New paintings and regular art updates.
Street art in Newcastle under Lyme yesterday. Someone called Ian Mood has painted on a metal cabinet with images of miners. They were working up to about 40 years ago when the Coal industry of the country was dismantled and destroyed by Margaret Thatcher who was the Prime Minister of the time. There is still a lot of dismay at what she did. Life is crazy sometimes.
An old lamppost and a partially demolished 1960s or 70s building. The question is which is, ancient and which is modernish? The reason why I ask is because replica lampposts are sometimes used as urban street furniture. Obviously it’s looked smarter in the past, but hopefully this development will be an improvement?
This is a stone carving I think? It’s on a building in Newcastle under Lyme. The building, a shop, has closed and other buildings around it are partially demolished. I hope this carving will be recovered and reused, maybe it will go to a reclamation yard? I think it’s probably an art nouveau design. I hope the business that was there is successful in its new home (there wee signs saying it had moved elsewhere.
Today I had the honour of holding the Cerimonial Mace of the borough of Newcastle under Lyme. We were Celebrating the Mock Mayor Ceremony that was held in 2019 to crown a Mock Mayor for the day. Then covid happened so there hasn’t been another event and I’m effectively still the Mayor! My hubby played the Mayor’s wife in one of my dresses…
The marvellous Glenn Martin James who organised the extravaganza is standing next to hubby in this photo by a lady called Amanda. Glenn has done a wonderful drawing of the whole cast at the event and it is now on display at the Guildhall. Hopefully there will be a new ceremony in the future. X
Had a lovely but tiring afternoon. Might post more later!
I know they are from the Gallanthus group of plants but I think these might be snowbells not snowdrops. They have bigger flowers than usual and more prominent markings. But there are many variations of these lovely little friendly flowers, and they look great spread in carpets under the bare canopy of winter trees. They only have a short flowering period before they go over and that’s the best time to split their clumps of roots “in the green” so that they become less congested and flower more freely.
Writing group today, I sat and sketched a couple of the group. Most of the stories and poems are autobiographical, I want to be more fictional. The woman writer was very atmospheric, giving a feeling of ‘place’. Using unusual descriptions to evoke childhood and adult memories of being drawn back to the sea. My poem about love was well received. I’ll keep going.
Ferns are growing in the wall again, catkins are appearing on the trees. My snowdrops have flowered and now the daffodils and helibores are in flower. Soon the tulips will open.
I can’t wait for warm breezes. Marigolds, wallflowers, wisteria and nasturtiums. Blue skies and then the fruit blossoms. The days will be longer and it might help me feel better. I hope the bees and ladybirds arrive soon.
Esther requested a piece of writing about a funny moment this week and my memory went back to my early childhood…
Thinking of children and what they say and do. I was a young child, probably about 5. I was developing a wart on my thumb and asked my mum what I should do? She told me to rub some bacon on it and bury it in the garden. Some time later she found me outside calling for her, asking if I could come back inside? I’d rubbed the bacon on my thumb then shoved my thumb into the soil! I always have taken things too literally!
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
When I was young I cycled evrywhere with my then boyfriend, later to be my hubby. Sometimes we went on the train with our bikes then cycled on to our destinations. I was fit enough to cycle 100 miles on our tandem. I enjoyed the trips and went round the lake district and over to places like Harrogate, down to the Midlands and into Wales. We travelled in all sorts of conditions, Sun, rain, snow, ice, wind. It was interesting to see the world pass quite slowly and yet for the landscape to transform as we passed through valleys and over hills. Whipping down hills, wind in my hair. Then one day I was knocked off my bike by a drunk driver. After a short spell in hospital I started cycling again. But unknown to me the bike had been damaged. A year later it collapsed as I was cycling up a hill. The down tube had pulled away front the headset (the tube between the handlebars and the forks.) I took the bike to a cycle shop but they lost it and the replacement bike I bought was not the right size. By the time I got my old bike back I had learnt to drive. I needed a car because I had a job requiring me to work in different towns. I still had my bike but the car was convenient. If I had continued to cycle every day I think I would be fitter now.
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?
Each day I try and write three things. Simple things I’m grateful for.
Not wondrous things, but little ones.
Traffic lights staying on green, getting to an appointment on time, a phone call from a relative, an unexpected laugh with a friend. Maybe seeing the first tadpole or daffodil of the year.
Just list 3 things, with today’s date, maybe add a little sketch of what’s happened. Each positive gratitude trains your brain to feel less negative. I’ve dome it for a couple of years now. It helps X
Mallaband-Brown