Wedding

Well, sorry for the absence, been a very busy few days. I had to hurtle down to Bicester for my cousin's daughter's wedding to take the photographs, then hurtle back up to York. It all went well, the weather, the covid restrictions, the food, the ambience, all was great. You will know that taking photos at weddings is usually the least favorite type of photography for just about any photographer. But it was OK.

Photos not yet ready. So here is a photo of the dog.

Blakey Topping

This is Blakey Topping, a strange hill on my walk on the North York Moors, there is a stone circle at its foot which I have not yet explored. Next time.

NYM 3

This is Malo cross, another of the many crosses and cairns and milestones that are scattered high over the North York Moors. I do love them, there is always a mystery about these survivors from the past.

Played music with real humans yesterday. Felt great to just play again.

NYM 2

Layla is a great companion on these long walks on the moors. Patient when I need to take photos etc, and delighted to go charging through the forest.

NYM again

Had a great North York Moors walk this week. Forests are best as they are sheep, grouse and gamekeeper free. This means the dog can run free without causing any grief or damage. So we had a great walk through Langdale forest. Came out onto the moor top to see Lilla's Cross, which I love.

Drax 2

Layla in a woodland near Drax, taking in the beauty of the bluebells and the emerging canopy. It is a great time of year; all is fresh and new. Still chilly though.

Drax

We've had the builders in this week for various odds and sods. So I have taken the dog out each day to let them have free rein. This was taken from a walk near Drax, looking across the Ouse to Hemingbrough steeple. A sort of northern Constable vibe.

Ouse

A walk by the Ouse at Cawood. Sometimes the reflection off the still water can appear like a portal into another world, or to the sky itself.

NYM 2

Got stung on the eye socket last night by a dozing wasp; it was disturbing as I was in deep sleep. Not something that has happened to me before, I have no wish to repeat.

The forest we walked through on the North York Moors had large sections that had recently been felled. It is just part of forestry, and it makes for some dramatic shot opportunities.

NYM

Great walk last week on the north North York Moors. This is the view from the escarpment looking down to Middlesbrough. The conical hill on the right skyline is Roseberry Topping.

Book news

I have been busy trying to finish my Elmet book, to have it ready for the printers. Friends have proof read it, Rowan has read it with a critical eye that only a daughter can bring (no holds barred) and now I am about to do one more read-through out loud to check as best I can that there are no glaring errors.

This shot is from Moscow in 1986: still communist, Gorbachov in power, Reagan bombed Libya the week before, Chernobyl happened three days later. An interesting time to visit.

63

When my father was the age that I am now, 63, he had a throat cancer removed that led to him being in pretty much permanent discomfort for the rest of his life - 8 years. At the same time my mother became his carer (although no one ever called her that). It is strange for me to think of all this, and hard to take it all in.

This is him with Rosemary and I  at Grimsargh (near Preston).

Lavender

Rowan was 7 when I took this shot at Yorkshire Lavender near Castle Howard, but she was not that small. The gate is one of their trompe d'oeils.

Daughter and Dog

Rowan and the dog ready to set off for the Wolds. Rowan is back in London for a few days, so it is a bit quiet here, Layla undoubtedly misses having her around.

Peace

A peaceful Saturday morning; walk to paper-shop achieved. Man with killer sudoku, dog asleep. Noah and his ark look on.

Family Album

Layla has four siblings. They were all placed with families through the same dog rescue programme, so we get to share photos now and then. So here is the family.

Layla

Bella

Billy

Marty

Peach

And here is their mother, Mango.

Contrast

I liked the contrast between the lush conifers and the bare trees in front. This was on a steep hillside on the North York Moors.

More moors

 The moors were very dry last week. This will have changed with the downpour we have had since. 

North York Moors

Had a great walk in Riccall dale in the North York Moors last week. This is just to the east of Helmsley. It was good to be experiencing spring again. (Today it has gone back to winter with howling rain)

Leeds

When Rowan was at the hairdressers I had another Leeds walk. This old building near the city centre is for some reason still standing. It cuts a dash.