Possible painting?

Posted on April 7, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Age, Buddlea, Cold, Erosion, History, Life, Memories, Ruins, spode works, Thinking, Time, WindowLeave a comment

There’s something fascinating about the old windows at Spode Works. I took this photo this week in my friend Amy’s studio. It looks out over the back of the ceramic halls that front onto Kingsway in Stoke. The dirt and grime is from the clay dust that still covers much of the site. The buildings are freezing in winter and stay cool in the summer, I think because of the thermal mass of the solid factory.

Time is gradually eroding and changing the structure of the buildings. Buddlea bushes have colonised one of the older parts of the factory and I wonder if they will make it crumble. It will feel strange not to go there anymore.

Exterminate!?

Posted on April 7, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged 1960's, Cheddleton, Dalek, Dr Who, Froghall, Leek, Memory, Railway, Sci fi, Tardis, Time, Track, Trains2 Comments

One day a few years ago we visited the Churnet valley railway. We got on at Cheddleton and traveled to Froghall wharf. We didn’t realise but there was a Dr Who dalek at the station, plus a tardis! We stopped for coffee and cake and watched as the remote control dalek trundled up and down the platform while people took photos and videos.

I’ve been watching Dr Who on TV since it started in the 1960’s. I used to hide behind the settee when the cyber men came on. I still watch when it’s on now.

The Churnet Valley railway is based on a line which runs between Cheddleton and Froghall, also running towards Leek in the Staffordshire moorlands. Plans are being worked on to extend the line towards Leek and possibly Stoke as the track bed is mainly still in situ except where they built a supermarket in Leek on top pf the track.

Eclipse

Posted on April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged blinded, Burning, Danger, Eclipse, Looking, Memory, Moon, retina, Sun, totality, warning2 Comments

There is due to be an eclipse in North America tomorrow and some strange things are being written by people about it. Anyone would think it had never happened before, when it’s a regular astronomical phenomenon.

We’ve had a couple in the UK over the last few decades and nothing bad happened, no ending of the world, no real catastrophes (except maybe Brexit!).

But humans are good at seeing portents. They tie religion to events and make up stories to fit the events. Centuries ago we could not predict the occurrence of eclipses and thought that things like dragons were swallowing the sun.

Some tips for viewing eclipses:

I viewed an eclipse in the UK in the 1990s by looking at its reflection in my car window as I had no viewing goggles. You can also see its reflection in water. And if you make a small hole in card or paper you can see multiple crescent moon shaped patterns on the surface it’s projected onto. (explanations of how to do this can be found on the net,) Remember DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN! Even approaching totality when the moon is covering the majority of the sun you can damage your sight. You can be blinded by the light from the sun including ultraviolet light that can burn your retina without you feeling it.

So many things

Posted on April 6, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Destination, Lost, Memory, Missing him, Sadness, the end of an era, Thought, visiting places2 Comments

We sat and planned places to go. He wanted to go to the East coast and Scotland. I wanted to go to Devon and the Lake district. We thought over the next few years we would visit places like Cardiff or the Angel of the North.

It would be our big adventure. The time would be set aside, we would get cat sitters and take a few days away. Not months, but enough to explore places.

What was stopping us? I was nervous of driving long distances after developing shakes a couple of years ago. He didn’t drive because of his anxiety. But I’d hoped that I would have a diagnosis and get better. I would have loved to go to those places.

But things happened, Covid came and went, trains were unreliable, neither of us liked coaches, we preferred the freedom of our car. In the last year though we drove less than 500 miles. We stuck to places we knew and enjoyed.

Why am I mentioning this? Watching TV, seeing a destination that I might still visit, but without him? What’s the point? He was my partner, life time companion, friend, and I want him back!

Cats

Posted on April 6, 2024 Posted in Cat, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1900, Fun, plus and minus, Poem, Poetry, Tuxedo catLeave a comment

What animals make the best/worst pets?

Cats are fun

Cats are free spirits

Sometimes they love you

Sometimes they fight you

They won’t take tablets

They will eat your food

If you turn your back

If you leave a morsel

Will steal your chair

Will hide in mysterious places

Appearing at odd times

Appearing when you least expect it

Get lost when they are due at the vets

Get tangled up in your feet

Have their means of communicating

Have to have their own way!

Mountains

Posted on April 5, 2024 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, ArtRage app, Digital drawing, Drawing, Mountains, Photodirector, Prompt, StylusLeave a comment

Purple mountain #bandofsketchers prompt was mountain, I drew this in Artrage app then adjusted it in photodirector. I must get back to real drawing soon.

Garden guide

Posted on April 5, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Biddulph Grange, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1899, Dorothy Clive garden, Eden project, Gardens, Plants, Rode hall, Trentham Gardens, VolunteerLeave a comment

What job would you do for free?

I’d volunteer for a job as a garden guide if I was looking for something to do. There are several beautiful gardens in this area. Rode Hall, Trentham Gardens, the Dorothy Clive garden, Biddulph Grange garden or further afield I would love to work at the Eden Project in Cornwall. I don’t actually know enough botany but I would try hard to find out their Latin and English names, it would be embarrassing to confuse my Aqualegia with Calendula or Gerbers. I would enjoy the exercise and chatting with people who enjoy nature including the birds insects and mammals that thrive in beautifully tended gardens.

If there is no such job I would just go and do it anyway. Each season has its beauty. One inspiring book is a very old story called the Secret Garden. I can’t remember the author though.

For Esther Chiltons’ prompt “Lost”

Posted on April 4, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Blank verse, Esther Chilton blog, Lost, Memories, Poem, Poetry, Prompt, Thought, Writing challenge4 Comments

I lost him in December.

Since then my heart has been empty.

Now I’m alone, the universe seems cold.

Like Pandoras box, but with hope gone?

I have to carry on,

But it won’t be the same,

I’ve lost him, lost his name.

Lost my heart and soul.

Gone.

Gymnastics

Posted on April 4, 2024April 4, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged athletic, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1898, flexible, Fun, gymnastics, Life, Olympics, Strength, turn, TV, TwistLeave a comment

What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?

Watching gymnastics over the years reminds me of Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci with their virtually perfect performances at the Olympics. Oh how I wished I could twist and turn my body like them! My abilities were more along the lines of running and cycling. But I always to watched them on TV and I have continued to follow the gymnastics ever since.

It’s not just the female gymnasts, the men are brilliant too. The competitions are different, with apparatus based on the physiques of the male and female body. Balance, poise, strength and flexibility all are important to these athletes.

Looking forward to Paris 2024.

Guitar for sale?

Posted on April 4, 2024April 4, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged beginners, carrying case, Gift, good condition, Guitar, Learning, Life, Music, plectrum, strapLeave a comment

It’s probably not the right place to post this, but if you are local to me (Staffordshire /Cheshire) you might be interested?

Hi folks, I’m trying to sell hubbys guitar. A friend had a look at it for me. It’s an Oakman basic beginners acoustic guitar. New would be about £70, but second hand, I would be happy to sell it for £40. I’m never going to learn to play it, might make a good gift for someone who wants to learn. Comes with carrying bag and strap and a plectrum.

Now sold.