Tree view

Posted on August 2, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged 30 years, connected, court, holding cell, Memory, Thought, town hall, Tree, trial, View, Window, witness3 Comments

I took this photo yesterday looking out of the Fenton Town Hall window. Then I remembered the room used to be a court room, and I had been a witness there in a trial 30 years ago.

I won’t talk about the case, but I can say the person was found guilty.

Other features were holding cells where witnesses were kept until it was time to appear in front of the magistrates. I have to say it was a long and boring wait. I still remember sitting in a green painted room for hours.

Funny how taking a photo of something with no connection with a memory can stir up things from years ago,

Stained glass

Posted on August 1, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Architecture, Design, Fenton, Memory, Stained glass, Stoke-on trent, town hall, Windows1 Comment

Not in a church, but in Fenton Town Hall. In Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.

History of the hall from Google : Fenton Town Hall is 138 years old. It was built in Albert Square between 1888 and 1889 by local architect Robert Scrivener and financed by pottery magnate William Meath Baker.

I love the fact that municipal buildings can be beautiful and subtle too. Just because they are used for local political work or council business does not mean they have to be brutalist (although more modern buildings can be very ugly). I guess you have to balance cost and utility. But I love beautiful architectural design.

Ignoring emails

Posted on July 25, 2026 Posted in Uncategorized, MemoriesTagged Messages, Poetry, Memory, Poem, Emails, Deleting, Too much, spam, millions, dross, gem1 Comment

Apologies world

I don’t want to hear

The millions of messages

Or emails or ads

I just get fed up

Of going through dross

To find the few gems.

I will reply soon

Just giving my brain

A rest.

Pegacorn

Posted on July 25, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged 40 years, Fine Art, Hardboard, imagining, Memory, Oil paint, Pegacorn, Pegasus, UnicornLeave a comment

Someone asked for mythical paintings so I shared this. It must be 40 years old. I think I painted it after finishing college. It’s oil paint on hardboard.

My downstairs lights don’t work and I need to get someone in to fix them, so the image is very dark. I’ll try and take a clearer picture of it.

It was fun creating a combined unicorn and pegasus.. Why not?

Shall I finish this?

Posted on July 20, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Blue, Brown, Design, Fine Art, Memory, Parkinsons, Pottery, Teapot, Wood, Work in progress2 Comments

I’ve struggled with this for 2 years. I do a bit and get fed up. I’m making the design up and it’s fiddly, my hands shake and it’s hard to get it right. The base of the pot curve is not right. Maybe I’ll get it finished once this hot spell of weather is over? So it’s a WIP.

In memory

Posted on June 21, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Family, Fine Art, Loss, Memory, midsummer, Mother, Painting, Portrait, Regrets, Sadness2 Comments

My mother died on midsummer day several years ago, I was there when she passed away…. I feel very sad today, all my recent losses have really got me down. I wish I could turn the clock back. I wish there was a way to speak to her, to ask her opinions, although we often disagreed, we had interesting discussions rather than full blown arguments. I painted this portrait before she died.

She was a strong and independent woman, she had to look after us when my Dad died. There are many sad memories about that part of my life too. But I think I’ve said enough.

My last cat

Posted on June 9, 2026 Posted in Cat, Memories, UncategorizedTagged 9 lives, Black and white cat, Cat, female, Life, Memory, Poem, Poetry, Sadness, Tuxedo cat1 Comment

Maybe I’m too old for them?

Have I used all my 9 lives?

I’ve cared for more than 9 cats in my life.

Lost them all over the years?

To finally end with one?

I want more

More companions

More company

Something to talk to

Something that has the ability to love back.

This lady is loving

But also aloof

Does her own thing

Plays, pounces, zooms….

Outside

Posted on May 19, 2026May 19, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged cousin, distant, funeral, Late, Life, Memory, Plant, random photo, Sadness, Travel2 Comments

I’m just not getting out much.

So I took a photo of this plant because I hadn’t got much else to look at one day.

Sorry, not very exciting, just went to a family funeral, we got there late because of traffic and roadworks, and as the person was a distant cousin, we really didn’t know much about him. I wrote about the random plant because you don’t need to know about the funeral.

I saw you

Posted on May 9, 2026May 9, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Comfort, Greif, Loss, Lost, Memory, Mystery Play, Pain, Poem, Poetry, Sadness, vikingLeave a comment

You were in that play

Playing on the monitor

From ten years ago

Still strong

Still vigorous

You portrayed a viking

From olden times

You gave your all

And tears drenched my face

How to go on

Without your embrace?

Missing train trips

Posted on May 7, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged around Stoke on Trent, Life, light railways, Memory, miniature railways, Staffordshire, Time, Trains, VisitingLeave a comment

By this time of year we would have been to a couple of local steam railways. The Churnet Valley railway and the Foxfield light railway. There are other nearby railways we could visit including at apedale in Newcastle under Lyme, and a couple of miniature railways at the Brampton museum in Newcastle under Lyme and at Fletchers garden centre further away in Eccleshall. Even further afield is a small narrow gauge railway at Amerton Farm garden centre on the way to Rugeley. Then down at Chasewater there is a light railway. That’s on the way to Birmingham.

So really well supplied with trains you can visit, not forgetting the main line ones. Sorry for the lack of detail but I would go on for several pages!

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Memory