Christmas Meal in November

The three of us met up in London with Mark, Mandy, Rob and Kath. The meal was at Rovi (an Ottolenghi place) and was excellent, lots of amazing vegetable dishes. When we arrived at the pre-match pub it was so full of millennials we found refuge outside: here we are.

More from the Moor

Hatfield that is. One last shot .

Guitar

9 years ago I got a Les Paul for Christmas. I just never got on with it; so used to Strats that having this big plank of wood round my neck seemed bizarre. Didn't like the 2x3 machine heads, didn't like not having the tremolo, even didn't like where you plugged in the jack lead. I tried, but took it to Beverly to sell it in a really great new guitar shop there. Felt great coming home without it.
Of course the danger now is that I'll think it leaves space for a new guitar ... I miss that Dobro, and a Jaguar looks interesting. Any failings on my part will be reported here.

It was such a beautiful light in the Lakes that there will be quite a few photos here 

over the next few days.

Court

It was time for another meal at the University, where Danielle is part of the Court (a collection of local great and good). It is nearly always interesting being sat down next to strangers with something interesting to say. This time I met a bloke who made trumpets for the Queen and someone whose opening line was "Hullo, I am a Conservative councillor". We then had a surprisingly good conversation.
Danielle and I cycled back home in time to meet our late-arriving Air BnB guests.

Coniston from last weekend.

Enfin

The book has gone to the printers. It has taken me a ridiculous length of time to complete, but it is done now. Proofs will come back, talks with distributors take place, orders will be placed. All the details to follow.

This photo will be on the back cover of the book - the trusty companion.

Squash

These squashes have been around the house for a while, they make great still life models. I grew one of these. The very small one at the front.

Coniston 3

I had not been to Tarn Howes for 50 years or so. (We went with sister Rosemary's French Exchange student Isabelle; she moaned, pined for Parisian nightclubs and dropped litter.) Tarn Howes had always seemed too low, too touristy and too chocolate-boxy. It was actually great! a really beautiful place with views to the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell and the Coniston fells.

Coniston 2

Saturday we walked along the lake then across to Torver Tarn, down to Torver and back to Coniston. A great walk, with views across to Old Man, which is the Palmour family mountain.

This is the Coniston fells from Torver Tarn. From left to right, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, Old Man, Wetherlam. Mountains that I know and love more than any others.

The Choice

Danielle had the idea a while back, that we go to the Lakes for a weekend. So mid-November we went to Coniston, expecting to enjoy whatever the weather. We got two days of perfect cloudless, sunny, warm, still, beautiful days. It was unbelievable to someone who has spent may a sodden summer day there. We stayed at the Waterhead Hotel (dog friendly) and explored around when we arrived. So here is the choice. Fudge or Footpath?

Hatfield 3

One last shot from another great trip to Hatfield. Click on the image to get the full effect. It might look like a load of old peat bog, and that is what it is, but it is a magically mysterious place as well.

Hatfield 2

Birch trees taking over some of Hatfield Moors. The fact that they do not grow tall, straight and strong adds to the mystery of these glades.

Hatfield Moors

I got out to the beloved Humberhead last week, onto Thorne Moors. The water table is low, so some of the old peat workings are unusually shy of water. What a great place it is.

Monkgate

There are always surprises in York. I am not sure how I managed to miss this house and (more impressively) garden on Monkgate in the centre of the city, but I did. I like the geometry.

York Open Studios 2019

New logo for Open Studios next year. 

I am exhibiting at my studio. Dates are 

5 April 2019 6-9pm

6, 7, 13 and 14 April 201910am - 5pm

Home Life

Man and Dog and Cup of Tea. Taken by Rowan.

Common

Here is Milo enjoying the beauty of an autumn day on Allerthorpe Common. Rowan took this one; she's good.

Smart Heron

The fisher-people who use the pond put a fake Heron on the island in the centre of the pond to make sure that real Herons kept away and stopped eating their fish. It didn't work. Herons are smarter than people think.

Rememberance

Rowan agreed to a request from York Quakers that she lay the Quakers Wreath (White and red poppies) as part of the City's remembrance service. She did well (it was a long cold and wet outdoor event).

Allerthorpe

Saturday Rowan and I walked the dog in Allerthorpe Coomon, a really beautiful place ten miles to the east. It is another of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserves.

Short Film Festival

Rowan came up for the weekend. Friday Danielle and I were out all day at the Aesthetica Short Film festival which was as brilliant as ever, and now incredibly popular.It is the single greatest thing that happens in York each year. Films from all over the world, full of everything. We met up with Rowan at the City Screen for lunch, chatted to a bloke who turned out had brought his movie over to show from New York, so made sure we saw it later in the day.

Rail Trail

Here is a shot of the rail trail I rode last week. It is truly the best way to move from A to B.

New Route

I worked out another new off-road cycle route last week. This one uses the old railway line from York to Selby, crosses Skipwith airfield which is now a wooded heathland, then follows the old line between Bubwith and Market Weighton [where this photo was taken]. The route then takes another old line into the Wolds before following the track that is the route for the Kiplingcotes horse race, the oldest race in the country. Then down to the market town of Pocklington, through another forest on tracks and finally back into York on a bridleway through Gypsy Corner and across the Ouse on the Millennium bridge. 60 miles of heaven.

Rowan's Photography

Rowan has been trying out her phone camera; on me in this case, in black and white portrait mode.

Regular visit

I went down to see Rowan in Lem, she seems well set in her new flat for her final year there. We went back to the Drawing Board for lunch. A pleasure to see her, and she had made me some foccacia to take home.

Kingfisher

I saw a Kingfisher on the beck on the moor again this week. It is two years since I last saw it, so very pleased. There is nothing quite as distinctive and exciting as the Kingfisher; the whirr of wings and the flash of electric blue.

Here is the locally ground flour from our windmill.

House Plants

Most partnerships have one house plant carer, and one person who is likely to end up on the Plant Protection Register. I am the carer. These plants were given to Danielle for her 50th birthday three and a half years ago. I have kept them watered and they have delivered endless white flowers. Then on their 1000th day of captivity they let out this red flower. Magic.

River Aire

The section of the River Aire we followed is through some of the brownest of brownfield sites - intense industrial degradation over the years. This makes it all the more surprising that the gorge it flow through is one of the most beautiful sections of the whole river. As Danielle said "It could be the Delaware".

Striding Out

The next leg of our Canal Walk project took us from Castleford to Ferrybridge on the River Aire. A great walk, Kingfisher for company, cold but uplifting.