Snow

Back to consultancy today, but the snow meant I am working from home for the next few days. The snow also meant that our solar panels are not now being fitted this week. Even Rowan's Yorkshire Netball has been cancelled. Mother is improving.

Bedern 3

The weather caught up with us today. The numbers coming into the exhibition were low, there was a blizzard going on outside so it's fair enough.

This morning all four of us [that's +Milo, not +Mother] went for a run on the snowy Knavesmire. They all waited for me.

The photo is another from Bedern Hall, I had plenty of time to look at this today...

Bedern Hall 2

Here is how the exhibition looks. Sales have been steady so all is well. Met some good people too. The snow has been hard and cold today so we are all glad to return to our warm home.

Bedern Hall

The first two days of the Inspire exhibition that I am part of has come and gone. I went it with no idea if I would sell - it is a new event for me. Things went pretty well and I had a number of sales - it is always pleasing to meet the people who want your work. The other artists have some good stuff on show, and the venue [a medieval hall] http://www.bedernhall.co.uk/ is fantastic. So far so good.

This shot - Lake Fence - is getting the attention

Sunday

Sunday morning I went a ride with Edward, Dave, Emma, Paul and Ted. Very leisurely including a cafe stop at Tadcaster. Meantime Rowan was doing a film project at Quaker meeting.

Then I drove down to collect Mother from Auntie Alison's. I stayed with Richard and Tonks in their B&B - very swish. Very good to see everyone. Mother has a bad cough but I got her up here to the clear air of Yorkshire.

This photo came up when I was doing a sweep of shots that I had in my pending file.

Grass Swirl

Saturday, Danielle took Rowan to watch the international Fastnet [sexed-up netball] tournament in Liverpool http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12415_6512483,00.html . Meantime I was photographing a wedding [on my terms I hasten to add] at the Merchant Taylors Hall. It went well, I enjoyed it. Then we all met up in the evening to see the new Harry Potter movie with Adrian and Kath. Definitely the best one since HP3.

This photo is from Aberdovey this year.

The Mount

Danielle has finally stood down from being Chair of the Govenors of the Mount [Rowan's school]. She has "saved the school" [quote from one senior teacher] and put in hours and hours of work and helped the new headteacher get settled in. I am glad she has stopped.

This is the glass bowl they gave her to mark her stepping down.

Working Breakfast

So yesterday at 6.45am I found myself in a York hotel lobby with 40 or so buzzing local business people. I was invited to a structured business group as a guest of one of the members. Very impressive, not masonic, but not suitable for my business at the moment. It is always good to experience new things though.

The photo is another one from the glories of Sheffield, this is where I saw the Kingfishers.

Remember the General

General Johnson, one of the soul-music greats has died http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/oct/17/general-johnson-obituary. I suppose we better get used to this, they're all going to go over the next 20 years or so. Give Me Just A Little More Time by Chairmen of the Board [his band] is one of the all time great singles. RIP.

The Photo was taken in Doncaster this week. I needed to be quick on the draw to catch the light, the pram and the cross-shadow. What do you think?

Podcasts

At the moment the two podcasts I still listen to regularly are:

NPR All Songs Considered [a great weekly trawl through new music]

Guardian Football Weekly [irreverent enough for me]

with occasional Thinking Allowed [sociology], In Our Time [erudition], Real Peloton [alternative cycling sport], Composer of the Week and Building a Library [Radio 3], Paul Jone [Blues] and Mike Harding [Folk]

I hardly ever listen to the radio in real time anymore.

The photo is another church from the Sheffield trip.

6

The Sustrans route in Sheffield takes you through strange Victorian landscapes. This is some sort of drain under a road in the north of the City.

The blog is six years old. Hard to believe, but it feels good.

More Sheffield

Another day in Sheffield for Rowan. Another explore for me on the mountain bike. This week I headed north on a Sustrans route. Plenty of interest including a couple of typically grim, dour, millstone-grit churches; good stuff.

