wine.
Well this is SE23, , my photos have mainly been wildlife but I’ll see if I can dig anything else out, for now here is some wildlife seen in my garden over the years.
Great photos @oakr, love the shallow depth of field in particular.
Would you object to us sharing these on our social sites (Instagram and Pinterest)? We link back here for attribution.
If you’re happy for us to share, we’ll create a new Pinterest board on SE23 wildlife/nature (hat tip to @Daffodil for the original suggestion)
Hi Chris, thanks and yes that’s no problem.
It’s a gorgeous photo, in sure it counts
I would love to know what they thought they were saying that came out as “rinse rinse boiler”. “Double-boiled rice”, like “twice-cooked chips”???
Something of a curio, London in the 1950s by car
Fantastic! Imagine driving for as long as 1m30s or even 2 minutes at a time and not even having to stop for traffic.
Anyone know where those shots were?
A surprising number of cars, actually, I thought.
Thanks for posting, @squashst!
I’m pretty sure the first two shots were in Chelsea down by the river (Chelsea Walk) and the last one was around Kensington High Street.
If it was anywhere east or south of Central London, you’d have seen many bomb sites still waiting to be rebuilt.
Great photo. Are those sheep in the background / what are they?
This was our boating pond which is now paved over at the bottom of Meadow Field. Lovely view of the bandstand as well.
Thanks for this @Clair.
@HornimanMuseum give us back our boating pond!
And… that’s a good thing? Just checking.
Walked past it yesterday, it brings out my inner child. Lovely display.
Here is one I took of “Woody” our local resident Green woodpecker. He pops down to the grass edge outside my flat, early most mornings (don’t think so at this time of the year or I maybe have not heard him) and announces himself by making woodpecker calling noises (not alarming ones, maybe “I am here getting breakfast” kind of noises (? lol) then proceeds to eat insects (?) as he hops along the kerb edge.You can just pick him out.
Here is one of a beautiful female Harris Hawk who came to “have a word” with the pigeon population hanging around Lewisham Hospital a while back. 
She flew about, under the watchful eye of her handler and made her presence known (see her perched on a window sill outside of a ward room) What a joy to watch and the pigeons were well behaved that day 
Living together in our wonderful community/area that is SE23
I like living where I do, mostly. Here is one reason why my patience is sometimes tried (I am not perfect myself though 
) but …
Tips on maybe how you could possibly open someones eyes to how other people feel, living around you (or, maybe how to not make an enemy of a near neighbour?! lol)
Here is one I took of a sticky note I put on our communal rubbish shute one summer, when I was at the end of my tether because someone in my block, on my floor, kept on scraping waste food direct into the hopper 
Especially annoying in summer (unless you are a fly!) It seemed to have an effect, thankfully 
The reverse of the note too (as much as I love foxes and especially watching the young 'uns every spring-ish time, I do not appreciate them dumping on our walkways!) 
I always try to get along with my neighbours. Sometimes it just takes a gentle nudge, word of advice or, even a “hello, how are you?” and a friendly ear. 
[Shared with permission]
10/10 for effort! 
Didnt know there were baobabs in FH! 
I’m not sure what species of tree that is. Beech maybe? Every few years it is brutally crowned. This vandalism was inflicted this week. In its full glory it is beautiful and its leaves rustle even when there is not a breath of a breeze at ground level. Many a summer’s afternoon has had the susurration of its foliage as background music. No more.
All for the cheap price of puts little finger in mouth one Billion pounds per year… !
Cheap as chips - Maidenhead return daily costs me £26 return…
Brilliant photo.
I had so many of these in the garden this year. Orange and yellow. I love them. So nice to see them in this setting.
He is a handsome chap, nothing like the owner
LMAO so true, although the owner is ginger too right now!
The lengths I go to to get snaps like this, laying in a park!! Eeew
Lovely photo Is that a grasshopper?
Errm I’m gonna say yes, but don’t really know lol
He’s an interesting chap. Going by his colour and the fact he’s about during the day, I’d say grasshopper, but his long antenna suggest cricket.
