Four Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk

4. Cry in the Mist. Thorne Moors

Five Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk 

5. The Lonely Tree. 

Six Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk 

6. The Pool, the Lamp and the Sea. Madeira

Seven Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk 

7. Levada Shadows. Madeira

Eight Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk   

8. Stealth Two

Nine Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk 

9. Vanishing Point

Ten Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th when they will be on display at venue 47, my studio. All details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk  

10. Paris Olympics

Eleven Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work every day until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th. Venue 47, my studio. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk  

11. Fractured Ouse

Twelve Days to Go - York Open Studios

A new work, each day until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47, my studio. All details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk  

12. Study in Green

Thirteen Days to Go - York Open Studios

Posting new work, each day until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th when they will be on display at venue 47, my studio. All details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk  

13. The Line of Beauty

An old packhorse bridge on the Trans Pennine Trail in Barnsley

Fourteen Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work, not shown before, each day until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th when they will be on display at venue 47, my studio. All details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk  

14. Return to Lomnice

Fifteen Days to Go - York Open Studios

I shall be posting a new work, that I have not shown before, each day until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th when they will be on display at venue 47, my studio. All details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk 

15. Boat in the Reeds. Ohrid. North Macedonia

Strolling On

For the latest part of the Stroll I took the train to Ulleskelf (10 minutes from York, with the most Scandinavian of names imaginable) then walked along the river Wharfe to Tadcaster, and back to York on an old Roman road, then across fields. It was a great walk, the longest I have done so far. This pond is on Bilbrough whin.

Film Night

 We have occaisional film nights with Sue and Eddy. We hosted this time and watched If by Lindsay Anderson with Malcom McDowell made in 1968. None of us had seen it this century, and were interested to see how dated it had become. Amazingly it had aged really well, although very obviously of its time. I had last seen it when I was at a boarding school that was very like the one if the film.

Here is one happy dog on the Stroll at Danes Dyke

Woeful Carlisle

 Mark was up in Harrogate to see Carlisle play, so I dutifully went to watch them lose in the fourth minute of extra time at the end of the match 1-0. They are bottom of the entire Football League so it is neither a good moment nor an unusual occurrence. Hopefully they can pull clear of relegation, else they'll be playing York next season.

Music Book Group

On Filey Beach

In the Music Book Group we discussed Nocturne by Ishiguro. A collection of five short stories all with a musical aspect. We all enjoyed most of the stories, and had some good discussion as well. 

Danes Dyke

I left to coast to explore Danes Dyke which is a 4km long earthwork. Nothing to do with the Vikings, it is bronze age in origin and probably defensive in nature. A huge ditch with massive banks, it is very imposing and impressive. And also totally ignored. Not a single sign to say what it is, not even a sign to say keep out. So I didn't, and was pleased to be able to walk down most of its length. 

As ever it is hard to photograph earthworks successfully, but you get the idea.

High Rise Living

As orderly and organised as a bee-hive, gannets getting ready for the breeding season on the cliffs at Bempton. 

I went to see Andy Shepherd (jazz sax player) at the Howard Rooms in Leeds with Robert the Drummer and Paul. Another really good gig.
 

Stroll On

The next stage was from Bempton to Bridlington (know as Brid up here). Another great stretch along the beach, or on top of cliffs. The coast is eroding at an increasing rate, so there is not a lot of beach to play with, you have to be careful and check the tides. Illustrated with this photo, high tide was 3 minutes before I took the shot, so I was fine. That is Brid in the distance.

 

The Stroll is Back

After the winter break, when days were short, trains unreliable and weather less welcoming, my Stroll is back on. This is when I take the train to point A, walk to point B then the next time, start at point B and go to point C etc. Using the rail network across the area it is a lot of fun; and the dog loves it. So the first stage was from Filey, where this shot was taken, to Bempton where the RSPB have a reserve on the chalk cliffs. Good to be back.

Return of the Blog

Longest gap between posts for many a year. Just a lot of all day activity at the moment, then little time to post. 

The cycle route took me through Coxwold with its church with an octagonal tower. This is one of my favourites - built in 1430.

Danielle and I went with Tina and Andy to see Katherine Priddy play at Pocklington Art Centre. She is a young singer songwriter with a lovely voice and some good songs. That doesn't sound that inspiring, but it was a good gig. Highlight was a couple of tracks she co-wrote with Simon Armitage (the poet laureate).

RIP Robert

I have been busy at the weekend sorting out the studio for Open Studios which is a month away. So I got a ride in when the weather was good last week. Train to Yarm then a ride south via the North York Moors. As I rode past this lake I got a text I had been fearing; from Helen, friend Roberts wife. He had been having treatment for cancer for 6 months or so, and the cancer suddenly accelerated in the last few weeks. I saw him three weeks ago. We walked or cycled or coffeed every couple of weeks. A great loss.

Dark Sky

I turned around from Layla in the canal, and saw the darkening sky behind these trees. It passed with out rain.