Holiday!

We stayed at a cottage in Cumbria near Brampton, in a hamlet called Greenwell. As you can see from this shot not only was it a lovely 1720 house, but Layla also felt well at home there. Really good owner as well, so all was set for a great week.

Armley

Last week I took Rowan to Armley for probably her last visit to her local black hairdressers up here. As usual I took a walk round about whilst she was getting done. This is a shot in Armley park; it was a beautiful warm and sunny day. Back in the summer.

The River

Sometimes I see a beautiful shot that I want to capture, and sometimes I fail to capture what it is that I love about it. That happened with this image of a river bank, but I  liked the cast shadow and the reflection of the cast shaddow a lot. So the image has survived.
 

Summer

Sometimes the heat and the sun gets too much for half of the family.

Swamp Dog

Layla's position of choice is to wallow like a hippo in water (preferably muddy). The hot weather we have been treated to only increases her pleasure.

Vegetable Garden

This is the time of year when the vegetable garden looks at his best, before the weeds and caterpillars get to work. Mange tout peas, french beans, spinach, kale and cabbage all ready to be eaten. Best time of the year.

Cocktail?

Open studios was a hot slog. So when Danielle offered me a cocktail after day three I was both grateful and happy. Unfortunately the cocktail was built around terrible cheap lager we have been trying to get rid of for years (by use as a slug-deterrent), salt, chilli and some srarcha. Not my favourite, but the thought was appreciated.

Uncle news.

Rowan subscribes to Olive, a BBC food magazine. She opened her latest copy and was just about to chuck out all the adverts that tumble from any magazine nowadays. One pamphlet for small cities in the USA caught her attention enough to open it; she was bemused to see a picture of her uncle, Danielle's brother Ben in his town crier attire for Alexandria which was one of the cities featured. Never happened to me.

Here he is resplendent in the uniform. 

YOS part 2

Layla sneaked into Rowan's room when she was away and a good sniff of all her things. She definitely missed her.

It is the second weekend of Open Studios, unfortunately the hot weather (29C) meant our attendance was way down on usual. A real drag, but one we can do nothing about. Hopefully it being slightly cooler tomorrow might get people back out on the trail.

More from the Mill

 These are the raised beds at the mill in Devon. Made from old railway sleepers; very impressive.

Devon

Just back from Salgar Mill in Devon, where Danielle was speaking at a "new economy" event. It was all outdoors and a really good atmosphere. I went along and enjoyed sitting in the vegetable garden which had been converted from an old tennis court. Back today on the train, a long journey but direct from Tiverton Parkway to York, so enjoyable.

Danielle getting ready for her performance.

YOS Day one and two

Well, York Open Studios has started and overall it has been better in terms of numbers and sales than I expected; not as high as usual but far from disastrous. We can only have 6 people in the studio at one time, so there is quite a bit of people having to wait outside, but we have set up a covered waiting area.

The Elmet book is selling, and I sold a very large copy of this shot from the book which was gratifying.

We shall see what tomorrow brings.

The Show looms.

I only took this last month, but it is strange enough for me to give it a go at Open Studios which starts tomorrow evening. As always it will be interesting to see what the reaction is like.

It has been hectic getting everything ready for the show. Not helped by my booking a band session on Tuesday when friend Debbie joined us to sing on a few songs. Always good to have another (better) voice available. 

Sand River

 This has made the cut for Open Studios too. I am showing it as a large framed print. Taken in Cap Verde.

Tai Chi

I am exhibiting this shot for the first time at YOS this year. I am producing it as a small framed shot, like a miniature. It includes a Tai Chi performer; a first for me I think.

 

Ebor Way

I found this signpost for the Ebor Way, a very low profile long distance path near York, so deep in the hedgerow that it would be of very limited use to anyone trying to follow the route.