Category Archives: Theme Day

Stripes Theme Day: A Zebra Crossing


Stripes can be found in nature and design. While zebras have stripes for camouflage, Zebra Crossings are designed to stand out. They are paired with Belisha beacons which were introduced in the 1930s at road crossings. The zebra markings were added in 1951 to make the crossing stand out (according to Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_crossing).

This crossing is outside John Mason School in Abingdon. Hundreds of students cross it each day.

Famous former pupils who crossed here include West End actor and singer Oliver Tompsett, BBC and Channel 5 news presenter Katie Ledger and Dr Mike Leahy of the TV program ‘Bite Me’. The ex teacher Paul Mayhew Archer (co writer of The Vicar of Dibley) may have shepherded students crossing here.

This is for April’s City Daily Photo theme of ‘Stripes.’

For more entries on the theme visit https://citydailyphoto.org/2025/03/25/april-gallery-stripes/

New Chinese Motors in Abingdon


The City Daily Photo group’s theme for February is “Motors”.

Here in Abingdon, only one motor car dealership sells new motors. A few years ago, I could have bought a new Vauxhall at Bellingers and Fiat or Ford at Hartwell. Bellingers has since moved to nearby Didcot, and the models at Hartwell have changed. They still sell Fords but have introduced some new models: GWM, OMODA and JAECOO.

GWM, or Great Wall Motor, is one of China’s leading car makers. OMODA and JAECOO are new brands, both subsidiaries of Chery, another Chinese car maker.

Vehicles destined for the UK market are made in Chinese factories. However, Chery are preparing to make cars in Spain to avoid EU tariffs, with the UK under consideration for another factory. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74jgk1kw87o.

Blackberry Season


Today, on the 1st August, the City Daily Photo Bloggers theme is ‘Fruit.’ With blackberry season in full swing in the country lanes around Abingdon, I not only picked blackberries for a crumble but clicked blackberries to share. They are bitter-sweet. The initial delight can be followed by a creepy crawly.

To see how other bloggers around the world captured the essence of fruit, click here.

Intoxicated with colour


Once a sensory garden with sober colours and subtle aromas, the flower bed at the end of Bath Street is now intoxicated with colour. It is flashier than the passing fire engine on Stratton Way.

On the first of August, town and city photo bloggers share their pictures on the Gardens theme. See more at the CDP Theme Day.