@starman Did you enjoy the spooky drop in temperature at the entrance to the disused railway?
There is also one of these on the entrance to Blythe hill. The ravensbourne side
Must have taken it hours to carve the arched doorway.
I think maybe years)))
Will have to try this again but here is One Tree Hill just before 6pm today as viewed from just out of HOP station
Wow really nice Rebecca! I’ve only ever seen them this side of the river, and only rarely in the garden but really like them. Is bird photography your favourite photography element? You’ve posted some really nice shots on here.
They are such sweet little things. They showed up for the first time ever in my garden last summer, about 10-15. I started feeding the birds from my second floor flat window by sticking window feeders on. I now get so many birds who sit on the elder tree just outside, so its easy to get close shots of them. I even had a jay come to my window! Sometimes I stick my head out and the coal tits are really friendly and land on me! There is also one particular parakeet who just sits on the windowsill and peers in at me - quite hilarious really. And my cats watching it all. Yes I love all wildlife and I love photographing them all. You have great shots too! I’ve always thought it would be great to have a show case of local photographers photography, especially a wildlife themed one!
I’d totally be up for it!
I’m sure SE23 is in this picture somewhere.
That there is pure class! Love that!
Wow he is stunning now!
Very familiar view that
Beautiful! Is that a Norwegian forest cat?
Hi Chris - he is! Though I think we might rename him a Barbadian Sofa cat in terms of his time indoors in the warm vs outdoors in the snow!
We rehomed him this summer - he’s a super cat though he does shed quite a lot of fur when, like now, his winter coat is going!
Beautiful! Where were those taken?
Hello. I’m fortunate enough to back onto a communal wood of sorts. Essentially it’s surrounded by houses on each side and access is only via those houses, and instead of some houses having large gardens the majority has been left as woodland (though the woodland is managed and we all pay a small annual fee towards that) - it’s amazing and I think the only one on South London, though who knows for sure.
The one on the left looks like ‘the cat in the hat’ book by Dr Seuss
Is there a prize for spotting the cat - if there is it looks like GillB has won it.
Either that or I have an over imaginative mind from childhood & being a former teaching assistant too long 
Wow, I love the light in the second one - it was a good day for pics y’day - sunlight, and dark clouds.
That is a great shot.
A few SE23 aerials for a different perspective!
https://se23.life/uploads/default/original/2X/5/5a735290b6eb655242b9345163cf0466585179c1.mp4
Amazing photos @Mike_Hemmings - thanks for sharing!
Note to all: when sharing videos, I’d recommend uploading to YouTube/Vimeo and then posting the link here where it will expand out into an embedded, playable video
Fabulous! Where are they?
Thanks guys!
@Londondrz - I was using a DJI Mavic Pro, 2.7k edited in Premier or just Instagram.
@AndyS - All taken from Camberwell New Cemetry (bar the circus which is Dulwich Park )
The video didn’t upload but there are a few on instagram under 400ftflyer
Great shot. Did you leave the shutter open on long exposure or just time it perfectly
Just seen on BBC Springwatch 28 May 2018 20:55.
Horse Chestnut.
Pond life
Mozzie2 by alligator1975, on Flickr
Froglet by alligator1975, on Flickr
Frog by alligator1975, on Flickr
One more froglet - they will all have left the pond soon.
Interesting perspective. With the church lit so it appears defiant.
It is almost as if these structures were built to tower above the earth, reaching up to the heavens to connect with something higher than ourselves. Demonstrating the power of the church to rise above mortal matters and reach out toward the godly.
Nowadays we leave such symbolism to the banks, the broadcast media, and space tycoons. And the church spires are converted into homes for the upwardly mobile.
I wonder if that is the same lightening bolt from a different angle …
Great photos, you’ve captured the colours nicely. The last one does look strange! - sesame seed maybe!
I think the first one is a Tiger Tomato, they definitely had some once, and I started growing them (or trying to) after seeing them there.
