Roger Bennion's photos

Below is an extract from the College website. Link as follows - www.magd.ox.ac.uk/discover-magdalen/history-of-college “Magdalen College was founded in 1458 by William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, and Lord Chancellor. He wanted a College on the grandest scale, and his foundation was the largest in Oxford, with 40 Fellows, 30 scholars (known at Magdalen as Demies), and a large choir for his Chapel. Waynflete lived to a great age, dying in 1486, by which time Magdalen was equipped with a large income, splendid buildings, and a set of statutes. The 20th century has seen Magdalen’s academic reputation flourish. Two of our most famous Fellows from this period were the English scholar and theologian C. S. Lewis and the historian A. J. P. Taylor; in addition, nine Nobel Prize winners have been Fellows or students here. Women first came here in 1979, and the College today prides itself on being an inclusive institution, open to all.”

~ Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) It may look like this was taken in the Amazon...............nope, in Oxford :-) I guess this guys name could be Michael and if so this would make a fair link to “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore” methinks :-) I had no idea that the Beach Boys recorded this until, 'out of the blue', I came across this gem on YouTube :-) Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Michael Row the Boat Ashore ~ Beach Boys p.s. I think I may have caught up commenting upon 'StoL' posts......Yippee :-))) p.p.s Fraggs has made a very good point and I'm sure this song was sometimes known as "Michael Row the Canoe Ashore" :-)))

~ Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) Around the time that Karen uploaded a link to “White Rabbit” I was wondering around Oxford and came across this pub. I immediately knew I had to link my shot to the all-time classic “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane :-) I thought to myself that I must have previously been walking around with my eyes closed but, I have now discovered the pub was originally called 'The Gloucester Arms' and has recently been refurbished with the name change :-) I'm not ever so keen on Pizza but I understand they do the best Pizza for miles around. So, if I take the bus to Oxford I may go inside for a Pizza and a small beverage :-) Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ White Rabbit ~ Jefferson Airplane p.s. Only another 27 'Soundtrack to Life' posts for me to comment upon :-)))

From late Thursday evening for some 8 hours through the night until sunrise I was verifying and counting Election votes. Back again on Friday afternoon to do the same. On Saturday we went to an incredible 'Billy Joel Songbook' concert performed by Elio Pace and his awesome Band. Didn't get home 'til well after midnight. Been out with my camera all day today. The result of which is that I am now so far behind here on ip that I could very well meet myself coming back :-) So, please bear with me whilst I try and catch-up. With this shot I thought applying a bit of soft focus was a good idea :-) Stefan says "In my head I can hear - "A Walk in the Park by the Nick Straker Band". Yes, that is a mighty good enough reason for me to add this to 'Soundtrack to Life'. Cheers, Stefan :-) Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ A Walk in the Park ~ Nick Straker Band

I suppose this could also be 'Happy Bicycle Wheel' Friday 'cos, clearly, I was very taken with the bicycle wheel here :-)

~ Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) For 'L O V E' I took letters from a 'BLACKWELL'S ART & POSTER SHOP' sign in Oxford and fiddled around in Photoshop for ages and ages :-) But, I hear you say “there is not a V in the sign” :-) I should say that I didn't remove the letters from the sign...just photographed them...honest :-) From Wikipedia - "“Love is Just a Four-Letter Word" is a song written by Bob Dylan, and long associated with Joan Baez.Written by Dylan somewhere around 1965, Joan immediately took to the song, and began performing it, even before it was finished. (In the film 'Dont Look Back', a documentary of Dylan's 1965 tour of the UK, Joan is shown in one scene singing a fragment of the then apparently still unfinished song in a hotel room late at night. She then tells Dylan, "If you finish it, I'll sing it on a record.") Joan first included the song on 'Any Day Now', her 1968 album of Dylan covers; she has since recorded it three additional times. Her 1968 recording was also released as a single. Dylan himself appears to have never recorded the song.” Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word ~ Joan Baez

The Dining Hall was designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1877. Below is an extract from a College information pamphlet provided to visitors - "Balliol is not only arguably the oldest but arguably the leading intellectual College in Oxford - and therefore in the World. It has stood on a single site longer than any other college in the English-speaking world." It cost me the bargain price of just £1 to visit the college grounds and the Dining Hall :-) Very pleased with how the little 'ole Coolpix performed.....handheld at just 1/20 of a second :-)

Sometimes the way things happen can be a bit spooky methinks! Graham www.ipernity.com/home/351757 uploaded a superb entry to 'Soundtrack to Life' with two links to “Queen of Hearts”. One by Dave Edmunds and one by Juice Newton. By coincidence, just prior to this I had also uploaded this link to “Queen of Hearts” and “Angel of the Morning” by Juice Newton. Once uploaded I changed my mind in so far as I decided I wanted to firstly have a link to “Walking by Myself” by Jimmy Rogers. So, I made my upload private :-) Also, when I was thinking about doing the Juice Newton upload I was wondering around our local market and came across the 1981 album “Juice” on vinyl. The guy was asking £3 so, of course, I bought it immediately :-) Coincidences can indeed be spooky :-) So, I'll stop rabbiting and release my Juice Newton upload to the world :-) I've had to return to 'PhotoFunia' for help here :-) The playing cards are courtesy of 'PhotoFunia'. The photo is mine. Vicki was posing for photos at 'Focus On Imaging' at the Birmingham NEC way back in 2011 :-) Vicki is clearly an 'Angel' and 'Queen of Hearts' :-) We, therefore, have two tracks for the price of one :-) “Angel of the Morning” was written by Chip Taylor and “Queen of Hearts” was written by Hank DeVito. Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Angel of the Morning/Queen of Hearts ~ Juice Newton

