High Jump

Rowan went to Sheffield with the high jump coach from York Athletics Club and four other aspiring high jumpees. They were using the training facilities at the English Institute of Sport http://www.eis-sheffield.co.uk/ which is a really good plush indoor resource. She was shown how to do a Fosbury Flop, and they used video to analyze where they needed to improve etc. All very inspiring, as was the poster proudly proclaiming "Jessica Ennis. Made in Sheffield".

The photo is of the inside of the EIS, that blur is Rowan doing her FF. On the way back we came via Hades [aka Ikea on a weekend] to get some frames for a photo client. Grim.

Tour de York

I left Milo to look after Danielle [with help from Rowan] and went a ride. The trouble with the snow is that any hill worth climbing, [the Wolds, the Dales, the North York Moors] is likely still to have ice on it. So I plot a route all around York. It is a journey through a very sodden landscape. The route crosses the Ouse, the Derwent, the Foss, the Ure, the Nidd and the Wharfe and all of them are swollen and flooded. It is hard to imagine the ground ever being dry again. A good ride though, my back held up well to 80 miles.

Minster

This shot of the Minster is on my calendar this week, and I have looked at it again. I think it might stand exhibiting, so it could be in the April show. Sometimes with photographs it is like that; you don't notice their quality until looking at them for a while.

Bird Count

Rowan has been off school with a fever for the last couple of days - meaning me and Milo are the only well ones. So today I asked her to do a graph of the bird sightings in the garden since I started doing the BTO weekly bird count. Here is the result -the scale is "percentage of weeks where bird was recorded" so that Robin is always there, and Snipe is very rare.

I have finally started to plant vegetable seeds this week - it is far later than normal but still seems far too early, with snow on the ground, and me dreaming of seeing 10 degrees on the clock.

Kites are Coming

I got a short bike ride in today, the ice has just about gone from the roads. Near Bolton Percy I saw this Red Kite, the nearest I have seen one to York. My dream of seeing one over Hob Moor one day seems less and less unrealistic.

High tech sledging

Danielle is doing well. Thank you for the best wishes sent. Rowan and neighbour Rhianna went sledging [on black plastic bags] yesterday on Little Hob Moor and seemed to have a good time.

The photo is from Edinburgh, down by the new Parliament building

Back Home

Danielle is safely home. Friday she went in for an operation at the hospital in Harrogate, Saturday she got over the general anaesthetic and today she was allowed home. We now have 6 weeks of her convalescence so it will be an interesting time. Just to add spice, the road to Harrogate this morning was covered in snow. We negotiated the danger [2 crashed cars en route] and got her home. The whole pack is now in front of the wood fire in the lounge.

4 Show

This year I am not exhibiting as part of York Open Studios, instead four of us are having our own exhibition in the studio upstairs. There will be a painter - Kate Young, a ceramicist - Jill Ford, a jeweller - Jo Bagshaw, and a photographer - me. The dates are April 16th to 19th, so why not combine a trip to York with a visit to the exhibition. All welcome.

The flyer is on this post [spot the deliberate mistake and you get 10% of all sales]

Cold

I cannot remember ever having such a prolonged period of cold weather in this country. I dream of one day the forecast saying "expected highs of 10 degrees", it's been single digits for far too long. More ice today.

So here is a photo of the desert on the road from Vegas to Derwood's to make us feel warm

More Guitar

A further iteration of the band was when Diane took over the signing [she had a lovely voice], another Simon was on aspirational harmonica, John on acoustic guitar and Lindsay [I think] on bass. Our one gig was at my garden party [in Tottenham before you think it sounds too grand] from where the photo comes.

New house

There is another interesting modern house in Holgate. Here it is, nestling beneath the windmill, taken from our local West Bank Park.

Rocket

First day of half-term found us at our usual haunt, the NRM. The replica Rocket was in steam and taking cold tourists up and down the track. We preferred to watch from the side.

The League

Rowan ran yesterday in the local Ingrams Cross Country League. This was the fourth and final round, and she won the girls under 13s class overall.

We all went for a great meal at Paul and Hillary's last night, with Rowan staying over for an impromptu sleep-over.

Holgate Windmill

The restoration of the local Holgate Windmill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holgate_Windmill continues apace. The grubby old black mill has been repainted white with a new cap on the top with the sails to follow later this year.

