Wolds 2

Taken in Holm Dale, this gives an idea of the way the mist can add mystery and confusion to the Wolds landscape. Trees take on new shapes and distances get distorted.

Wolds Walk

Rowan and I went a walk in the Wolds with David, Alison and Peter. Danielle stayed at home with Layla whose foot is troubling her (visit to vet tomorrow). It was a beautiful day, cold, misty, with bright sun breaking through.

Xmas 2018

We have usually managed to do a semi-organised walk each Christmas, this was two years ago on a jolly jaunt cross country to York University and back. We even found a cafe that was open for coffee. Not this year.

Xmas 2016

 

We try to get to Nottingham each Xmas to see niece Sarah and family. In 2016 Ro & Pete and nephew William were there as well. Not this year though.

Xmas 2015

Ben, Kari, Liam and KC came to visit us for Xmas, which made it a great family event.

 

Happy Xmas 2020

Opening presents, Rowan on camera duties, Layla on the bed. 

Had a Zoom call with sister, cousin and aunt and families which was great.

Xmas 2014

Rowan was now in the States at High School, and we were at home for Xmas. This was taken at a local cafe that did Xmas meals, so we went and supported it with our custom.

Xmas 2013

Taken at Ro & Pete's house in Great Glemham when Mother was living there in her GrannyFlat. It captures, for me, her determination to hold onto her capabilities as long as she could.

Xmas 2010

Three years later and Rowan was playing big cousin to Liam and KC.

 

Xmas 2007

Whether it was Mother coming or Danielle's family it always made Xmas special when Rowan was growing. By age 9 Rowan was nearly as tall as her Granny.

 

Christmas 2002

I've been digging around for old Christmas shots. This was taken in 2002, it was our first Xmas at Hob Moor Drive, but also the first since BJ, Danielle's mother had died. So having Ben and Royce to share it with us was important. Rowan was 4, and quite happy to have three adults at her beck and call.

Covid Hearing

 If you are deaf then Covid presents a perfect storm of additional problems.

1    Face masks make the person you are listening to harder to hear (muffled sound)

2    Social distancing means people are far harder to hear (being further away)

3    Face mask make it impossible to lip read, and expression read (this is a major part of hearing when you are deaf)

4    Hearing aid + face mask = potential catastrophe every time you put the mask on or off (Hearing aids flying through the air sprung by mask-straps)

Apart from that it's fine.

The viaduct over the Wharfe at Tadcaster. Looks like a typical Victorian bridge right? Except that it was never used. It was built as part of the Leeds - York line in the railway mania of the 19th century, but the line was abandoned before it was completed. Now it is a useful footpath across the river.

Update

Reflections in the canal at Leeds from last week.

Layla was checked by the vet today and all the indicators are good. So we can relax a bit, but until she is back to normal it a still a tense time. She is using her convalescence to build a case for permanent access to the sofa. I fear she will win.

Dog news

Rowan is back in London working at the office for the week. Layla was spayed today which had some complications so we are now nursing her: really distressful for the three of us. So for the next couple of weeks it is going to be a difficult time I think.

Here she is a week ago helping me open my birthday presents.

North on the Wharfe

 I walked north on the Wharfe from Tadcaster last week, it was perfectly still and peaceful. I tried to capture it in this shot of a bend in the river.

Armley 1

I took Rowan to Armley in Leeds for her to get her hair done. Gave me a few hours to walk around the area once more. Fascinating place with the canal, a classic Victorian Park and a looming Jail on top of the hill. This shot is down on the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

By Rowan

 Rowan takes a mean photograph, no doubt about it. This is Layla downstairs at home.

Dolphins

The river was high yesterday. The bits of wool snagged on the wire in this shot remind me of Himalayan prayers. The rail bridge is where the river becomes tidal; seals and the odd dolphin apparently make it this far on occaision.

63

Birthday in Lockdown. In the evening Danielle, Rowan and I went round to friends Dave & Emma for a car-port dinner. Outdoors, socially distanced and heated (a bit) by a firepit, we had a fantastic meal in full winter clothing. Mulled wine, home mad humus and pitta, french onion soop and delicious apple cake, and wine and beer too. Not bad for a Monday evening. Then this morning walking the dog by the Wharfe with this sky to enjoy.

Exhibition

A gallery owner has put on a new show with a number of Open Studios Artists from the west of the city exhibiting a few pieces of work each. I hope it goes well, as much for his sake as ours, there is not much casual shopping going on. This is one of the three prints I am showing. It has sold well before so here's hoping.

City Walls

Covid has meant that a one-way system has been introduced to the city walls in York. This is a good idea, and I hope they keep it once the lockdown is over. This is one of the bars on Goodrumgate, taken last week when I was in York.

Winter

More like winter than autumn. Ploughed field, bare tree, damp. 50 metres away from an old Roman Road near Tadcaster.

Guitars

The guitars were spread around the house, so we thought it would be good to consolidate. Got a beautiful walnut rack off Etsy made by a bloke in Northern Ireland. Really pleased with it.

So the guitars from right to left are a Gibson Bass (I think part of a swap with Derwood, with my Dobro going the other way), the home assembled Tele that I built a few years ago (£60 and fun to play), a PRS with humbuckers (I still don't like playing with them), my Japanese Strat, and a Line 6 with about 50 different types of guitar voiced in it, which saves having to have an acoustic etc. Bass ukulele on the wall, my Telecaster not in the picture. There is now a strict one in one out policy in place (apparently).

