West Bank Park

Our local park, West Bank Park, is just down the end of the road and tends to get a bit forgotten on account of the mighty Hob Moor. But it contains some lovely trees, like these beech, and has had a visiting nuthatch recently which is not common in York at all.

The Carpet Salesmen

Even the statues look good in Birmingham these days. This one of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch was unveiled in 1956 but fell into disrepair. Now renovated and shinier than ever, it looks great in amongst the modern development at the centre of Birmingham.

Canals in Brum

Whilst Danielle was at her last Trustees Meeting at Woodbrooke Quaker educational centre I walked into the centre of Brum and back via the canals. They have done a really brilliant job of renovating and redeveloping the 18th century wonders with the 21st Century flats etc.

Crayke Castle

Crayke Castle is a private house which is also a 15th Century castle high on the hill in the village of Crayke, north of York. It always used to be hidden behind layers of overgrown undergrowth. Not any more, the new owners seem to have taken a chopper to everything. Good.

Back in the saddle

I have had a bad cold/flu thing for weeks and weeks. Finally went to the doctor last week and she gave me anti-biotics and they worked and cleared it up. So today I went for a ride - the first one for weeks. I felt pretty weak but it was great to get out. Near Linton on Ouse I stopped at my favourite bench near this Sustrans fingerpost. Top picture is high summer last year, bottom one is today - a calm autumn day.

Cartoon Cats and Dogs

We get back to the house. Milo enters the garden. Milo sees Cat. Fight ensues. Cat runs up tree. Milo barks. Milo gets bored, goes into house. Cat goes home. Firemen not needed.

Taboo

I consider a photograph of a sunset to be pretty much forbidden - too predictable. So, to be fair to myself, this is not a sunset but just an evening sky taken in York last week. Not great but I quite like the abstract nature of it. Not the first of many.

Annie Whitehead gig

I am closing in on completing the first draft of my book on the Wolds. Taking a lot of time. Sunday we went to the Early Music Centre to see the Annie Whitehead jazz-funk quartet. Patrick and Julia were there too; we all enjoyed it a lot.

Distinctive cobbles on the towpath at Mirfield

Unfortunately Night Must Fall

Friday night we went to Night Must Fall by Emlyn Williams at York Theatre Royal. It was terrible a sort of whodunit without the who [it was obvious from the first scene]. Still, good to support the theatre. I suppose.

There is some great industrial architecture on the canal. This amazing counter-weighted lifting bridge is in Huddersfield, and still in use.

Canal Walk 2

Danielle and I went on the second stage of our canal walk. This time from Huddersfield [where we finished last time] to Dewsbury. It was another great walk [kingfishers, green woodpecker, goosanders] along the Huddersfield Broad Canal and then the Calder & Hebble navigation which was a bit of a challenge to follow. Really enjoyable.

Shoddy & Mungo were not a 70s band, but types of woolen product developed in the region. It is incredible to think that these canals were built so long ago; a beautiful legacy for us all.

Selfie Time

Rowan is back busy at Warwick. It was great to see her. Here is the traditional selfie.

Kingfisher again

Twelve years ago I saw a Kingfisher on the beck on the Moor. 6 years ago I saw it again. Today I saw one once more, flashing low above the water. So I'll get ready for 2022.

The Great Scanning: this is a post card of the Farm in Suffolk where my maternal grandfather grew up.

Elders

Danielle is an Elder at our local Quaker Meeting. This is nothing to do with age (really) and an appointment for three years at a go; after which she just becomes normal again. I took this photo yesterday.

Scanners

I have been scanning some photos into the machine as part of an ongoing junk clearing program. This is in the Lakes in, I think, 1989.

Laura Jurd

It has been great to have Rowan back for the weekend. We all went to a jazz gig last night with Dinosaur who are a young British modern jazz band with great compositions led by Laura Jurd. Real musicality - even bought the CD [Together As One by Dinosaur]

Osh Skosh

Sister Ro and Pete came to stay, first time for a long time. Had a great time, walked around the local woodlands and ponds, having a coffee at Love to Eat http://lovetoeat.co.uk/ all in the pouring rain. Then we all went to Skosh http://www.skoshyork.co.uk/ for a meal on Wednesday - a really great restaurant here in York.

another shot from Humberhead

Election

First there was Brexit now there is Trump; not a happy time.

More from the bog

Film Festival

Saturday we spent the day at the annual York Short Film Festival  http://www.asff.co.uk/

which was brilliant as before. Saw about 30 films I think, from drama, experimental, comedy, art, animation. Just a great event.

Another view of Humberhead

Back at Humberhead

I had not been to the beautiful lonely Humberhead peat bogs for a couple of years, so it was good to get back there. You park at the scrag end of a pit village that no longer has its pit or raison d'etre, then walk through the pit remnants before getting to the vast bog. Surrounded by wind farms and solar farms it has certainly moved from fossil fuels [peat extraction and coal] to renewables. Unfortunately there seems to be no link between this new resource and the welfare of the village.
I walked for over 5 hours and saw one man and his dogs, a marsh harrier, deer, winchats and plenty more.

Malta and Maps

A Japanese architect came up with this new map of the world, which gives countries their actual size. I think it is brilliant: Africa gets its rightful enormity and Greenland gets much smaller.

My nephew Will has moved to Malta and is blogging about his experiences of the local Maltese Football League; here is the link https://popcornandpies.wordpress.com/2016/11/04/testing-the-water/ 

Black Hill 5

The dog is a fine companion on the hills. The lack of sheep meant that he could be off the lead most of the day.

London

Danielle needed to stay over in London so I went down with her. I had to visit the British Museum to check out some Neolithic Chalk Drums from the Wolds, and then discuss another exhibition in London for next year. More on this later. The British Museum is an amazing now since the revamp 15 years ago; this is a view from the third floor looking down into the atrium area.
In the evening I met up with Danielle who had been at a Big Society Capital board meeting in Kennington. Chatting with the company secretary it turned out he was from Preston, my age, and his friend had moved into Whitefriars [the house we lived in] after we moved out. Small world etc.

We stayed at the Penn Club, the Quaker hotel off Russell Square; always good for a relaxed and quirky experience.

Black Hill 4

A line of farms are abandoned above the reservoir; not as a result of economics, but forcibly shut by the water authorities to ensure the purity of the water for the people of Huddersfield and Leeds. Leads to some sad buildings.

Bike 2

When I was at prep school I had a terrible heavy second hand bike that was very slow. In a very uncharacteristic exchange I made a big fuss at home, saying that my bike was the worst in the school; and I got a new bike for Xmas. The new bike had drops and 5 gears, so I went from the guards van to the vanguard. So here it is at school sports day; I would like to think it is me winning the race but I am not sure about that at all.