Kings Cross What Shall We Do?

They have made a great job of revamping the front of Kings Cross. Where once was tawdry and unwelcoming is now bright and inviting. The grubby shops have gone and you can now once more see the original front of the station in all its glory.

Produce

The autumn harvest has given us a last bit of honey [four jars, in the jug], crab apple jelly from the tree, tomatoes from the greenhouse and apple chutney from the tree. Not bad!

India

1992 again. Paul and I [on our bikes] met this group making the same journey across the Himalayas with motor assistance. We were probably at about 4000 metres high at this point. More was to come.

Photo news

The pop up gallery is going pretty well.
Today I ran my first one-to-one photography tuition seminar which was really good too; I hope to offer this as a service to those interested.
And yesterday I was in discussion with a client about a pretty major photography project for a corporate headquarters. So quite a lot going on.
And then Lizzy Armitstead went and won the World Championships in the road race in a brilliant race which we watched live from Richmond Virginia.
Finally we watched Philamena, the movie about forced Irish adoptions with Judi Dench and Steve Coogan which was excellent.

The photo is of the North York Moors in the lovely autumn sky.

What?

I have got fitted out for new digital hearing aids and should receive them next month. The ones on the NHS are brilliant, they have really improved over the last 20 years and I can now quite easily forget that I am wearing them.

It inspired me to get registered as hard of hearing with the local council. So I went along today to do this and ended up coming home with a loop and loud door bell on permanent loan; a nice surprise.

Definitely the time for fungi - not sure what this is, but spotted it on the Moors.

Canals

We have been watching Canals - The Making of a Nation by Liz McIver on BBC 4, it is an excellent series: unflashy, informative, great.

Here is the Leeds - Liverpool canal, taken 10 years ago.

New Bridge

I discovered a new bridleway route last week, which crossed the River Swale on this lovely footbridge - made in Preston as you can see.

Pop Up

Another shot from the silhouette session on the Moor at the weekend. Our Pop Up Gallery has begun business in York, seven artists are selling their wares for a month. So far, slow but steady ...

Beer Fest

The annual York Beer Festival is one of our favorite things to go to. This year we met up with Patrick Saturday lunch time and had a real good catch up and 6 x 1/3 pint of beer. This meant that when we walked home and I spied this shot on the Moor I was able to get my camera out and steady in time ...

Photography Update

Thursday I gave a talk to the Camera Club. Always interesting as my philosophy of photography is a] the camera is not important and b] if you hear of any "rules" break them. This is kind of diametrically opposed to traditional camera club ideas, where photographs are judged against official rules. Having said all that, it was a great evening with some good discussion - everyone happy I hope.

Wednesday I had set up my work at the pop up gallery we are running in York for a month [seven artists], I also started running the photography class at the Mount school again.

Tuesday I had a meeting about the Landscape show in October.

So pretty busy.

Rowan is well; here is a selfie of her and a couple of friends.

Turnpike Lane

There is something about old milestones on the moors. They speak of other times, and yet are still there today - memories of the past carved in stone. This one is on the old turnpike from Sheffield to Buxton.

23 Years Ago

Twenty three years ago I was cycling from Simla to Leh in Ladak, over the Himalayas with Paul.

Dog Chase Cat!

Milo sometimes behaves like "Dog" straight out of central casting. He sees this black cat, he chases it, it runs up a tree [looking over its shoulder and blowing a raspberry no doubt], Milo tries to climb the tree, realises he can't so barks and barks.
I just wandered off and eventually was rejoined by Milo acting like nothing happened.

Peak District

Last week it was the Tour Of Britain cycle race; great as always. I managed to combine a good long Peak District walk with watching the riders on one of the climbs [Millstone edge]. It was a perfect combination.

The photo is of the lonely moorland path on Stanage.

More Ilkely

Danielle and I did a creative writing session up the road at the Yoga centre yesterday. We both got a lot out of it: lots of ideas. Time will tell.

The photo is from Ilkley Moor. The moor is unusual in that it comes right down to the town. As the town was developed as a  Spa in Victorian times there is, therefore, a strange hinterland boundary between the raw nature of the moor and the ordered paraphernalia of Victorian urban development. This lamp post in the middle of a stand of bracken is a case in point.

Old Friends

We went out for a meal with friends Paul & Kelly [who we met in London on a wine tasting course long long ago] who now live in Spain with dog Barnaby, and Helen & Robert who live here in York. Great to all catch up again. We all met up again today to have a meal at Helen & Robert's. Really nice.

Corbyn In

Jeremy Corbyn, the new leader of the Labour Party, was MP for Islington when Danielle and I both worked there. I never had much to do with him, but Danielle worked with him on environmental issues. He is a nice bloke.

During the campaign it has been noticeable that left-leaning people outside of the Party, think Corbyn is great; a real refreshing change to the suits of new labour. Friends actually working for the Labour Party, locally and nationally, on the other hand are in real dismay. They see things going back to the grim, powerless 80s.

I fear they are right ... but, it is impossible for me not to feel good about a cycling, vegetarian leading the party. Time will tell.

The photo is of Victor and I in the early 90s; I think we look better than we sounded.

St Pauls

Danielle took this photo of St Pauls the other week in London. It is strange to see it looking like the biggest building around; usually it is dwarfed nowadays by the tower blocks.

Balloons

No matter how many times I see the balloons take off from the Knavesmire, I still look and wonder.

Garden News

A few years ago I planted a fruit bush - not sure what it was but it is now prolificking these red berries which are really nice.
I am on a major slug and snail offensive which is helping the veg to grow with a little less molestation.

Paving

On top of Ilkley Moor there is now a paved path where there used to be none http://www.watershedlandscape.co.uk/care/moorland-restoration/rombalds-and-ilkley-moor/
This is a good thing, it stops the path becoming an ever-widening mess, and allows birds to nest unbothered by boots and paws.

No Hats

The next of our walks on the West Yorkshire Pennine moors took us to Ilkley Moor. Another great walk taking in stones with prehistoric markings, Bronze Age stone circles, Victorian reservoirs and much in between.

This is a photo of a reservoir which I like. I might even show it at the Landscape exhibition next month.

York Art Gallery

York Art Gallery has been revamped and re-opened. It is a real treasure and great to pop in and look around. http://www.yorkartgallery.org.uk/
Danielle and I had a look around last week. As usual we vowed to visit more often, knowing that often becomes seldom all too easily.

The photo is from the same Arizona trip in 1993

Monument Valley

I have been scanning a few old photos from the archives. This is 22 years ago at Monument Valley in the Arizona desert with Derwood and Elizabeth. It was a great day, including riding these horses around the rocks.

Ouse

Saw the new Woody Allen movie on Monday - The Irrational Man - which was surprisingly good and quite funny. Then Tuesday was our 19th wedding anniversary, we went out for an Indian meal at Akbars.

The photo was taken by Danielle of the River Ouse near where she works.

March Hill

Last shot from our walks on the beautiful moors. Considering 8 million people live within 60 miles of here it is not too busy ...

Landscape Show