A Milestone

A busy day today. Rowan had a school netball match [they won] Danielle was getting her hair done [again] then Rowan and I went to a cycle parts sale. The day had finally come for Rowan's beloved helmet [which she has had since she was 4] to be replaced. I have a feeling it will be hoarded as an historic artifact for years to come.

Bramhope

Another shot from the bike ride last week. This is Bramhope viaduct across the Wharfe Valley. Hard to believe it was seen as vandalism at the time of its being built.

Danielle and I met in town for lunch at Loch Fyne today which was a rare treat.

The Daily Mail

Remember the Object interview I did for Radio 4 about the Motorway paperweight? well I forgot [Freudian slip undoubtedly] to say that the Daily Mail [worst most right-wing rabid paper in the UK] had also interviewed me about it. I never bothered to see the article but found this link today [five months late] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1289012/What-YOUR-treasured-object-does-say-20th-century.html

For some reason the fact that I was married with a child was very important to them [draw your own obvious conclusions] Unfortunately showing the high standard of journalism for which they are renowned they call Danielle, Caroline [an easy mistake to make] and put words into my mouth that were never there.

Par for the course.

Film Noir

Danielle is mending well.

I have always loved Film Noir http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir and spent many an hour in the Scala watching triple bills of noir classics. I had forgotten too how much I liked the films of Fritz Lang with their great lighting and mise en scene http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_en_scène.

I had not seen a Film Noir or a Fritz Lang movie for a good 12 years or so. So it was great to watch Scarlet Street [which is both] on a cheapo boxed set of Noir classics. Just brilliant film-making. Out came all my old Noir reference books and it is like discovering the magic of the genre all over again.

Accident

Waiting in the cold dark rain for Rowan to come out of school yesterday, my phone goes. It is Danielle saying she has come off her bike, the police and ambulance are there, she has to go to hospital. Not good. So I have to wait with the dog until Rowan emerges, then collect Danielle's bike from the scene of the accident [just near school], walk home with daughter dog and bike. Then get Rowan and I over to the hospital to collect Danielle who is now x-rayed, checked up and fine, but with facial wounds [ heavy swelling and a black eye]. So, it could have been a lot worse, all will be fine, and we have a new family rule - if you're on a bike, you wear a helmet.

Artichoke Soufle

Saturday afternoon I harvested the Jerusalem Artichokes from the garden. Bringing their muddy gnarled magnificence into the kitchen I wondered how many litres of artichoke soup we were about to be treated to. I sat down at the table, looked at the paper, and there was a recipe for artichoke and goat cheese soufle. Danielle cooked them and they were delicious.

Leeds

Rowan was triathloning in Leeds yesterday morning. So I took the mountain bike for a two hour ride round Bramhope, Harewood and Eccup. Does any UK city have a more beautiful hinterland? No. It was a perfect cold autumn morning, again. This tree was in Harewood where bridleways take you right through the estate.

Halloween

Over the years Rowan and her next-door friend Rhianna have tried various Halloween trick or treat strategies. And they still do the dressing up; could be the last year I reckon.

Bonfire Night

For Bonfire Night we went round to John & Katy's for a meal with 12 people - really pleasant, and we didn't even have to go to the bonfire this year.

Meantime Rowan was at a Lush party [soap not descriptor] and then I picked her up from Ask the pizza place at 9.30pm. She got a good view of York nightlife in all its glory.

The photo is of the English Institute of Sport [aka my second home] where Rowan does her Netball academy.

Inspired

I am exhibiting with some other York artists in the build up to Christmas. It is in an ancient hall in the middle of the City - it will be interesting to see how it goes.

Five Years

I had my first day working in Stockton this week. A good journey there [car unfortunately, not practical by rail] and good people to work with. Another photo from the Sheffield walks.

My "what I was doing 5, 10, 15 etc years ago" idea proved popular - a few people have sent me theirs, so do yours and send them my way.