I’ve always liked walking through the gardens there, good ideas for lots of things.
I note you’ve been giving some of your photo stuff away, are you moving way from photography (which would be a shame!)?
Glad you like it, I was lucky that day and the light was great.
I give away stuff I don’t use. No time for photography as my main job takes all the time. I do keep camera so not moving away from it completely…
Flew in this morning - great view of South London. I think I got most of SE23 from St Dunstans College on the right just above the centre line to Dulwich College on the left. You can see the gas holders in Sydenham and everything in-between. Hello everyone, and apologies for the aircraft noise
Claus ducks
Great pic - and it puts the gas-holders into perspective.
They hold no significance over the rest of the subjects in the picture.
No need to apologise for the noise - it’s an acknowledged fact that Londoners need their flights for leisure and business trips - and that some level of noise inevitably goes with them.
The ‘noise’ thing was a mildly sarcastic dig at the ongoing aircraft noise thread which I’m really not going to kick off in here.
I actually like how the gas holders stand out quite prominently in blue.
Great picture! I can see my house!
PS: Note that you can mute threads you aren’t interested in… but I did get the joke 
I love these, thanks for sharing. That ‘thing’ on Bishopsgate is going to be HUGE given how high the concrete core goes. And it’s square and boring.
Thanks! The speed of building is crazy - I use to work near Bishopsgate and walk through recently and there was so much new!
We’ve got some catching up to do but we’ve made a start:
Red sky in the morning shepherds warning?
That’s really nice @MackemJo
Thanks @oakr! It was a stick my phone outside our loft window and hope for the best one. Really beautiful sky.
I believe that’s is known as field craft
Wait… isn’t it red sky in morning (insert preferred outdoor trade) warning?
Should’ve I brought a brolly?
Lovely pic BTW
Wow, love the tone and drama in that photo
Yeah kind of weird - it was blue sky and sunny, yet the phone decided to do some weird colour balancing - I quite liked the effect so it’s totally unedited.
This photo is from the @HornimanMuseum, in the main reception area:
There’s info about the exhibition as a whole here As I Live and Breathe - Horniman Museum and Gardens, but I’ve reproduced some of the blurb on this particular piece as it details an interesting additional dimension which isn’t immediately apparent on viewing alone:
Claire Morgan
As I Live and Breathe, 2019
Polythene, nylon, leadThis dramatic installation is composed of thousands of fragments of colourful waste polythene, torn by hand from used shopping bags. It suggests a dramatic movement, being pulled by gravity from overhead down to the ground below, halting the movement in order to freeze a fleeting instant in time.
Claire says “I wanted to make something suggestive of our constant resistance to the forces of nature, and of a situation on the point of dramatic change, of collapse. The synthetic ball-like forms are reminiscent of comets or meteors. For me, both in this work and in life, there is a jarring between the disruptive, unstoppable cycles of life and death, that ultimately govern us, and the superficial, seductive, safe and easily consumable things: colours, materials, objects that we choose to use to entertain and distract ourselves.”
…
Wow, superb picture.
It was, indeed. I took a picture of the very same cloud formation, potentially at very same time, judging by the shapes…
I have spent more time than is reasonable trying to pinpoint on Google Earth where you took yours from (to the point where I now hate myself). But… is Hilly Fields Park in the right ballpark? Assuming that’s the church next to the fire station on Lewisham High Street.
I’ve changed my mind, that church’s steeple is not quite the right shape.
Maybe this church, somewhere along the red line…
(The things I find to do that aren’t house work astound me)
It’s the Apostle’s Church from Waldenshaw Road 
I hope you can relax now!
I always imagined your view was a spectacular one. I had to clamber on our roof to get a similar one but of course we were a few doors down so didn’t have the same perspective.
Beautiful scenery almost seemingly under a glass dome.
Does it turn into a snow scene when you shake it?
Nice - were you rescuing it or was it just stealing your honey (well taking back what was rightfully hers!)
It was a rescue mission. Bee had been caught in a window for a while and looked worn out. After eating some of the honey and sitting in the sun for ten minutes it flew off high in the sky.