From the University of Oxford - “On 21 March 2015 the University of Oxford's Bodleian Libraries celebrated the completion of the Weston Library following an £80m transformation designed to create a 21st-century library where scholarship and research, conservation and digitization take place and where members of the public can explore the Bodleian's national and international treasures.” The Weston Library was hiding behind the “A to Z” hoarding in Broad Street and I took many candid shots here :-) I don't think candid shots are goin' to be quite so easy now.....but, I was reasonably pleased with this shot and I think it leads fairly neatly to “Walkin' by Myself” by Jimmy Rogers :-) Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Walking by Myself ~ Jimmy Rogers

The Andrew Wiles Building dating from 2013. In the background the Radcliffe Observatory dating from 1794.

The Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda was built by the monks and nuns of the Nipponzan Myohoji. It was the first Peace Pagoda to be built in the western hemisphere. The Inauguration ceremony took place on 21st September 1980. The Pagoda overlooks Willen Lake. So, for the purposes of 'Soundtrack to Life' I would say this area could be considered to be a valley :-) Therefore, I think I am allowed to link this to “Peace in the Valley” by Johnny Cash from the1969 'Live in San Quentin' concert :-) Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Peace in the Valley ~ Johnny Cash

~ Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) “Eight Miles High” was banned in the States shortly after its release following allegations there were perceived drug connotations in the lyrics. But, as Chris Hillman says it was more about The Byrd's flight to London in August 1965 :-) Obviously two of the guys here are Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen. I'm 99% sure the guy playing the red guitar is John Jorgenson. Now to the slightly tenuous link for 'Soundtrack to Life'. It might look like sensor dirt but there is an aeroplane in the top corner of my shot that is flying very high leaving engine exhaust contrails. Unless it is a spacecraft :-) Apparently, commercial airliners fly at an altitude of six to seven miles and I believe the song was entitled “Eight Miles High” 'cos that sounded more poetic :-) Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Eight Miles High ~ Acoustic Desert Rose Band

I am definitely not knocking a private school education! I am just a mere secondary school educated mortal and the closest I have got to the private Stowe School is seeing it when wondering around Stowe Landscape Gardens :-) In fact on one occasion I was asked NOT to point my camera in the direction of the school! However, on Easter Monday peeps wondering around Stowe Landscape Gardens were encouraged to enter the grounds of Stowe School and visit the school Tuck Shop for refreshments :-) A great idea :-) Anyway, then there was a dilemma for me. As I said I had previously been told not to point my camera in the direction of the school but here I was now in the school grounds :-) So, should I risk being told off and take some photos??? Well, of course I did and this is one of them showing part of the school :-)

I have previously used “Reflections of My Life” by Marmalade. Then, the other day I came across this video gem of Dean Ford (Marmalade) and Joe Tansin (Badfinger) Some of the YouTube comments - "I loved it then and this version tears at my heart. So sad but so beautiful!!” “Bloody gorgeous! Thank you.” “That was absolutely amazing! I was moved to tears.” I've got my big box of tissues at hand! Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Reflections of My Life ~ Dean Ford & Joe Tansin And, I will also be finding a way to use The Glasgow Road by Dean and Joe :-)

As it is after 1 'o' clock in the morning here in Aylesbury I am goin' to have to complete this 1,001 upload to StoL, tomorrow :-))) ***** Congratulations to Karen on the 1,000th upload to 'StoL'......brilliant :-) ***** Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Book Song ~ Fairport Convention As Mick says this track is from Fairport's 'What We Did on Our Holidays' album. I don't have much Fairport music but I always come back to this album :-) It is most probably an obvious thing to say but this lady is sitting in front of the recently opened Weston Library in Broad Street :-) The Library was previously hiding behind the 'A to Z' hoardings whilst building work was underway :-) Clearly there will not be any more of my 'A to Z' shots but this could now be the place for some more candid shots ...........methinks :-))

~ Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) Happy Fence Friday :-)

~ Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) Struggling to catch-up but, in the meantime, here is a shot taken yesterday (15 April) in Oxford............a beautifully warm and sunny day :-)

~ Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) *****This was done using PhotoFunia***** From Wikipedia - "“Diamonds & Rust" is a song written and performed by Joan Baez. It was written in November 1974 and released in 1975. In the song, Joan recounts an out-of-the-blue phone call from an old lover, which sends her a decade back in time, to a "crummy” hotel in Greenwich Village; she recalls giving him a pair of cuff-links, and summarizes that memories bring "diamonds and rust." Joan has stated that the lyrics refer to her relationship with Bob Dylan." Here we go again re my all-time fave songs :-) I have so many all-time fave songs that it might appear that everything ever written is one of my all-time faves :-) But, in my humble opinion songs don't come much better than “Diamonds & Rust” :-) I have, so far, failed to create a suitable photo but after being introduced to 'PhotoFunia' by Karen (k.e.s_kloset) I think I have come up with a novel solution. Well, that is my logic here and I am sticking to it :-) So, “Diamonds are Forever” and “Rust Never Sleeps” becomes “Diamonds & Rust” :-)) I didn't think there could possibly be a better version than the original. However, I have been totally blown away by a live version by 'Blackmore's Night' where Candice Night takes the lead vocal. This version sends shivers up and down my spine :-) Added to ~ Soundtrack to Life Listen here ~ Diamonds & Rust ~ Blackmore's Night