The Wharfe

I've been walking by the Wharfe this week with the dog. It runs through Tadcaster (providing the water for the three large breweries that are still in the town) towards the Ouse. It has cut a deep trough in the flood plain with the river far below the bank; come flood time every year it spreads right across the valley.

Barnbow

This is Barnbow in Elmet and near Leeds. 100 years ago the country's largest munition factory stood here. It was developed to produce shells for the First World War. Opened in December 1915 it employed 16,000 people at its peak and shipped half a million tons of ammunition to the front. By the end of the war the workforce was 93% women - The Barnbow Lasses. The factory is now all but gone.

Barwick

I cycled to Barwick in Elmet, the old capital of the kingdom, to try and get a better shot of the remains of the castle mound there. Not sure that I succeeded, I'll just have to keep trying. It is not an easy thing to photograph.

Albania 2

In Albania I remember the pleasing lack of cars, and soldiers holding hands as they walked around Tirane. All good. This shot was taken from a hotel, as a crocodile file of children head to school one spring morning. 31 years ago.

 

Albania 1

Taken from a trip to Albania in 1989, when the country was still very much a Communist State. I really liked it. This was in a park where people played chess out in the open.

Studio 2

This must have been from the same studio as yesterday's shot. That is not Mike, and the shot is not as good as the hat-shot but still interesting I think

Old Slides

Looking through my photo library. Came across this, taken in a recording studio where Mike Gregovic was working. I just saw the hat and light, took the shot. I remember no more about it.

Wykeham

Had a good walk up at Wykeham Forest in the North York Moors. Great to let the dog run free and roam the forest.

 

Wolds 2

 

One of the things about having done the book on the Wolds is that I don't feel the need to capture it on film with the same intensity that I used to. I can relax a bit now. Then the light does something like this, and I just have to catch it - never mind the book. This is right on the top of the Wolds looking south east.

Wolds 1

 Danielle was busy studying for her MA, so Rowan and I went a walk in the Wolds with the dog. It was very windy, but great to get out there again. Here are the two photogenic members of the party.

Ouse

 The Ouse was very full this week. Had a good walk south of York. Autumn definitely in full swing.

Lunch Break

This was where Layla and I had lunch last week as we walked aside the river Aire. It is a bridge taking a gas pipe over the river. 

Office Life

Three of us together in one small office was difficult with 2 separate zoom calls going on at once, so Rowan has tried out setting up her office upstairs. It fits in really well. Miss her down here though.

Whoopers

Walked on Hatfield Moors last week, and saw these whooper swans on one of the flashes. I have not seen one for a number of years so it was good to see them: much more exciting than your standard mute swan.

Family Affair

 

Here are two of Layla's four siblings. Photos of the other two to follow as we near their 1st birthday.

 

For Peat's Sake

 

The ancient peat bogs of Hatfield Moor have been saved from further commercial extraction and probable extinction. They had not counted on Layla though. As I sat having my lunchtime bap I noticed said dog excavating said peat. Luckily she was distracted by a mangy dog-treat and the moor was saved.

Steeton 2

This is another shot of the Steeton Gate House - I was surprised to find this corbel on the sheltered bit of the building. I really like it.

Barkston Ash

 Another photo from my book ride last week. This is an ash tree at Barkston Ash, the old capital of a wapentake of Yorkshire. Ash trees definitely benefit from being seen without leave; their strange irregular mass of branches come alive when leaves are not around to smooth their ragged outlines.

Steeton

I rode through Elmet taking some photographs for the book. This is the 14th Century Steeton Hall gatehouse. Simple but very pleasing.

Waters Rising

Plenty of water in the River Ouse yesterday when I cycled over the swing bridge. I had a mechanical and faced a walk home of a mile or so, so I was glad to meet friend Steve and walk back with him and have a lockdown catch up.

The Election

In our household we have been in a type of horrific paralysis since the US election. This seemed the best photo to post. Taken in DC in 2003. The two crossed out words are attempts at the spelling of "trust", one was correct.

Viaduct

I got a walk in before Lockdown 2.0 starts on Thursday. This is a viaduct on the long-gone Axholme Railway that ran across the peat bogs to the Isle of Axholme. It is crossing 3 parallel drainage and transport dikes. I find its small scale really pleasing. 

Harrogate

I went away for a few days in Harrogate to concentrate on my Elmet book. It went really well, and I feel I now know what I have to do, and how I will go about doing it. Onto page 20 now!

The weather was terrible, which was great for me, as it kept me at my desk. I did get out to stretch my legs, and take a few shots of the town.

Taken near the old pump house - Harrogate was originally a Victorian Spa Town.

Leeds Liverpool Canal

This is the Leeds and Liverpool Canal from our walk with Ro & Pete last week. It is  a beautiful piece of engineering from the 18th Century that just seems to blend in with the landscape perfectly.

Dutch River

Looking south from the Navigation across the Dutch River (a straightening of the River Don carried out in 1635 by Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden) towards the wind farms on Goole Moors. There is much beauty here in the flatlands.

Layla

Layla on Hatfield Moors. She is becoming a good companion on my photography/walking trips. Our host in Scotland said of Layla "She's full of nonsense" which is also true.