Getting to Know You

Our walks, these days, often take us along the reservoir beside the studio. Which means I’m getting to know it in all its many moods. And how they vary!

The pictures above were taken yesterday - on the most idyllic autumn day imaginable. The ones below were taken today - which was about as vile as a day can get.

The singing colours of Monday drained from the world, leaving a depressingly dreary palette. A fierce wind got up and the swans vanished to cosy cover somewhere along the banks. The rippling blue water turned cold and choppy, lurching over the sluice gate and careering into the dam wall.

I struggled to keep my giant, spotted umbrella the right way out; and risked being carried away like Mary Poppins in the process. Joss grew more bedraggled by the second and was actually glad, for once, to clamber back into the car.

But it’s good getting to know my new neighbour; and fascinating to observe the ways it dresses and behaves. I suspect we’re going to become very fond of one another over the months ahead.

Goodbye, Little Green Camera

This is the camera that kicked it all off….the camera that got me into photography almost two years ago.

I’d decided it might be fun to take a few pictures….so I turned up at the photo counter in Walmart and surveyed the long, long row of cameras for sale. Immediately, this green beauty leapt out at me. (Happily, it was at the cheaper end of the counter!) So, knowing nothing about it other than its pretty colour, I told the sales assistant I wanted to buy it.

‘Oh, no you don’t!’ came the reply. ‘Those are always returned. They don’t work properly.’ And she proceeded to try and persuade me to buy any number of other models.

But I didn’t want them. I wanted the green one. So I turned away, dismayed and dejected, and sloped off home, empty-handed.

That evening, the small amount of gumption I possess asserted itself. ‘But I want that green camera!’ I told myself. So, next morning, I was back at the counter. Different sales assistant, different story. A few minutes later, I was walking out the door, the little green camera in my bag.

And you know what? She’s been great. Okay, so she’s not remotely sophisticated. And, yes, she does seize up occasionally and refuse to work at all. Her flash is worse than useless and there’s no point in using her video function because the sound recording is so lousy. But she’s been my constant companion for the last two years; and she’s taken some lovely images. She has a particular talent for twilight shots. And best of all, she’s green. J

Time, however, moves on. I’ve finally decided I require a somewhat fancier point-and-shoot. And my little green friend has performed such sterling service that she’s actually beginning to fall apart. It’s time to allow her a quiet retirement.

I’m not saying we won’t still make the odd outing together. I’m sure we will. We’ve enjoyed each other’s company too much to part completely. And she’s taught me much of what I know about taking pictures.

Best of all, however, she’s green.

A few favourite pictures of the many we've created together....

P.S.  Today I'm taking part in Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at Little Red House.  Why not pop on over and take a look at some of the other lovely mosaics you'll find links to there?

The Same View: October

As I drove to the moor yesterday morning to take this picture, my car skidded on black ice. The thermometer read 0°C. Freezing. Where did that come from?

Walking through grasses heavy with rime, across puddles turned to glass, my cheeks stung red. And I wished I’d thought to pull on a hat and scarf. But the sky was cloudless, the air sparkled and everyone I met was in good spirits.

The view hasn’t changed substantially from last month. The distant hills are browner; the trees have yellowed and are beginning to thin out. We’re sliding into winter….but for now there’s autumn sunshine.

Moving Day

Today I officially moved into the new studio.  Or rather, my stuff did.

Have I mentioned that I have a lot of crafting clobber?  I mean, A LOT?

However, Gavin, Jason and Ian of Britannia Willis did a heroic job; and, though it was a long day, it all went pretty smoothly (thank you, lads!).

Joss and Nettie were seriously worried by the whole process.  They clearly suspected another transatlantic expedition was in the offing.  At one point, Nettie even tried to stow away in the removal van, determined not to be left behind.

But my favourite bit of the day was turning up to my remote studio, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and finding two shiny 2 pence pieces lying close to the front door (how did they get there?).  If it's lucky to find a penny, surely 4 pence means four times the luck?

I'm believing it to be so.

Vintage Haworth

It’s probably because of the hugely popular 40s weekend….as well as the more recently introduced 60s weekend….but, for whatever reason, Haworth is turning into a mecca for vintage clothes fans.

Alongside the antique and collectable stores, the second-hand bookshops and bric-a-brac, there are now several shops specialising in period clothing.

The Souk is the biggest, stocking clothes from various decades, as well as shoes and even old LPs. Oh La La targets the 40s audience, with china as well as clothing; and is a great place to find a hat for a fancy wedding.

Even the local charity shop now flaunts a Vintage and Retro sign in a funky, 60s design and aims at a niche market.

So it’s no longer just Bronte aficionados who are beating a path up the steep, cobbled Main Street. And no longer just the early 19^th century that’s pulling in the crowds. Haworth may have the air of a town frozen in time - but you pick the era....then find the costume to match.

P.S.  Today I'm taking part in Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at Little Red House.  Why not pop on over and take a look at some of the other lovely mosaics you'll find links to there?