More Guitar

When I was working with disabled people at King Henrys Walk in Islington in the 80s I jammed with some people from work in a rehearsal studio under the arches off Holloway Road. There was a harp player, me on guitar, my boss Cliff on bass, singer, drums etc. We played r&b and blues. Cliff was hopeless at work, unreliable, devious, alcoholic, just awful. I was the opposite at work, very reliable, committed etc. Come to music though and it all changed. Cliff was a great steady calm bass player, a rock. My guitar playing was, as ever, wild and all over the place and bearing little relation to what everyone else was doing. Which just goes to show.

Rowan has been getting into hockey this term and enjoys it a lot. Rowan's ear had a netball match this week which they won 23 -3. Rowan has found her niche in the team which is playing Goal Defence.

The photo is taken on Hellvelyn a few years ago.

Talk

I did a talk last night about my photography to local Quakers. It was a real pleasure to do, lots of good questions too. More snow on the ground this morning, but rather put in the shade by the news of Ben having 3 foot of snow in Virginia.

The photo is of Clifford's Tower in York.

Visit

Friend Karen is on a course at York University for the rest of the week, so she stayed over with Rowan and I last night [Danielle is in London for work]. It was good to catch up. Last time we all met was at Tywyn in Wales two summers ago.

One of the good things about being in York is that friends are always having to come here for courses, or to deposit kids at college etc. It means we keep in touch better than we might if we lived in, say, Barnsley.

The photo of Rowan Cottage [and two passers by] is from 6 years ago.

Fountains

Dave and I did a 77 mile ride to Fountains Abbey and back. Considering we are out of condition [aka knackered] we were pleased with the ride. It is a great route and the rain kept away. It is strange to eat at the cafe at Fountains amidst the young families and old folk. They are all so clean and tidy, we were weather-beaten muddy and hungry.

Here is the route

Now and Then

May 1997. Tony Blair was the do-no-wrong conquering hero freeing us from years of Tory mis-rule. Michael Portillo was the symbol of all that was wrong with the Tories, his defeat by Stephen Twigg in Enfield the sweetest moment of a sweet night.

2010. Tony Blair is exposed as a war-mongering poodle, his capital has sunk lower than low. Michael Portillo is presenting a series on BBC of really good rail-travel TV programmes; I am watching them and enjoying them.

Times change

Photo is another from Castle Howard

If not Snow then Fog

So there was no snow stopping me cycle - just fog. I took the dog for a walk in the Howardian Hills instead. A beautiful light emerged as the fog was dispersed making for a really good walk. This tree is in the grounds of Castle Howard; can you spot Milo?

Dr Feelgood

Friend Paul and I went to see the new Dr Feelgood movie http://alternative.artsalliancemedia.com/oilcity/ as part of a live link up with a Wilko Johnson gig in London. The movie was brilliant, the gig wasn't.

The photo: even Quakers play with guns.

Penn Club

Danielle often stays at the Quaker hotel off Russell Square, http://www.pennclub.co.uk/ the Penn Club [named after William Penn as is Pennsylvania]. I had never been before Monday when Rob with whom I am doing this new piece of work in London suggested we meet there. It is great, a real Quaker peace seemed to fill the space. I was chatting politely to an old couple who were staying there,

me "So why are you here?"

they "We have been to an AGM at the weekend"

me [thinking, it must have been some boring worthy Quaker committee] "Oh yes what was that?"

they "A meeting of people who have walked the pilgrims trail to Santiago de Compostella in Spain"

me [suddenly interested] "I've walked that"

There followed a great conversation about that great path across Spain.

The photo is from the Leeds Liverpool canal, another great path.

In the Jar

Friend Andy sent me this photo from Dublin. Looks like a statue of Phil Lynott to me. Good to see the great of the city are recognised.

I was in London yesterday with a couple of people putting in a joint bid for some work from a London borough. We got it, which should lead to a very busy spring for me. But what about the vegetable garden!

This will be the 7th London Borough I have worked for since going freelance 11 years ago.

Back on the Bike

The bad weather and various other factors have kept me from having a proper ride on the bike for what seems like months. Yesterday was the day of redemption. A beautiful perfect blue cold sky and a light wind. I turned down the chance of seeing Avatar with Danielle and Rowan [I am someone who has still never seen Starwars], and got on the bike. I felt rusty and below full strength but the ride to Knaresborough went well and I wasn't washed out at the end of it. Only 50 miles or so but still, a start.

The photo is another from the Tay, from last year's cycle trip.