I think there must be an apairy somewhere around here as there’s a couple of these guys getting stuck every day. Or it could be the same bee coming back for more 
Or maybe they will calm down now the Clematis has finished flowering.
His. More likely.
Why? I thought all worker bees were female - is it a drone \ how can you tell?
I thought they were all male. Isn’t the only female the Queen?
My favourite is going up, composing the shot, only to realise I didn’t put the SD card in. Doh!
Saw some fox cubs today which brought a smile to my face
And if anyone wants a video of them it’s here
Fox Club😁
These foxes start clubbing at a young age - I blame the parents!
They made hell of a noise.
If they are US Apaches then they won’t show up on Flightradar.
so the question is, what are they doing here?
Just passing through?
by ‘here’ I meant in the UK, but it would appear we have UK Apaches in the airforce https://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/aircraft/ so yes probably passing through.
I wondered what the helicopters that I heard were as I could tell they had a different sound to the police and air ambulance helicopters we hear more regularly and the chinooks that go over from time to time. By the time I got to a window next door’s large tree blocked the view of them!
Yeah, as far as I can remember we’ve had them for some time. I don’t know the exact date they were put into service but we’ve had them since before the invasion of Iraq. I’ve seen them before here and elsewhere in London and like you I’ve wondered where they’d come from and where they were going but after some thought it’s unlikely that they’d land anywhere in Greater London on a regular or infrequent basis so my conclusion - along with Chinooks - is that they’re just passing through.
Their direction of flight over my house was similar to that of Trump’s fleet(?) so I perhaps they were heading to Biggin Hill (where Trump’s were based).
They like hedge hopping up here. Was saved at by a pilot of one last year, it was so low I could tell he had blue eyes😁
Potentially landing at the HAC?
Sorry they’re Agapanthus, they are wonderful aren’t they.
Happy to be corrected, thanks. Yes they’re fab
Hug a tree maybe ?? 
My favourite part of the gardens.
A very brief, but lovely, rainbow just now 
Excellent!
Fabulous. What lens and settings?
Thanks! Just on my phone (S9) and converted quickly on the phone to B&W.
Question: What would a nuclear winter look like?
Answer: 
Nice! I must go up again.
I saw the Kestrel over the allotment the other day but it was chased away by the magpies again.
I’ve said it before but I’m so happy we have Peregrines, Kestrels, Owls, Kingfishers and many other stunning birds in and around SE23.
For a moment I was going to move this to Crochet Appreciation, but you are right - this is a picture of SE23!
Foresthelen posted (8) it on 19th July in crochet appreciation.
I never opened crochet appreciation thread. My loss! 
Beautiful, all of them. I love the first one with the sun setting behind the trees - very nicely framed.
Reminds me of London in the 80s
Bracing myself for the slew of snow pictures we’re going to get today.
Not complaining one bit mind you!
What a (lovely) contrast 
Funnily enough, on this exact same date, in 2019, here is another photo taken from the edge of Shackleton Close (courtesy of photo reminders from my Amazon Photos account)
Good to see they are turning the water features on early this year!
That is a nice photo, some great detail for the light conditions. What are you using?
OnePlus 8 Pro phone
Camera phones are superb these days. My poor old Lumix languishes in its box as I always use my phone.
The best camera is the one that you have with you when the perfect shot pops up.
I have a decent small system camera but only really take it with me when I going to try for pics of a particular subject where having long exposure/less noise/longer zoom might be useful.
A picture from the Big Breakfast referb on opposite side of road appears to have the same shop sign name.
In the late 90s the same owner puzzlingly ran both shops, which appeared to me to stock exactly the same convenience store/ newsagent type things. They consolidated into one eventually.
It was just Fullers back in the 1950’s when I used to pass it every day on my way to Adamsrill School.
Great photo @MackemJo
Thanks @oakr; it was a hang out of the loft window with my phone job! Beautiful morning.
Amazing colours!! Superb photo!!
It almost inspires me to get up early for a peek ! But it’s warmer under my duvet.
OakR how about having a go at an ice sculpture?
That is the other half of Le Querce.
Oooh - that’s lovely.
Beautiful image.
And today it’s snowing!!
The second photo looks like an ice sculpture of a dog!!
@Clair that’s exactly what it looks like!
Lovely photos @MackemJo @Clair and @Watershed! Clouds can look amazing at times.
I’ve got a video of him on Garthorne I think - will try and upload it later. He’d been trying to get into a skip (which was covered) and then started walking straight towards me before stopping.
No but love you captured his reflection in the puddle.
I noticed that the other day too - pretty cool design I think.
Yes it’s a 4 bedroom apartment over several floors. Includes stained glass windows, great views over London and a big bell. There’s a video tour on the Foxtons website for those interested, curious or just plain nosy. A cool £1.5m.
The Sound Garden at the Horniman, with the new planting in front of it:
Also the bandstand never gets old:
And finally the wishing tree:
More info on the wishing tree here: Festival of Hope Wishing Tree - Horniman Museum and Gardens
Although it’s just outside of SE23 there’s a lovely row of sunflowers in bloom against a wall close to the new building at St Dunstan’s College at the Catford end of Stansted Rd (best viewed when travelling towards Forest Hill as long as there are no lorries or buses waiting at the traffic lights on the Catford bound side!)
You can hear some of the story around the bombing of the station from an eye-witness and first responder from a history talk hosted by the Forest Hill Society from the recollections of Pip Wedge. The start of the transcript is below:
“My father, my uncle and I, were standing out in our garden watching doodlebug’s V1 bombs coming over there were several direct lines that they followed coming out of wherever it was below normal we would watch the doodlebugs coming straight overhead and we’d pray they keep going and somebody else would get it but there was this one particular one that stopped just before it got to us we had no idea where it was going to land sometimes they came straight down sometimes they did a complete circle and before dropping, this one landed on Forest Hill Station. It landed where the subway was. Unfortunately it was a Sunday and the Forest Hill Station central platform, which you saw just now, the central platform was only used on a Sunday. There was a fast train that went from London Bridge to East Croydon and stopped in Forest Hill on the way and, unfortunately, on that platform were some people where normally there would have been nobody. As a result I think three people were killed and ten were severely injured.”
More in the video on the website.
I’ve been wanting to do one of these for a couple of years, will have to go and have a look before the weather turns.
That looks potentially dangerous. I’d like to see the health and safety assessment on that.
That’ll be the ‘upgraded’ Victoria loop line.
They’re trialling a new ‘Active Travel’ pilot scheme, obviously. Strava will be adding a new ‘Trolley’ category and the Forest Hill to Sydenham section will undoubtedly become one of the most hotly contested segments very soon.
A very accurate representation of West Lewisham transport!
How about southern/overground are challenged into paying for 20 engineers who do the job in 1 hour. Rather than 1 engineer who does the job in 20 hours thereby leaving 10,000’s of people stranded for the weekend!
It can be done.
The trees have ben trimmed, the guys told me that this is a Chicken Bracket fungus, and is /was edible. Apparently fried with garlic it tastes superb.
Oooh nice, a bit spooky too 
Lovely to see the snow. The climate now being what it is, it is sadly a much rarer sight.
Makes a real difference doesn’t it!
Depressing that the bronze was stolen - how long ago was that?
At least before 2013.
I imagine it feels pretty fresh too! 
Yep - and possibly too cold also for the bongo drumming person that normally sits at the junction as was missed today too!
Not too friendly if you’ve got a fishpond I imagine!
Forest Hill’s other One Tree Hill
Stunning!
Great picture - you can really see the problem there. If it was like that every day, I think we’d see a greater change in behaviours and priorities to tackle it.
SE23’s
)
Well done to all concerned. Here’s to next year…
) - it’s because this one poor guy has to fix up all the track. Here he is pushing his trolley of tools towards Sydenham:
. 
